Life — June 27, 1918 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily **advertising, not satire or political commentary**. It's a Robbins & Myers Motors advertisement promoting electric fans. The headline "A Fan is as Good as its Motor" is a straightforward sales pitch emphasizing that fan quality depends on motor quality. The illustration shows a pastoral scene with a woman and child, paired with a large electric fan—this juxtaposition was common in early 20th-century advertising to associate modern technology with domestic comfort and leisure. The text argues consumers should examine the motor ("look behind the breeze and the blades") to judge a fan's quality. The R&M logo on the guard ("the famous R & M flag") serves as a brand identifier and quality marker. There is **no political satire** present here—this is pure product advertisement from the early 1900s, emphasizing durability and motor excellence.