Life, 1918-03-21 · page 49 of 56
Life — March 21, 1918 — page 49: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Pullman Company advertisement** celebrating its railroad porters and conductors. The top section contains unrelated satirical dialogue (appearing to be from a separate article) about a woman discussing her multiple suitors. The main advertisement features photographs of three uniformed Pullman employees and images of porters assisting passengers. The text emphasizes the company's commitment to employee quality, professionalism, and longevity—noting that 25% of its 8,000 porters have served over a decade, with some employed 40 years. **Historical context for modern readers**: This likely represents Pullman's effort to justify labor practices and working conditions during an era when the company faced significant scrutiny. Pullman porters, predominantly African American, were notoriously underpaid and relied heavily on tips. This advertisement presents an idealized corporate image of care and stability, though historical records show the reality was far harsher. The emphasis on "strict rules" and "careful records" underscores tight control over employees marketed as customer service excellence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
$s mine te | defenses, 9 | pnels through | um line and ) decay in iy rm. decay gas" Disease) erous The devitalized, recede and age te n_tendemess The teed so. Pyorthea ed bacteria into the sy, je many oe of mid-life, e out of five Fer from this it Fothan's vents Pyor- in time and tly, nardens the aserves the a the teeth them firm the funda- doth health nd all this re cleansing lentist oF spe 55c tubes Iggists N Co. h Ave, York glish pation. dition. How many young men have you got under your control at ent?” ure.” “Who is the first one who calls?” “Allan Weggs. He comes Mondays. He's the ardent type; wants to hold my hand and all that sort of thing. Very useful, because he does all my errands for me during the week, and when he comes on Monday evenings, I rather enjoy his love-making, as it cnables me to obtain a lot of psycholog- ical information at first hand that the text-books don’t even adumbrate. Be- sides, he keeps me informed about the gossip of the neighborhood.” “Who is the next one?” “Shirley Bolson. He comes Wed- nesdays. He’s quite bright and amus- ing. Rather prides himself on being a flirt. Has a self-conscious ego, but no introspective qualities —all of which gives him confidence. He thinks that I care for him, but am so much a child at heart that I am afraid to let him kiss me. Poor boy! Later on, how- ever, I look for some admirable qual- ities in him.” “Number three?” “Freddie Freepaw. He's the athletic type. Alway ins at basket-ball. Prides himself on his muscular development Rather dull, but a splendid animal. He might make a good husband, unless, in some unexpected manner, he should develop his mind too much. This, how- ever, is not probable. I cultivate him, as he gives me standing with the other girls. Besides, I look my best when I am walking with him, and you know, pre MEASURING UP TO HIS RESPONS!EtL The MenWho Serve You IHE Pullman car employees are ina distinctive sense the representatives of the Company. They are continually jon dress parade; their conduct is a matter | of supreme importance. Each Pullman car has its porter, and on every train is a Pullman conductor, in charge of all porters on the train. Either is at your service throughout the journey for information or to supply any special | wants within his power. Courtesy and thoughtful attention are among the most important things that the | Pullman Company has to sell; and they must be of high quality. A careful record is kept of the manner in which each employee does his work, and rewards of extra pay are given for perfect records. It is noteworthy that twenty-five per cent of the eight thousand porters in the Pullman employ have been for over ten years in the service of the Company; and some have been in its employ for forty years. Pensions are provided for men retired from active ser- vice and provision is also made for sick relief for all car employees. There are no rules for passengers save those which conduce to the comfort of all travelers; but the rules for employees, made in the interest of the passengers, are many and minute. THE PULLMAN COMPANY Chicago