Life, 1919-02-13 · page 31 of 42
Life — February 13, 1919 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **business advertisement**, not political satire. It appeared in *Life* magazine during the post-World War I economic transition (likely early 1920s). The ad promotes the **Addressograph**—a mechanical machine that printed names and addresses on documents, replacing tedious hand-writing. The female figure on the left displays a stack of addressed circulars. **Historical context**: With wartime production ending, American businesses urgently needed to rebuild civilian sales networks. The ad appeals to sales managers' anxiety about efficiency and cost-reduction, positioning the Addressograph as solving the bottleneck of manually addressing thousands of letters and forms. **The pitch**: The machine prints "exactly like typewriting, but 15 times faster" and handles various business forms (invoices, statements, labels, etc.). The small reference to the **U.S. Labor Department** ("Let's all keep industry humming") reflects post-war messaging about labor-management cooperation—though the irony (unstated) is that such labor-saving devices displaced clerical workers, predominantly women.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A E- Speeds Up Sales— Ends Namewriting Worries Ve HE old race for business is in full swing. Every sales manager is turning loose his forces to fill the gap left by discontinued war orders. The problem changes from how much the plant can produce to how much the sales department can sell. Old connections must be quickly re-established. New markets must be found immediately. Man power must — Hard, foot lever or motor be multiplied by machinery to m@et the task with greatest "lel for speedily print ? img (THRU RIBBON) economy and biggest results. typewritten names, ad= . dresses and other data on Pave the way for your salesmen and follow up their calls Changes in Prices with direct advertising—the Addressograph makes this easy and Circulars profitable. It fills in letters exactly like typewriting, but 15 times Letters to “Fill In” faster—gets out circulars “on time "—puts your messages in the mail Envelopes on short notice—saves time and money—increases accuracy in writ- partes ing names on any or all forms listed to the right. rede shired s » ° 8 Shop Orders The Addressograph, plus a complete, up-to-the-minute mail- Route Sheets ing list, is the shortest cut to low-cost sales. Record Sheets FREE TRIAL “202 21" representative Trentory Recodls will call with a $60 Ribbon Print Hand Addressograph. He will demonstrate it at your desk. If desired, he will leave it for FREE TRIAL. Just mail the coupon. Let's all keep industry humming by working together, employers and employees, in harmonious co-operation. U. S. LABOR DEPT. New York Prompt service furnished at these cities — or you can Mail to nearest offic——or phone for representative if list opposite names your city. make address plates in your own office if preferred: sees eee eS Se Denver Newark Salt Lake City We use forms checked below: ADDRESSOGRAPH COMPANY ( 917F ), Chicazo New Your fapeiec Filling in Letters ORoute Sheets Without cost or obligation, please give us: Ona Record Sheets OShop Orders Facts about trial offer CDemonstration in our office J Statements Envelopes, Circulars QDividend Forms OTags, Labels | OPay Forms CoPrice Liste, Wrappere | Sth -v-nvnnernnmnenn NO. of names on Hat Recreate § Williamsport is St. Louis Winnipeg, Man, t OChecks Olnventory Records Address... Montreal St Paal Firm Philadelphia Beste, ia comicbooks.com