Life — October 5, 1916 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is primarily a **business advertisement**, not political satire. The page shows an office scene where a businessman urgently requests rapid document duplication—"By five I must have a thousand copies of this letter ready to mail." The ad promotes the **mimeograph machine** (made by A.B. Dick Company), a duplicating technology that was revolutionary for early-20th-century offices. The pitch emphasizes speed and versatility: the mimeograph could reproduce letters, handwriting, drawings, diagrams, forms, and bulletins "without cuts"—meaning without the expense of engraving or printing. This reflects the pre-photocopier era when document reproduction was a significant business challenge. The advertisement targets office managers and factory operators with promises of efficiency and cost savings.