Take Up the Sword of Justice

Punch cartoonist Bernard Partridge made this popular British war poster in response to the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915. In a passionate interpretation by the artist, the ship sinks while the allegorical figure of Justice beseeches viewers, and passengers in the water flail or desperately wave for help. Sponsored by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, the poster was printed by David Allen & Sons, a firm that produced many of the PRC’s posters. The sinking gave rise to more recruitment posters in Great Britain and growing sentiment in the US against Germany.