Life — October 4, 1917 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is **not a cartoon or satire**—it is a straightforward advertisement for Weed Anti-Skid Chains, placed in *Life* magazine. The ad features a large display of tires equipped with tire chains, emphasizing their safety benefit on slippery roads. The headline claims these chains "Make All Tires Behave." The text below explains that a car owner submitted this advertisement, motivated by genuine safety concerns for motorists. The American Chain Company (based in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with Canadian operations) positions itself as "Largest Chain Manufacturers in the World." The appeal is practical rather than humorous: tire chains were essential winter equipment when this was published, and the ad promotes them as a safety measure for drivers, passengers, and families.