Judge — December 1, 1917 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This is a commercial advertisement disguised as a cartoon, promoting Kelly-Springfield tires. The illustration shows a uniformed military officer (likely WWI-era based on the uniform style) speaking to a woman, with stacks of tires prominently displayed in the foreground. The joke relies on wartime anxiety: the officer assures the woman that while he's away, she can use "the car without fear of tire trouble" because he's purchased Kelly-Springfield tires. The humor plays on the dual concerns of the WWI home front—spousal worry about a soldier's departure, combined with practical concerns about tire durability during material shortages. It's essentially a patriotic sales pitch linking reliable tires to supporting the war effort and domestic stability.