Life, 1920-11-11 · page 5 of 44
Life — November 11, 1920 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily an **advertisement for AutoStrop Razors**, not political satire. The "Rhymed Reviews" section on the left is a humorous poem by Arthur Guiterman about William Manning Skinner, a character from Henry Irving Dodge's fiction who represents a profiteer avoiding social responsibility. The poem satirizes wealthy individuals who hoard resources during prosperous times rather than contribute to community welfare. References to "Meadeville" and characters like "Colby" and "Honey" appear to be fictional examples of social irresponsibility. The main advertisement uses close-up photographs of razor blades under magnification to demonstrate the AutoStrop's superiority—showing sharp edges versus dull, bent teeth that cause pulling and scraping. This is straightforward product marketing emphasizing technological self-sharpening capability, not social or political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Rhymed Reviews Skinner Makes It Fashionable (ByHenry Irving Dodge. Harper & Bros.) rus tale that Henry Irving Dodge Relates of William Manning Skinner, Suggests that they who wish to lodge In jail the profiteering sinner, Would better wield the pruning knife, Their own profusion sternly sheari If all would lead the Simple Life, There'd be an end of Profiteering. Some miles removed from urban mobs, The folks of Meadeville prospered greatly, The finest lot of thorough snobs That have appeared in fiction lately. They nearly all were newly rich; They all were madly wasting money— That is, with two exceptions, which Were Skinner and his helpmate, Honey. On Meadeville’s golden social stair The Colbys held the topmost station; So Skinner used this worthy pair To save the town, perhaps the Nation. And Mrs. Colby soon announced In print (Could anything be subtler?) That she had sacked, discharged and bounced Her Second Man, Chauffeur and Butler! All Meadeville promptly followed suit, And social life became informal ; The stratagem is bearing fruit, And things are swinging back to normal. Ah, yes; the way is straight and clear: Reform will come, my gentle readers, And every evil disappear When you and I are Social Leaders. Arthur Guiterman, ICH. UNCLE (severely): 1 am sixty- three years old, and during that time I do not believe I have ever told a false- hood. Decenerate Neruew: Why start now, uncle? THINGS THAT NEVER WERE— “ARCHIBALD, 1 BOUGHT A NINE-HUNDRED- DOLLAR CAPE THIS MORNING.” “OM, WHY DIDN'T YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING coop?” ) Seen under a powerful Stropping keans the magnifying glass an tiny teeth of the blade unstropped razor blade in perfect alignment—provides a looks like a saw edge smooth, keen edge for every shave No pull, no scrape—a fine, keen edge for every shave ‘OU can avoid all the discomforts of a fast-dulling razor blade, if you use the AutoStrop Razor. Look at any razor blade under a powerful microscope and you will see hundreds of tiny saw teeth. When these teeth are in perfect alignment the blade is sharp. When the blade is dull these teeth are bent and twisted. They catch in your beard, pu!l, and scrape the skin, That's what makes shaving so unpleasant. Built into the frame of the AutoStrop Razor is a remarkable self-stropping device which renews the fine, keen edge of the AutoStrop blade day after day. 500 cool, comfortable shaves are guaranteed from each dozen blades. Don’t put up any longer with the pull and scrape of unstropped blades. Begin to-morrow to get the comfort of a “new” sharp shaving edge every morning. Ask your dealer to-day about the AutoStrop Razor trial plan. No skill necessary No skill in stropping is A oS necessary torenew the t t Penge gmp u rop h\azor AutoStrop Razorblade. peste t slip the strop ‘ ° ough the razor head -Ss larpens tse and passtherazor back and forth along the strop. You don't have blade Onrazors, strops, blades, etc., hereafter manufactured’ by us we shall apply the trademark Yate * in. addition to the trademark” AutoStrop”” as an additional indication that they are the genuine products of the ‘AutoStrop Safety Razor Co.,New York. comicbooks.com