Life — September 14, 1911 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Warner Auto-Meter Advertisement This is primarily a **Warner Auto-Meter advertisement**, not a political cartoon. The page promotes speedometers as markers of automobile quality and manufacturer integrity. The ad's argument: manufacturers who spend extra money on Warner speedometers demonstrate commitment to quality. The text criticizes cheap speed indicators as unreliable, contrasting them with Warner's superior engineering. It appeals to consumer desire for "hidden quality"—excellence in unseen parts reflecting overall craftsmanship. The ad suggests dealers increasingly stock Warner meters because educated buyers now demand them, making inferior alternatives harder to sell. The speedometer becomes visual proof of quality to consumers and dealers alike. The humor is implicit: a mere gauge becomes emblematic of automotive trustworthiness—a sales pitch elevating a functional instrument into a status symbol of manufacturer integrity.