Judge, 1922-02-11 · page 31 of 36
Judge — February 11, 1922 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **tire advertisement** disguised as a comic scenario. The "cartoon" depicts a traffic accident: one driver has hit an elderly pedestrian ("old man"), and the bumper driver explains he couldn't prevent the collision. The "bumper" (the other driver) responds by sarcastically suggesting the accident wouldn't have happened with **Kelly-Springfield Kant-Slip Cords** (a tire brand). The satire works through dark humor: rather than genuine concern for the injured pedestrian, the exchange becomes a sales pitch. The ad then follows, explaining that Kelly tires now cost the same as cheaper competitors while maintaining superior safety and mileage. **Context for modern readers:** This represents early 20th-century advertising's casual approach to serious topics (pedestrian safety) and acceptance of using accident scenarios in marketing. The "Kant-Slip" name suggests improved traction to prevent skidding—a selling point in an era of less-reliable tire technology.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Bumper: Sorry, old man, but I couldn't possibly have prevented it, The Bumpee: Of course you could—you could have had Kelly-Springfield Kant-Slip Cords on your car; then you wouldn't have skidded. 4 4h2 element of safety is only one of the many advantages of the new Kelly Kant- Slip Cord. The same long, uninterrupted mile- age that has always been a Kelly characteristic ismaintained. Economiesin manufacture and greatly increased production have, however, brought the price of Kellys down to that of other makes which have always sold for less than Kellys. Now, it costs no more to buy a Kelly. comicbooks.com