Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the many facets of Fool Killer lore. FOR PART ONE, INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT, CLICK HERE.
AUGUST 1919 RETURN – From January of 1910 to July of 1917, James Larkin Pearson’s monthly Fool-Killer had been published, with his revival of the violent folk figure doing his ages-old job of bashing political and societal fools. In April 1917 America entered World War One and by July Pearson felt that a unified front for wartime was appropriate.
Just as Charles Napoleon Bonaparte Evans’ original Fool Killer had gone into hibernation early in the Civil War, so did James Larkin Pearson’s figuratively hibernate for a few years. In August of 1917 Pearson’s nationwide publication called The Fool-Killer changed its title and format from the hard-hitting satire of Fool Killing in order to show solidarity while the war raged.
In August of 1919, nine months after the end of the war, Pearson changed the name back to The Fool-Killer and resumed the hard-hitting political satire. That month’s targeted fools included:
*** People still pushing President Woodrow Wilson’s claim that the World War (1914-1918) was fought to “Make the world safe for Democracy.” The Fool Killer would swing away at such people while pointing out the less-than-democratic nature of some of the Allied Powers governments from the recent conflict, for instance Italy and Japan.
*** Cowardly or dishonest “journalists” who distort the facts and just produce propaganda for their bosses. (WOW! Pearson should see today’s lying reporters!)
*** People who thought the League of Nations would somehow end war. Continue reading →