Life — January 20, 1921 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes "Weed Tire Chains" for automobiles, using a public safety angle rather than humor. The ad features: - A large illustration of a tire with chains - A mock police department "inspection certificate" and safety booklet titled "Thou Shalt Not Kill" - Text referencing the New York Police Department's traffic safety campaign The messaging appeals to winter driving safety, encouraging drivers to install tire chains "at the first drop of rain" to prevent accidents. The religious-sounding slogan "Thou Shalt Not Kill" frames safe driving as a moral imperative. The two uniformed figures at top appear to be police officers conducting vehicle inspections, lending authority to the safety message. This reflects early 20th-century automobile safety advocacy before modern regulations existed.