Life, 1916-04-06 · page 55 of 80
Life — April 6, 1916 — page 55: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It advertises Thermoid Hydraulic Compressed Brake Lining, manufactured by the Thermoid Rubber Company in Trenton, New Jersey. The illustration depicts a dangerous scenario: a speeding automobile nearly collides with cattle on a rural road, with a farmer visible. The advertisement's headline—"Bad for the Cows, You Say?"—sarcastically acknowledges the hazard, then pivots to warn drivers that inadequate brake lining could prove fatal. The ad's core argument: drivers carelessly purchase cheap brake lining, which fails in emergencies ("when they're in a pinch—in danger"). The text emphasizes Thermoid's superior friction properties and durability, positioning it as the responsible choice that will "grip and hold your car." This reflects early automotive safety concerns when braking reliability was genuinely life-threatening. The ad uses fear and guilt (facing "a farmers' jury" if you killed livestock) to motivate purchasing decisions—a common advertising tactic of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
\ WA S BY ie Bad for the Cows, You Say? That's true. You may have to pay for it—that is, if you live to face a farmers’ jury. It seems incredible that, with much at stake, men who own cars or have trucks running around will take chances by buying any old kind of brake lining. Perhaps the only time they think about it is when they're in a pinch—in danger—and the brake lining doesn’t grip. Friction—friction, but there is no friction. Now try the other way—equip your car with © rr. Pe Sic. cope Brake Lining-100% Thermoid is all friction—1009% friction—from sur- _ substance—wearing qualities. It's there with the face to surface—through and through—all friction. friction until it is worn to paper thinness. Tell your That's the kind of Brake Lining that 5 ply or 7 sarees man you must have will grip and hold your car. ermoid. Thermoid is made of high grade long- On Guarantee: Thermoid will make fibre Canadian Asbestos, spun on RAULIC COMP = good or we will. brass wire. Woven into cloth, thor- Fl es Fy oughly impregnated with a friction 4 Thermo Rubber Company compound, folded, stitched, then hy- ' 5 Trenton, N. J. draulically compressed into one single 2 ; r Weilieev of Nasa Tike andl Tiiermstd Rullitioe solid mass. Thermoid has “ body”— i Hove, Garden Hose, ete. comicbooks.com