Life, 1915-06-10 · page 37 of 48
Life — June 10, 1915 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The cartoon at top-left presents a simple joke: a child reports a black hen laid a white egg; the other child asks the first to repeat the trick. It's satirizing the absurdity of demanding the impossible—a gentle, family-oriented humor typical of early 20th-century magazines. The "Help Department" section is Life's signature satirical advice column. Key entries include: 1. **A German statesman's problem**: Dark commentary on World War I-era German propaganda efforts in America. The advice—"stop writing and talking"—mocks Germany's failing public relations campaign. 2. **The doctor's vaccination dilemma**: Critique of professional cowardice. The sarcastic "answer" exposes how institutions suppress truth to maintain reputation. 3. **Madge's literary preference**: A brief joke about rereading boring authors. The remainder is a full-page **Gargoyle Mobiloils advertisement**, disguised as Ford maintenance advice. This hybrid advertisement-editorial format was common in Life, blending commercial content with editorial voice for credibility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Look! A BLACK HEN LAID A WHITE EGG” “WELL, THAT'S NOTHING” I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU DO IT” Our Help Department (Those Who Are in Trouble or Dis- tress Should Apply to Us.) AM a prominent German statesman and have been detailed to come over to this country and spend all my time writing letters to the papers and making speeches with the object of trying to convince everybody that Germany is right; but somehow or other the more I talk and the more I write the more everybody seems con- vinced that Germany is hopelessly wrong. What would you advise? Answer: Stop writing and talking. seas I am a physician in good standing in a medium-sized city, and have re- cently been elected president of the Board of Health, Now, the singular part of this confession is that secretly I do not believe in vaccination, having become convinced by an unbiased study that it does more harm than good. But if I declare my real con- victions, I shall lose my position and the rest of the profession will ostracize me and my practice will suffer, which I cannot afford, as I have a family to support. What shall I do? Answer: Keep quiet, of course. If you should tell the truth, you might influence other doctors to do the same. Think of how ridiculous you might make your chosen profession. Case of Necessity ADGE: My favorite authors are Browning and Henry James. I read them over and over again. Marjorie: You have to. FORD CAR MAINTENANCE Results of an investigation among Ford owners. Common problems discussed. “To what can I trace faulty valve action?” fe) Answer. Due almost invariably to carbon deposit. Ford owners who use Gargoyle Mobiloil ‘‘E’’ are remarkably free from this trouble unless the valves are out of adjustment. “What causes power irregularities?” fe) Answer. Faulty caburetor adjustment is of course a com- mon cause. But a frequent cause, too, is incorrect lubricating oil. The dedy of Gargoyle Mobiloil ‘‘E’’ correctly seals the Ford piston clearance, conserving the full force of the gas ex- plosion for the turning of the rear wheels. “Why does my motor pre-ignite?” fe) Answer. In the great majority of cases, this trouble is due to hard carbon deposit on the cylinder heads. The carbon grows red hot from the continued heat of explosion. It then fires the gas charge prematurely. Pre-ignition trouble is rare among motorists who use Gargoyle Mobiloil ‘‘E’’. Of course, no petroleum-base oil will burn without leaving carbon. But the slight carbon of Gargoyle Mobiloil “E” is a light, dry soot. It expels naturally through the engine exhaust. “Why do my spark plugs foul?” fo) Answer. This trouble is caused by (1) faulty carbure- tion; (2) too high an oil level; (3) incorrect lubricating oil. If you are troubled with fouled spark plugs first see that your oil level is correct and your carburetor properly adjusted. Then look to your lubricating oil. If the body is too light it works in excess quantities past your piston rings into the combustion chambers. In burning it leaves carbon on the spark plugs. If too heavy it will fail to reach all friction points. As the body of Gargoyle Mobiloil “ is scientifically-correct for Ford piston clearance, fouled spark plugs are infrequent among Ford owners who use this oil. GARG Mobiloils A grade for cach type of motor 10 buying Gertoyle Mobiloils from your dealer, iti ealest to purchase in original packages. Look for the red Gargoyle on the container. For information, kindly address any inquiry to our nearest office. VACUUM OIL COMPANY, Rochester, N. Y., U. S. A. Specialists in the manufacture of high-grade lubricants for every class of machinery. Obtainable everywhere in the world ° Detroit New York Phitadetohia Minnespotis Domestic Branches: Bostoa Chicago Indianapolis Patsbergh comicbooks.com