Life, 1923-06-21 · page 4 of 36
Life — June 21, 1923 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertisement for the Mimeograph machine** by the A.B. Dick Company, not political satire. The decorative header illustration shows classical female figures (likely representing speed, industry, or progress) alongside mechanical gears and equipment. The ad's text argues that "skilful use of great speed has won a goodly share of the world's outstanding triumphs." It positions the mimeograph as essential to American industrial competitiveness, claiming the machine enables "slipshed workmanship" prevention and efficient document duplication. The ad appeals to early-20th-century industrial anxieties about American productivity and workforce quality. It promises that mimeographs produce "five thousand well-printed duplicates" quickly and cheaply without "specially trained workpeople." This reflects the era's obsession with efficiency and mechanization as solutions to economic and social problems.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The skilful use of great speed has won a goodly share of the world’s outstanding triumphs To do a job well must be always the first consideration in any worth-while endeavor. If America is going to stand before the world as a producer of slipshod workmanship, her doom is sealed. Skilful speed is the urgent need! Our daily work must be not only well done, but it must be done with dexterous dispatch! The Mimeograph has made its important place in industrial and educational affairs throughout the world, not only because of the good work it does, but because it does good work speedily. Five thousand well-printed dupli- cates of a typewritten letter, form, blank, design, diagram, or similar “copy” is its easy hourly The work is done privately, with- out the employment of especially trained workpeople, and at al- most negligible cost. Hewhousesall the means at hand for the attaining of skilful speed is surest of his coveted triumph. The A. B. Dick Company, Chi- cago, will immediately send you its booklet ““W-5” and all infor- mation concerning the mimeo- graphing process, upon receipt of your request. Today—now! comicbooks.com