Life, 1918-04-11 · page 29 of 44
Life — April 11, 1918 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward **automobile tire advertisement** from Life magazine (circa 1920s, based on styling). The Republic Rubber Corporation of Youngstown, Ohio is marketing its tires by appealing to patriotic sentiment and economic self-interest. The ad claims their proprietary "Prédium Process" creates longer-lasting tires that save consumers money annually—framed as "a service to the nation" by reducing Americans' yearly tire expenses. The two tire images showcase the "Staggard Tread" design, emphasizing uniform wear and durability. The ad targets middle-class car owners by suggesting that choosing Republic tires is both economically rational and patriotic. There is no political satire or caricature here—this represents typical early-automotive-era advertising that connected consumer product choices to national interest.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Real Service to the Nation Suppose that the longer life of Republic Tires saves you only the cost of one full set in a year’s time. Isn't that well worth considering? That the Prédium Process of toughening Republic Rubber—a secret formula—does in- crease mileage and reduce the yearly investment, is a certainty. Any Republic user who has kept a record will tell you so. You can study the effect of this Prédium Process on any Republic Tire which has traveled a con- siderable distance. The wear on the tread, you will notice, is uni- form and even. The ture wears down slowly—like a piece of steel as we have so often said. And yet—the Republic abounds with life, and spring, and resilience. If the Republic reduces the yearly tire-bill by only one set ~isn’t that a service of some size to the nation? Republic Inner Tubes, both Black-Line Red and Gray, have a reputation for freedom from trouble The Republic Rubber Corporation Youngstown, Ohio Originator of the First Effective Rubber Non-Skid Tire Republic Staggard Tread Republic STtAGGARp (ar. 36P 13-22-1900 Tread Maximum Grip with Minimum Friction REPUBLIC T comicbooks.com