Life, 1918-03-14 · page 3 of 40
Life — March 14, 1918 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Miller Tires advertisement** from The Miller Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio. However, it uses satirical imagery to sell products. The main cartoon depicts workers in military-style uniforms marching in rigid formation, each holding giant tires. The chain imagery and military drill reference **industrial standardization and worker uniformity**—suggesting that like soldiers, factory workers are interchangeable, uniform, and controlled. The satire is subtle: the ad presents this regimentation as efficient and positive ("Chain-Like in Uniformity"), transforming what modern readers might recognize as **dehumanizing factory conditions** into a selling point. It celebrates the standardized production methods that made Miller Tires competitive while also inadvertently mocking the rigid conformity demanded of industrial workers. This reflects 1920s attitudes toward mass production and labor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“To make Uniform Tires the workmen must be Uniform first’’ Chain-Like in Uniformity Are Miller Tires and Men Seventy per cent of all the American tires are made in Akron, Ohio. Here motorists know more than the average about tire mate- rials and methods. Here the Miller regiment of champion tire builders first became famous. And here Miller Tires outsell at retail every other make. Mark why this weight of favor is for Miller Tires among those qualified to judge. Tires 99% Excellent First because of Miller uniform mileage. Because these tires —99 in 100- outrun ° standard guarantees, A . oe f How can you tell } er, in buying other tires q whether you'll get one that will run 5,000 miles or fail at 1,000? Miller Tires are known as Uniform Tires. Miller achieved this uniform mileage by train- ing crack squads to build uniformly. These men average 96% efficient. The tires they build are 99% excellent. That means that less than 1% ever need adjustment. Miller Uniform Tires are Geared-to-the- Road. Look at their sharp rubber cogs that pre- vent the wheels from slipping when you start. They make all roads safer by resisting the tendency to skid. The Miller built-in-side-wall is made of Na- ture-waxed fabric. So Miller Tires are specially durable on rutty roads or stony ones where the sides of a tire are exposed to wear. Prepare For a Shortage Few workmen can be trained to the Miller Uniformity. So at the best, this year we won't be able to supply more than one motorist in fifty. To get Uniform Tires, find the Miller dealer in your neighborhood and speak for your season's needs at once. For utmost air capacity—size for size— ask for Miller Cord Tires. They are wonder- fully laxurious—yet not a luxury, because they cost less per mile than any other type. THE MILLER RUBBER COMPANY, Akron, Ohio Makers of Miller Red and Gray Inner Tubes—-the Team-Mates of Uniform Tires comicbooks.com