Life — March 7, 1912 — page 60: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily a **commercial advertisement** for Baker Motor-Vehicle Company's electric cars, not political satire. The image shows two elegantly dressed women in early 1900s fashion entering or admiring a Baker Electric vehicle at the National Capitol. The advertisement's headline—"The Car that brought them all to Shaft Drive"—appears to be a play on words referencing the vehicle's mechanical features (shaft drive technology). The luxurious setting and fashionable female figures suggest the car's appeal to wealthy, sophisticated buyers. The notation "EXIDE BATTERIES STANDARD EQUIPMENT" emphasizes the vehicle's reliable electrical system—a significant selling point when electric cars competed with early gasoline vehicles.