Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol. 2. No. 13, October, 1920: America's Magazine of Wit, Humor and Filosophy

In Short

Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang, Vol. 2, No. 13 is an October 1920 issue of a monthly humor magazine created by World War I veteran W. H. Fawcett. Originating as a local joke-book for returning soldiers, this anniversary "Annual" gathers ribald jokes, topical limericks, cynical advice columns, and poetry about Prohibition, modern romance, and military life. It offers an unfiltered look at the post-war American zeitgeist, combining working-class irreverence, anti-establishment ribbing, and bawdy comedy. It endures as a fascinating historical snapshot of the Roaring Twenties' emergent youth culture and its rejection of Victorian moralizing.

The Story

The volume opens on a triumphant note as the editor, Captain Billy (W. H. Fawcett), celebrates the magazine's first anniversary. Operating from his farm in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, he reflects on how a modest publication intended for local veterans weathered its early struggles to achieve national circulation. Re-publishing the original premise from its maiden issue, Fawcett frames the magazine as a "relieving Balsam" designed to offer ordinary working people and former servicemen an escape from life's daily strains through plain-spoken, unpretentious humor.

From this editorial launching pad, the issue unfolds into an eclectic, episodic miscellany of prose features, verse, and brief joke items. Narrative sketches highlight the cynical realities of military and civilian life alike. "The Crap Shooting Major" recounts the exploits of Major A. C. Rebadow, a fraudulent officer who uses bad checks and military rank to gamble without consequences until a superior officer forces accountability. Traveling commentary appears via Rev. "Golightly" Morrill, who delivers scandalized reports on the vice-ridden ports of Vera Cruz, Havana, and Panama, chronicling the widespread presence of red-light districts, alcohol, and moral decay that entice visiting American soldiers. Short satirical pieces target the film industry, such as an article outlining new Los Angeles ordinances that ban tour-bus drivers from megaphoning gossip about Hollywood starlets' messy personal lives.

Interspersed throughout the volume are poetic contributions and advice features that explore shifting social norms. Poems like "The Girl with the Blue Velvet Band" recount cautionary tales of San Francisco underworld romance, while "The Little Red God" celebrates sheer grit over pious morality. "Wild Woman" and "Poor Girlie" tackle the changing behaviors of modern women, arguing that male hypocrisy drives female rebellion against old-fashioned decorum. In the magazine's central Q&A column, Captain Billy responds to readers' inquiries with sarcastic quips about marriage, Prohibition, military life, and cooties. Editorial essays defend the theater against claims of immorality and critique the greed of both capital and labor in post-war industrial relations. The issue draws to a close with a mix of classified advertisements for novelty goods, absurd fables, and a defiant final declaration that the magazine's unapologetic, "bull"-filled brand of humor is here to stay.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Captain Billy welcomes his readers to the second-year "Annual" issue, thanking a loyal audience for rescuing his fledgling Minnesota joke-book from obscurity. He re-establishes the publication's mission to deliver fresh, unvarnished humor as a antidote to modern life's burdens.

Scandals of the service The text turns to military misbehavior with the tale of Major Rebadow, an officer who routinely issues bad checks during high-stakes crap games at army camps. His scam collapses when an outraged victim traces him to an overseas air post, prompting official intervention.

Tales of vice and vanity Reverend "Golightly" Morrill offers sensationalized travel notes from Latin American port cities, exposing widespread prostitution and gambling catering to American troops. Concurrently, commentary on Hollywood tour guides illustrates the public's growing appetite for celebrity scandal.

Rhymes, riffs, and remedies The issue hits its stride with a barrage of reader letters, limericks, and satirical advice. Captain Billy dishes out cynical, lighthearted answers regarding Prohibition workarounds, marriage troubles, and army routines, closing out the collection with irreverent verse and small-town jokes.

The People

• Captain Billy (W. H. Fawcett): The magazine's founder, editor, and persona. A Spanish-American and World War I veteran, he seeks to build a nationally recognized humor magazine powered by reader contributions. He relies on sharp, plain-spoken wit and an anti-elitist stance to keep his audience entertained.
• Major A. C. Rebadow: An army officer in the Motor Mechanics Brigade who uses his military status to cover up gambling debts. He wants to indulge in high-stakes dice games without risking his own money, stopping payment on bad checks until a superior officer brings him to heel.
• Rev. "Golightly" Morrill: An itinerant preacher and contributor who travels to foreign port cities. He aims to document moral degeneration and warn against vice, though his vividly detailed descriptions of saloons and red-light districts border on sensationalism.
• The Modern American Girl: A recurring archetype featured in the issue's poems and jokes. She navigates shifting post-war expectations around smoking, drinking, and courtship, frequently outsmarting male suitors while rejecting traditional Victorian double standards.

In Its Own Voice

"If it strikes a popular appeal in the heart-chord of human existence it succeeds; otherwise, it sinks into journalistic oblivion."

Captain Billy reflects on the harsh market realities facing an independent magazine in his opening editor's note.

"Thoughts are deciduous, as trees, and appear green and fresh to each generation, and like desert soil, we are unfurrowed and unfettered."

The editor frames the journal's recycled joke formulas as eternal human truths that serve each new generation.

"A few months ago the girls ran away from a drunken man--now they run after him to see where he got it."

This typical one-liner offers a sharp, cynical observation on how Prohibition altered social behavior across the country.

What It's Really About

Beneath its bawdy jokes and light verse, the collection reflects a culture in deep transition following World War I. The magazine addresses the tension between traditional Victorian morality and the uninhibited sensibilities of a younger generation. Through its casual treatment of Prohibition, shifting gender roles, and military cynicism, the text argues that hypocrisy—whether in corporate boardrooms, religious pulpits, or army ranks—is the ultimate social failing. It champions an unpretentious, working-class resilience, suggesting that laughter, plain speaking, and a healthy skepticism toward authority are essential tools for surviving a rapidly modernizing, increasingly regimented world.

Why Read It Today

Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang offers modern readers an unvarnished window into the popular culture of 1920. Free from the retrospective polish of formal histories, it shows exactly what made ordinary Americans laugh in the immediate aftermath of the First World War. Readers interested in media history, American humor, or social history will find its crude vitality fascinating.

The reading experience is fast-paced, fragmented, and unapologetically lowbrow. It feels less like reading a cohesive book and more like flipping through a historic time capsule packed with period slang, military lingo, and vaudeville-style comedy.

Modern audiences should be prepared for period attitudes that reflect the era's prejudices. The text contains ethnic stereotypes, offensive slurs, and casual sexism typical of 1920s popular entertainment. Furthermore, many jokes rely on obscure regional or historical references that require patience to decode. For those willing to navigate these historical artifacts, the magazine remains a striking example of early 20th-century American pulp publishing.

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