Life, 1917-07-19 · page 2 of 40
Life — July 19, 1917 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Michelin Tire Company advertisement** disguised as humorous verse and illustration, not political commentary. The poem tells a story about a man named Caesar with a long beard who experiments with tire tubes in his garage. The satire is **commercial, not political**: it humorously demonstrates Michelin's competitive advantage—their tubes are "rounded" and "moulded," preventing wrinkles and pinches, unlike competitors' "straight" tubes. Caesar becomes a satisfied customer ("I've proved Michelin's fitter"), riding triumphantly in a chariot pulled by a horse. The Michelin Man mascot appears at right. The joke relies on personification and mock-heroic language to make tire manufacturing sound dramatically important—typical early 20th-century advertising exaggeration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Vater atthe Rost Office at New York. N cond Class Mall Matey, ‘tered as Second Class Matter at the Post Uflice Department, Canada. ‘Copyright la Engliod and the Br wscstlons. Whose face wore a very long beezer ; en And he poked that old nose snk Into all kinds of woes, Till Caesar was some wise old geezer. Now in his garage, it’s been stated, Hung two inner tubes all deflated ; When Caesar espied These tubes he just er! * “ Now here is the chance I've awaited.” For one was as straight as a bee-line, MICHELI | And other was curved like a C-line; Milltown, New Jerscy i Said C “Tbiry OE a! | To discover just why The two don’t pursue the same key-line.” He learned from the experts he sounded Only Michelin Tubes are made rounded ; | Said he: “It’s a cinch They can’t wrinkle or pinch, No wonder their fame is unbounded.” aight Tube at right. For a Michelin Tube—it is moulded Wy, As round as th oe that will hold it; 4 4, But all of the rest ~ | Are straight, and at best In fitting are stretched or else folded, Said Caesar: “ Now don't make me titter, But sure I should feel like a quitter, Were I to refuse These rowid tubes to use, For now I've proved Michelin's ‘ fitter’ ” | i) | , 1 perv! “LN Th 4 --+ wD Eogop 7,76 f . Va § ¢ 1, H u Ms u & i sa f s comicbooksieaniy