World War I: Political Cartoon Posters – Carey Cartoon Service

Description

Carey Cartoons and World War I Commentary

Timeline of Main Events Covered in the Source:

• Pre-1914: The Carey Fountain Pen stores begin using illustrations, presumably of a humorous or topical nature, in their store windows. This practice continues for approximately eight years.
• 1914: World War I begins in Europe. The Carey Cartoon Service is established and begins producing weekly political cartoon posters focused on the unfolding global conflict.
• Early Years of WWI (1914-1915): The Carey Cartoon Service attempts to maintain absolute neutrality in its war cartoons, likely due to President Wilson’s appeal for citizens to remain neutral in thought and deed, and out of deference to the diverse ancestral backgrounds of the American populace who might have strong partisan feelings about the war.
• 1915: A book compiling the Carey War cartoons from the first year of the war is published. This indicates a level of public interest and demand for their commentary.
• 1914-1919: The Carey Cartoon Service continues to produce weekly political cartoon posters, offering commentary on a “wide range of world events surrounding World War I.” These posters utilize “colorful illustrations,” “multiple lines of thought, images and punch lines,” and frequently employ “caricatures of world figures and National icons.”
• 1919: The production of the Carey Cartoon Service posters ceases, coinciding with the end of World War I.
• Subscription Period (1914-1919): Retail storefronts could subscribe to the Carey Cartoon Service for $52.00 per year to receive the weekly posters for display in their windows, aiming to attract passersby.

Cast of Characters:

• Carey Cartoon Service: The organization responsible for producing the weekly political cartoon posters focusing on World War I from 1914 to 1919. Their aim was to provide commentary on world events through illustrations intended for display in retail store windows. They initially strived for neutrality in their depictions of the war.
• Carey Fountain Pen Stores: The originating entity behind the cartoon posters. They had been using illustrations in their store windows for approximately eight years before the outbreak of World War I, suggesting a prior understanding of the value of visual displays for attracting customers. The Carey Cartoon Service seems to have evolved from or been an extension of these stores.
• Woodrow Wilson: The President of the United States during World War I. His “strong appeal to all citizens to refrain from unnatural words or deeds” regarding the war influenced the Carey Cartoon Service’s initial approach to maintain neutrality in their cartoons.

World War I: Political Cartoon Posters – Carey Cartoon Service

183 Political Cartoon Posters produced by the Carey Cartoon Service from 1914 to 1919.

The illustrations on these poster boards depict a ride range of commentary on world events surrounding World War I.

These posters were produced weekly by the Carey Cartoon Service. A one-year subscription cost $52.00. The customers for these posters were retail storefronts. These posters were placed in store windows in an attempt to get passersby to stop at the store.

The colorful illustrations contained multiple lines of thought, images and punch lines. The use of caricatures of world figures and National icons are replete throughout the illustrations.

In 1915, a book of the first year of these illustrations was published. From its introduction: “It originated with the Carey Fountain Pen stores and has been used by them for about eight years… When the European war began, the subject did not appear very promising for cartoons intended for window display owing to the bitter partisan feelings the war engendered in the breasts of many whose ancestors came from one or more of the belligerent nations. Moreover, the president made a strong appeal to all citizens to refrain from unnatural words or deeds. In keeping with the spirit of the proclamation and out of difference to the feelings of many citizens, absolute neutrality has been sought and maintained in the Carey War cartoons.”