Judge — March 20, 1915 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "Tires" Page from Judge Magazine This page satirizes the widespread problem of automobile tire failures in the early automotive era. The central motif—a tire labeled "98¢" as "The wheel of fortune"—suggests that cheap tires were unreliable gambles. The cartoon sequences depict various tire-related disasters: blowouts requiring urgent summons, disputes over repairs, and the ineffectiveness of "plasters" (temporary patches). The accompanying text notes that such patches "stay on" only briefly before the shoe fails again. The satire targets both manufacturers of cheap, defective tires and the false economy of purchasing low-quality products. For modern readers, this illustrates early-1900s consumer frustrations with nascent automotive technology—before standardized safety regulations—when buying tires was genuinely hazardous to one's vehicle and finances.