Life, 1921-04-21 · page 34 of 36
Life — April 21, 1921 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertisements**, not political satire. It contains four commercial promotions: 1. **American Express Travelers Cheques** — emphasizing their safety and global acceptance from "Sahara to the Ritz," playing on the appeal to wealthy travelers. 2. **Stetson hats** — advertising lightweight summer felt hats as practical travel wear. 3. **Arrow Troy Tailored Soft Collars** — featuring a portrait of an unidentified man in formal dress, promoting easy-care shirt collars made from quality fabrics. 4. **Life Magazine subscription** — a humorous self-promotional ad using ironic wordplay. The "Our Own Private Life Lines" section jokingly warns readers that reading the ad "may cost you a dollar," then pitches a subscription offer for new subscribers at $1 (or $1.20 Canadian). The page reflects early 20th-century consumer culture targeting affluent travelers and businessmen. The Life Magazine pitch's comedic tone—suggesting reading itself has a price—is the closest to satirical humor on the page.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
From the Sahara to the Ritz IN THE TENT of a Bedouin on the sands of Sahara, or over the counter of the Ritz in London—as fare on a junk in Hong Kong Harbor, or on an American Pullman American Express Travelers Cheques Are Good As Gold BETTER THAN GOLD since they are never questioned, never discounted and safe, because they are worthless without your counter-signatare of identification. FAR BETTER THAN GOLD since, added to the money value of these sky blue cheques of the American Express Company is the magical influence and the service to travelers of this Company’s world-wide organization with its thousands of correspondents all over the world and offices in the princi- pal seaports and inland cities. WHEREVER YOU GO — before you go — change your SOFT Stetson felt for Summer money. Insure it against loss. And above all give it the A wear. Made of the lightest magical value guaranteed by this service—sky blue in color, Y, materials, unlined, conforming easily trae blue in sentiment. | to the contours of the head. Cool, FOR TRAVELERS in Great Britain or France, 5 and 10 £ A comfortable and distinctive. Sterling and French 200 and 400 Franc Cheques are best. A A hat to carry you through the ‘They are proof against fluctuating exchange, and unscrupulous 4 Ss fi - el € money dealers. In the United States and Canada the Dollar tA ummer or a welcome change oO Cheques. Buy them at Express Offices or your own Bank. (4 from your straw. nvS¥ shi ' Style, Quality and Sound Money’s AND FOR ALL JOURNEYS you can secure your steamship | | | ty lc, tickets, hotel reservations and itineraries, or pian your cruise A) Worth assured by the Stetson Label or tour, through the American Express Travel Department. . in each hat. . JOHN B. STET: ANY American Express Company 2 me OS 65 Broadway, New York City LD) S T E T S O >} = Our Own Private Life Lines Don't read this. There's a dollar involved. Warning: Your Dollar and your Life. To read this may cost you a dollar. It may cost you a dollar to r this. The cost of reading this may be a dollar. Dr. to Mr. = —$1. For reading this. Please remit one dollar after reading this. The Wives’ Number is coming; also the Hus- bands’. Price (with 10 others) $1. { Here is our exact offer (open only to new sub- TROY TAILORED scribers): For one dollar (Canadian $1.20, For- ¥ 40), we wii LIFE f ee s to SOFT COLLARS | any le Cine soesenptors reneed atthis rate.) 175, are made of selected fabrics in smart styles possessing Oey THAT IMPULSE exclusive features that assure easy laundering. good fit and long service. | Cluett Rabody & Ca, Ine. Makers Troy. N.Y. comicbooks.com