Life, 1920-03-04 · page 61 of 78
Life — March 4, 1920 — page 61: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The page promotes the Addressograph, a mechanical mail-addressing machine made by Burroughs Adding Machine Company. The "World Leader" reference in the headline appears to mean a major business institution (the letterhead shows it's from Burroughs' own advertising department), not a political figure. The accompanying photographs show office workers—a man and woman—operating the machine with stacks of addressed envelopes and mail materials. The appeal is practical: the machine allegedly addresses envelopes 15 times faster than handwriting, eliminates errors, and can selectively address different customer categories. The testimonial letter claims it handles massive volumes—100,000+ pieces monthly for direct mail campaigns and bank communications. This reflects **early 20th-century office modernization**, when such mechanical devices promised efficiency gains to businesses managing growing customer bases. There is no political content or satire present.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
World Leader Endorses Addressograph Savings Burroughs sell the world’s bulk of adding machines. Obviously, they are office appliance experts. They know that in great institutions—in small businesses, too — the Addressograph handles names in the most rapid, eco- nomical and accurate way. Names , of customers, prospects, employees, etc., are “typewritten”, 15 times faster than by hand. Errors are impossible. Prints through typewriter ribbon from durable metal plates easily made by your clerk. Entire list can be ad- dressed; or Removable Tabs on address plates designate “goods wanted,” rating, etc. Tabs work with “Selector” h picks out desired plates for ad- dressing—skips others. There is a Hand, Foot Lever or Eiectric Addressograph for any name- writing need. MPOAVIPT DS [ers Burroucus Appinc Macuine GOMPANY Derrorr, MiGuiorNn U.S.A November 11, 1919. Addressograph Company, 901 West Van Euron Street, Chicago, Illinois. Centleaen:-" It ig a pleasure to advise that our extensive Addrassograph equipment has proven a time saver and is in constant use for: (1) Teprinting nases, datee and nucbers on employee's pay envelopes and time cards. (2) Addressing over 100,000 pieces each month of Direct Mail literature to prospects. (3) Addressing 50,000 envelopes which earry the Burroughs Clearing House to every bank in the United States and Canada. (4) Addressing 190,000 envelopes which carry our magazine BUSINESS to a selected list of manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. (5) Addressing all miscellaneous material ages to our Field Force. In this the Automatic Selector enables us literature to any given group of pereons to several groups, at mill. The machine automatically picks out the desired plates and returns thom to their respective Places without any effort from the operator. The Addressograph enadles us to do this work accurately, economically and on schedule tice. Yours very truly, WHntauk Manager Advertising Departzent. iddressoorar TRADE MARK PI7M. W. Van Buren St. PRINTS FROM TYPE. Chicago, Illinois comicbooks.com