Life — March 23, 1911 — page 23: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a man in a winter coat standing at a snowy roadside, looking at a sign reading "SKINNER'S GARAGE - 5 MILES." The caption asks "EACH WAY THE OTHER GOES FOR GASOLINE?" The satire concerns fuel scarcity or rationing, likely during wartime or economic hardship. The joke is that the stranded motorist faces a dilemma: whichever direction he walks to reach the garage (5 miles away), he'll use up gasoline just getting there and back—defeating the purpose of seeking fuel. It's commentary on an impossible situation where conservation efforts create catch-22 scenarios for ordinary people. The artist appears to be signed "Herb" at the bottom.