Life, 1918-07-25 · page 29 of 36
Life — July 25, 1918 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not political satire or editorial cartooning. It's a full-page ad for Federal Cord Tires from The Federal Rubber Company of Illinois (factories in Cudahy, Wisconsin). The image shows a large, dramatically rendered tire in cross-section alongside a sketch of a vintage automobile on a country road. The accompanying text explains the tire's technical features—specifically its "double cable base" construction with double layers of loose cords, which the company claims provides superior flexibility, comfort, and durability compared to competing tires. There is **no political or social satire present**. This is straightforward early 20th-century automotive advertising, using technical product explanation and appealing imagery to market tire superiority to motorists. The page number (137) and "LIFE" masthead indicate it appeared in *Life* magazine, which accepted commercial advertisements alongside its satirical content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FEDERALG®»o Tires DOUBLE CABLE BASE Why Federal Cords? ECAUSE they mean highest tire efficiency. And highest tire efh- ciency means real motoring comfort. The double layers of loose cords insure exceptional flexibility. They make easy riding and save wear and tear. Impregnation of these double layers of loose cords with live rubber gives greatest resiliency and protects the tire carcass from the frictional heat of heavy service. This exceptional con- struction, with our exclusive double cable base features, makes Federal Cord non-skid tires an attractive prop- osition for any motorist. In addition to our black tread Cord tire, we are manufacturers of the well- known ‘‘Rugged’”’ white tread and “Traffik’”’ black tread non-skid tires with Double Cable Base construction. Ask your dealer. THE FEDERAL RUBBER COMPANY OF ILLINOIS Factories: Cudahy, Wi Manufacturers of Federal Automobil Tubes and Sundries, Motorcycle, Bicycle and C: ires, Rul ber Heels, Fibre Soles, Horse Shoe Pads, Rubber Matting and Mechanical Rubber Goods ———