Knotty Problem - #675

By the fall of 1940, Ted Geisel had become unnervingly haunted by the war in Europe. Eventually, he showed one of his politically-charged cartoons to a friend who had joined the staff at PM, New York City’s new daily newspaper. When PM’s publisher saw it, he immediately recognized the quick wit and powerful impact of Ted’s work, publishing the cartoon on January 30, 1941, and hiring Ted to create a series of ongoing commentary. 

Immediately, Ted was all in. “PM was against people who pushed other people around,” he said. “I liked that.” [2]  As for the staff itself, he regarded them as “a bunch of honest but slightly cockeyed crusaders.” [3]  Because the paper was understaffed, everyone had to stay focused on their own work. Ted found himself completely unfettered and able to expose whichever Axis power-monger he wished. His two years with PM resulted in more than 400 World War II cartoons.