Judge, 1918-07-20 · page 3 of 32
Judge — July 20, 1918 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a business letter from Winchester Repeating Arms Company (New Haven, Connecticut) dated June 28, 1918. The letter is addressed to salesmen and sales managers, promoting a "Smileage Books" campaign running July 15–August 1. Winchester is requesting salespeople donate one day's earnings to sell these books to soldiers in military camps, framing it as morale support for troops during World War I. The letter argues this is both patriotic duty and good business practice, claiming soldiers need entertainment to maintain morale. It concludes with an appeal for voluntary participation in the fundraising drive. This represents wartime corporate patriotism messaging rather than editorial satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WINCHESTER BENMETT, Pacsioi J-E.OTTERSON Fast V. MENRY BREWER, | F. G. DREW. Vice Patsioe: A.W. EARLE, Secorrany @ Aner Treas. 6 Tecasveen yesee wanes ot ove ano teeevenout fat mono. WIN CHESTER WAMCHIESTER REPEATING, ARMS; CO, MANUFACTURERS OF RIFLES, SHOTGUNS AND SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION New Haven, Conn.U.S.A. June 28, 1918. To Salesmen and Sales Managers Everywhere:- From July 15th to August lst, every Winchester salesman will carry Smileage Books with him and during that time is going to sell every possible Smileage Book to the people in every community that he visits. We owe it to our soldiers, who are giving up so much for all of us, to give a tithe of our time, our work and our money to making camp life happier and cheerier for then. You know how needed Smileage entertainment is to make and maintain the marvelous morale of the American soldier. The Smileage drive of the Winchester sales organization is a very practical way to assist this movement and is a way which can be carried out by every salesman and every sales organization in this country. If every salesman in this country would give just one day of his time to selling Smileage Books, every man in khaki in every camp in this country would be taken care of as regards Smileage entertainment. We will explain, upon inquiry, to any salesman or sales manager just how our Smileage drive is being handled, if he wishes to undertake the sale of Smileage Books. The best way to be "for" a thing is to go out and work for it. If you are "for" Smileage, go out and sell some Smileage Books. ee Ask us or Judge for particulars. Yours. very truly, \ General Sales Manager. comicbooks.com