Life, 1913-05-01 · page 43 of 48
Life — May 1, 1913 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not political satire. It features fashion and consumer product ads typical of early 20th-century magazines. The top two-thirds showcases **Franklin Simon & Co.'s "Parfait" silk underwear** for women, with illustrated models displaying various styles of vests, knickers, and combinations (one-piece garments). Prices range from $1.45 to $3.95—presented as "special values" with original prices crossed out. Below are ads for: - **"Bunker Bean,"** a novel by Harry Leon Wilson about reincarnation - A critique of **installment buying and credit systems**, arguing they exploit poor people and increase debt - **Strong's Arnica Tooth Soap** and **Allen's Foot-Ease** powder The credit system commentary is the page's only editorial content, satirizing consumer debt as financially ruinous—a relevant concern during the early industrial era when installment plans were becoming common.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Franklin Simon & Co. Fifth Ave., 37th & 38th Sts., New York SPECIAL VALUES “Parfait” Silk Underwear For Women and Misses SIZES, 32 to 44 BUST Our ‘Parfait’ glove silk Underwear is of better quality silk; Vests cut longer, reinforced; Combinations are superior in fit and fully reinforced. No. 15. ‘Parfait’? Glove Silk Vest, of heavy quality silk, white, pink or blue, (reinforced), embroidered front, crochet top. Value $2.45 1.95 No. 15A. Same model, without embroidery. Value $1.95 1.45 No. 15B. ‘Parfait’? Glove Silk Knickers, in white, black, pink, blue or lavender, with satin ribbon and bow at knee. Value $4.25 3.45 No. 17. ‘Parfait’? Glove Silk Combinations, in white, pink or blue. French band top, as illustrated or with knicker knee, fully reinforced. Value $4.95 No. 21. ‘Parfait’? Glove Silk Combinations, in white, pink or blue, crochet top, handsomely embroidered front, fully reinforced. Value $3.95 3.45 No. 21A. Same model without embroidery. Value $3.75 2.95 Our Pernicious Credit System The credit system and the installment plan are another huge curse and waste KXSKASSNNSSUSESSSSSSSSSANSSSSNN NSS] hundred p’cent efficient” Do you know what they are ? Bunker was married on them. —Bunker Bean B: HARRY LEON WILSON A just perfectly yarn Geo. W. ripping, as Bunker would say “REINCARNATIONARY” New York Tribune Just out. For sale at all Book Shops and at our own in the new Penna. Station. Net $1.25 Illustrated. Doubleday, Page & Co., Garden City, N.Y. that the poor specially feel. These forms of allurement to spend money before it is earned may easily cost a tenth out of every dollar which goes for groceries, clothing and furniture. Besides, they tempt people to buy what they cannot afford, and so, as borrowers, to become servants of the lenders. The same sys- tem grinds all of us again in the form of town, city, State and national debts. For whose benefit are they? Not for the poor, No one but bankers and money lenders has any advantage from this colossal fetish of civic indebtedness. Let us honestly pay as we go, as a peo- ple, and every one who can afford to borrow would then get his money at a lower rate. This would lessen the cost of construction for every poor man’s house.—From “ The Burden of Poverty,” by C. F. Dole (B. W. Huebsch). But how un-American! Beautifully White Teeth and Clean, Healthy Gums and Mouth Cleanses and polishes the teeth; its fragrant antiseptic foam reaches part of the mouth, destroying perni- uring healthy gums and a weet breath. \dy metal bex—a convenient cake that lasts for months. 2 cents at alldruggists—or sent direct. C. H. STRONG & CO. CHICAGO ALLEN’S FOOT-EASE The Antiseptic powder shaken into the shoes —The Standard Remedy for the feet for a quarter century. 30,000 testimonials. Trade-Mark. Sold everywhere, 2Sc. Sample FREE. Address, Allen 8. Olimsted; Le Koy WN, ¥ ‘The Man who put the EEs in FEET. comicbooks.com