Life — December 7, 1916 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **commercial advertisement**, not a cartoon or satire. It announces the White Company's new "Sixteen Valve Four" automobile engine, marketed as combining high performance with four-cylinder simplicity. The ad emphasizes engineering innovation—specifically that superior performance comes from increased valve capacity rather than multiplying cylinders, a notable technical claim for the era. The White Company, based in Cleveland, promises features like power, speed, hill-climbing ability, and silent operation. A seven-passenger touring car is priced at $4,600. The ad notes that complete displays of new White models with custom bodies will debut at New York and Chicago automobile salons, with January deliveries beginning. This is purely a product advertisement with no satirical or political content.