Life, 1917-05-10 · page 39 of 46
Life — May 10, 1917 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1917 *Life* magazine page combines patriotic messaging with advertising during World War I (the U.S. entered in April 1917). **The Main Article ("We Have an Enemy"):** A satirical editorial announcing America's formal declaration of war, likely against Germany. The humor lies in acknowledging that Americans haven't fought a major enemy in decades—Spain (1898) was brief, and Mexico never quite happened—so the nation needs practice developing proper "enemy-energies." This reflects genuine uncertainty about American war readiness. **The Gillette Advertisement:** The large ad capitalizes on patriotism by claiming armies worldwide use Gillette Safety Razors. It emphasizes that 80,000 razors and 600,000 blades have shipped overseas by various means. The advertisement strategically links consumer product adoption to military necessity and national pride, encouraging American men to use Gillette razors as soldiers do. **The Fashion Section:** An unrelated advertisement for hair removal product, typical of magazine filler. The page exemplifies wartime advertising's patriotic appeal, using national mobilization to market consumer goods.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ement t yester o'clock, resented One of “looking follows: , joiner, © object in. I've motor- love. & dues. nto the s¢ to be Kenuine © make airman, 1 white f Sob- se toa onfined Now, When In the Fashion Modish morning blouses of sheer material, and fashionable decollete at- tire, alike, have the dis- advantage that they pre- sent a puzzling problem —How to secure a dain- ty smoothness of the un- ler arm? The simple solution is the occasional use of Evans’s Depilatory ch removes superfluous hair temporarily. There is no safe to remove hair permanently. convenient outfit for apply 3 own department store or drug noney back without question, if you EVANS, 1106 Chestnut St., Philadelphia Makers of Mum’? the sobbing of all the railroads. If you wanted to listen some more, you could hear all the highbrows in Boston because there was no one for them to associate with but themselves. Is there any further sobbing?” “IT move the following,” said a prominent member. “Resolved, that we urge everybody to sob in this country, whatever is their age, race or previous condition of cheerfulness, always remembering that no matter what we are, suburbanites, nt princes, Progressives, and all rest, we are such stuff as sobs are made of.” sobbir resolution being carried, the adjourned to carry the sob stuff home to all the people. WANDERLUST ae oe a a cee ea ee eee eee We Have an Enemy HE United States now has an enem: unqualified enemy. toward this enemy. one was Spa Naturally it will tal a real, bona fide, out-and-out, formally declared, ¢ us some time to develop the proper attitude We are out of practice. , but she was not an enemy long enough for us really to get our hand We haven't had an enemy for a long time. in, We almost had Mexico for an enemy, but even then Mexico wouldn't have been an enemy worthy enough to draw forth all the latent enemy-energies, so to speak, of a nation such as ours. May we, therefore, ask the indulgence of the other great n. more trained in the qualities necessary to : roughly bang-up enemy ? 1s of the world who arc It may take a little time, but the result, even at this early date, can be guaranteed. The Armies of the World Use the Gillette Safety Razor AR is the great test of any ar- ticle of utility. The soldier’s kit is reduced to actual necessities. You can’t imagine a soldier carry- ing ’round a strop and hone. The official Army Regulations of all Countries now call for a clean shave. And beyond all question the Gil- lette is the Razor of the Great War— of all the Armies, on all Fronts. Gillette Razors and Blades have gone abroad in a continuous stream of shipments from this Country by thousands, by hundreds of thousands and by millions! <== If You Live in Canada—write the Gillette Safety Razor Com- pany of Canada, Ltd., 73 St. Alexander St., Montreal, for Canadian Catalogue and Prices. | Milady Dicollet is the dainty little Gillette used by the well- groomed woman to keep the underarm white and smooth. NO STROPPING One recent shipment was 80,000 Razors and 600,000 dozen Blades. ‘They've gone by Atlantic Passenger Steamers —by Freight —by International Parcels Post. By first-class registered mail and they've gone as personal baggage with passengers. They've gone by Pacific Steamers to Japan and through Manchuria, then via the Trans- Siberian Railway to Russia. Isn't there a lesson in this for every man in America who has not yet adopted the Gillette? There are thousands of young men just coming to shaving age. The Gillette will help them to form good habits —the saving of small sums that count up to big ones—the habit of getting started on time—of doing a thing perfectly in the quickest way with the fewest motions. <=> Write for the New Gillette Catalogue. Sce the thirty styles of Gillette Safety Razors, $5 to $50. Gillette Dealers everywhere. Gitrette SareTy Razor Company Boston, U.S.A. NO HONING comichooks, FcCOomMm