Life, 1917-05-10 · page 46 of 46
Life — May 10, 1917 — page 46: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **tire advertisement**, not political satire. United States Tires uses mock-grandiose language to sell their products. The central image depicts a classical female figure (representing "Quality") as an absolute monarch ruling over workers and factories—a deliberate metaphor presented as noble rather than critical. The text playfully calls Quality an "autocrat" with "iron hand" to which consumers are "slaves," but frames this as aspirational: people *want* to be governed by this authority because it guarantees superior tires. The ad targets "discriminating motorists" seeking the premium "Royal Cord" line, claiming quality justifies price. The five tire types mentioned ("Chain," "Royal Cord," etc.) suit different budgets while maintaining the "super-quality" promise. The classical, allegorical imagery and elaborate border design reflect early 20th-century advertising aesthetics. The "autocrat" conceit is clever wordplay rather than commentary—inverting tyranny into a selling point. For modern readers, the paternalistic tone (quality *ruling* consumers) reflects era-typical corporate messaging.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Autocrat of Tires He reigns with an iron hand—the supreme authority from which there is no appeal. The people of our plantations, our factories, are slaves to his name. Who is this autocrat? He is an idea—his name is QUALITY. ee HH And because we are slaves to this autocratic authority of quality—super-quality—we have made United States Tires the embodiment of that idea. Quality rules us—absolutely. And the embodiment of super-quality in cord tires is the United States ‘Royal Cord’ The five types *Chain’ “Royal Cord? “bi Are Good Tires Discriminating motorists are demanding the ‘Royal Cord’ Tires on the cars they buy. They know—either from their own experience or from their friends—that ‘Royal Cord’ quality pays them bet- ter by giving them better service. eee You needn't hesitate about any one of the five United States Tires which are adapted to your needs of price or use. Each one of the five is offered you only on the basis of super-quality. Super-Quality pays—from first to last. A Tire for Every Need et United States Tires sa and Use Bi ies bs Ua a cI comicbooks.com