Old Man '40 Wasn't All Bad
Uncle Sam, feet on a desk, reads two sheets headed '1940's Highlights': page 1 lists war threats, re-armament, higher taxes and other troubles, page 2 lists sports and leisure items, and he says page 2 is much better reading. The tell is card-stacking by selection: two lists of items of different kinds are set side by side and the cartoon argues for the lighter one.
Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon
- Date
- December 31, 1940
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Washington Evening Star (cartoonist Jim Berryman)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Cartoon
- Issuer type
- Media
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Themes
- Home front, War and the military, Economy and finance
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), Records of the U.S. Senate, Jim Berryman Political Cartoons (NAID 5730852), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Jim Berryman, Washington Evening Star. National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the U.S. Senate, 5743124 (NAID 5743124).
Text on the object
WELL, I MUST SAY THIS IS MUCH BETTER READING THAN PAGE 1 ! 1940's HIGHLIGHTS (PAGE 2) WORLD'S SERIES WITHOUT A NEW YORK TEAM INCREASED POPULARITY OF PRO FOOTBALL GREATEST OF ALL FISHING YEARS LARGEST DUCKPIN TOURNEY IN HISTORY (Star's) KEENER COMPETITION IN GOLF WORLD NEW HIGHS IN COLLEGE SPORTS RISE OF ICE SKATING.... 1940's HIGHLIGHTS (PAGE 1) WAR THREATS RE-ARMAMENT HIGHER TAXES CAMPAIGN MUD-SLINGING FLOODS SABOTAGE AIR DISASTERS LABOR TROUBLES CURTAILED FOREIGN COMMERCE Jim Berryman
