Life, 1918-06-27 · page 5 of 37
Life — June 27, 1918 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
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.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
an isas G A fan is a motor with blades that throw the air. Most fan breezes feel alike. You can’t judge a fan by the ‘‘feel’’ of its breeze—you must look behind the breeze and the blades—the motor. The motor’s the thing—by it alone can you gaugethe qualityand performanceof the fan you buy. A fan is as good as its motor. So, look back of the fan. Every Robbins & Myers Fan is guar- anteed as to excellence of workmanship, materials and motor performance. These are the three vitals of motor durability— the qualities that make your fan a hot- weather friend through years of steady service—the values that bring you your full money’s-worth. Whether for ceiling, desk or wall; whether oscillating, non-oscillating or ven- ood as its Motor tilating; for home, office or factory; for operation on direct or alternating current; there is the very style and size of fan in the Robbins & Myers line. First glance tells you if it is a Robbins & Myers Fan—the famous R & M flag is on the guard itself, heralding the motor quality and reputation back of it. * * * Robbins & Myers Motors for general power pure poses are made in all sizes from 1-40 to 30 horsepower They are also used by the makers of the better electric- ally-driven devices as a built-in part of their product, a feature which insures absolute reliability of operation. A Robbins & Myers Motor, whether on fan or other equipment, or alone, is of itself a guarantee of excellence and dependability. The Robbins & Myers Company, Springfield, Ohio For Taventy-one Years Makers of Quality Fans and Motors Branches in All Principal Cities Robbins & Myers Motors comicbooks.com