Life, 1919-05-01 · page 36 of 44
Life — May 1, 1919 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Advertisement:** This page is dominated by a Foster Rubber Company ad for "Cat's Paw Cushion Rubber Heels," featuring an illustration of a worker perched on a high steel girder. The ad uses industrial safety and sure-footedness as its selling point—the visual metaphor being that if rubber heels keep a riveter safe at dangerous heights, they'll provide security for everyday pedestrians on wet pavements. **Satirical Content (Right Column):** Below the ad is a humorous "Up-to-date Geography of Washington," a topical outline that mocks Washington D.C. as a separate entity ("in, but not of the United States"). It catalogs the city's inhabitants—"The Ins" (fat politicians in power), "The Outs" (lean opposition), and "Suffragettes" (characterized as an "alien race" being displaced by war-workers). The piece satirizes Washington occupations (congressional job-hunting, profiteering, criticizing administrations) and "amusements" (bread lines, movies). **Context:** This reflects WWI-era American politics and attitudes toward women's suffrage, which was still contentious.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CUSHION HEEL STER RUBBER Ty Would you feel safe with your leather- heeled shoes if you were perched on a girder four hundred feet above the street like this riveter? Of course not. Neither would he, if he didn’t wear Cat's Paw Rubber Heels — because he knows that the Foster Friction Plug with which they are equipped makes him surefooted—safe. And you—even though your work may never lead you into dangerous places — will welcome the comfort, the sense of security that a pair of Cat's Paws will give you. They will not let you slip on wet pave- ments, they are silent, resilient — they have no holes to track mud or dirt. And they are the ultimate choice of many who have tried other kinds first. Be sure you ask for and see that you get Cat’s Paws. cATS PAW CUSHION RUBBER HEELS Black, white or tan. For men, women and children, All dealers. FOSTER RUBBER COMPANY 105 Federal Street, Boston, Mass. Originators and patentees of the Foster Friction Plug which prevents slis I1I—Naturat Resources, Up-to-date Geography of Washington Topical Outline —WASHINGTON is the political capital of this country. It is in, but not of the United States. II—Races or Porte, 1, The Ins. These are fat, sleck and bland. 2. The Outs. These are lean, dyspep- tic and dour. 3. The Suffragettes. An alien race of short-haired, long-winded fe males, who spasmodically invade Washington; now rapidly dis- appearing, being driven out by war-workers. 1, Negroes. 2. Office seekers. 3. Public monuments. I1V—Cutrr Occupations or tir Pro- PLE. 1. Fishing for jobs in the congres- sional pond. 2. Criticizing whichever administra- tion it is. 3. Profiteering. 4. Wearing uniforms and saluting. V—Principat Propucts. t. Baseless rumors. 2. Half-baked opinions. 3. Disappointed hopes. 4. Tickets home. VI—AMUSEMENTS. ap-hanging on street cars. . Standing in the bread line. 3. Patronizing the movies. VII—Means oF TRANSPORTATION. 1. A “Spiral System” of street-car lines. 2. The Mount Vernon and Arlington Line. 3. Footpaths, advisable if time is precious. VIII—Points or Interest. 1, The Union Station. | 2. Hotel lobbies Fi 3. Baltimore. 4. The Treasury. She: weit, DEAR, WHAT bo YOU THINK OF MY NEW cow? “Lire” WwouLpN’T LET ME WEAR IT IN ITS PAGES, comicbooks.com