Life — March 18, 1920 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily **an advertisement, not satire or political commentary**. It promotes Raybestos brake lining for automobiles. The ad uses a dramatic image of a worn car wheel with the rhetorical question "Will they hold?" to appeal to motorists' safety concerns. The copy emphasizes that brake reliability is crucial—especially on hills—and positions Raybestos as the trustworthy choice because it "WEARS and WEARS" with a one-year guarantee. The small cone-shaped product image (right side) shows the brake lining itself, marked with a "Silver Edge" identifier for brand recognition. This reflects early 20th-century automotive advertising's focus on mechanical reliability as a selling point when cars were still relatively new technology and brake failure was a genuine safety hazard.