Life, 1919-10-23 · page 32 of 36
Life — October 23, 1919 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not political satire. The dominant content is a **W.L. Douglas shoe advertisement** emphasizing direct-to-consumer sales, eliminating middlemen's profits, and price standardization across regions. The ad includes a street scene photograph showing people examining shoes in a shop window. The secondary content features: 1. **"LAD: A DOG"** — a book advertisement by Albert Payson Terhune, a popular author of dog stories. 2. **"Pride"** — a poem by B.B. about a World War I veteran who served in non-combat roles (baking bread) but now wears service chevrons (gold stripes indicating overseas service). The poem captures the complex emotions of support-staff soldiers: initial shame at not being in frontline combat, then relief and pride upon returning home with visible insignia of service. The page reflects post-WWI American culture: commercial optimism, consumer marketing strategies, and veterans' experiences processing their war service.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“THE SHOE THAT HOLDS ITS SHAPE” 00 00 Au S . S522 FGM $7LQ_ $B00 $00 & 31900 You can save money by wearing W. L. Douglas shoes, the best known shoes in the world. Sold by 106 W. L. Doug- las own stores and over 9000 shoe dealers. W. L. Douglas name and the retail price stamped on the bottom guarantees the best shoes in style, comfort and service that can be pro- duced for the price. The stamped price is W. L. Douglas personal guarantee that the shoes are always worth the price paid for them. The prices are the same everywhere — they cost no more in San Francisco than they do in New York. W. L. Douglas shoes are sold through our own stores direct to the wearer at one profit. All middlemen’s and manufacturing profits are eliminated. By this method of marketing our shoes, W. L. Douglas gives the wearer shoes at the lowest possible cost. W.L.Douglas $7.00 and $8.00 shoes are absolutely the best shoe values for the money in this country. They are the leaders everywhere. W.L.Douglas $9.00 and $10.00 shoes are made throughout of the finest leather the mar- ket affords, with a style endorsed by the leaders of Amer- ica’s fashion centers; they combine quality, style and comfort equal to other makes selling at higher prices. W.L.Douglas shoes are made by the highest paid, skilled shoemakers,underthe direction and supervision of expe- rienced men, all working withan honest determinationto make the best shoes for the price that money can buy. & Insist upon havingW.L. Douglas shoes with his mame and price stamped on the bottom If W. L, Dongias shoes cannot be | Sheained tn'your tieniyvordet Girect from factory by wall, Post charges prepaid. Write for Miaatrated Catalog showing how to order by mail. WeQagle President W L. DOUGLAS SHOE CO. 141 Spark St, Brockton, Mass, PMT UM SL a SIS SL eee | ANOTHER VERSION ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE sympathetic, beautiful stories of LAD: A DOG For sale at all bookstores, $200 E. P, DUTTON & CO., 681 Fifth Ave, X 1, Pride HE nearest I got to the front i France Was bakin’ the army bread at Tours Pron Over my pants I done a year in the S. O. An’ men from the front they bed the view J That I was a zero mark; 1 guess That I was inclined to think so, tox Over in France, I was just a worm To the boys who came from the blazin’ line. I used to feel that I oughta squirm Outa their sight to some hole of mine; But now I’m home, an’ my sleeve bright With two gold stripes, an’ they sure look gay Compared to the silver Of guys who never left Say, when you've been for a year or 9 Where all you g the glassy eye, It sure is bully, believe me, bo, To have it over some other guy. My chest swells up, an’ my shoulders square, Whenever these silver-stripers pass, For the service chevrons from Over There Are Class, here, buddy—you get me? B.B. comicbooks.comf