Life, 1923-11-01 · page 39 of 41
Life — November 1, 1923 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes W.L. Douglas shoes, a major American shoe brand based in Brockton, Massachusetts. The portrait shows **W.L. Douglas himself**, the company president and founder, emphasizing his 47-year commitment to fair pricing. The advertisement's central claim is that the **price stamped on shoe soles represents true value**—customers pay only what shoes are worth, nothing more. Two shoe styles are displayed: the "Massasoit" (a men's boot) and "Vesta" (a women's dress pump), exemplifying the quality and variety offered. The marketing strategy appeals to consumer confidence by personifying the brand through its founder's portrait and reputation for integrity—a common early 20th-century sales tactic. There is no satire here; this is straightforward commercial promotion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
and SHOES Many at $5.00 and $6.00 Boys’ at $4.50 and $5.00 0,9 8.00 HENEVER you purchase W. L. Douglas shoes you buy good shoes, well made of the best materials, and you get true value for the price. W. L. Douglas, President of the WL. Douglas Shoe Company, is firm in his policy today as he was when he founded the business 47 years ago that no man or woman shall pay more for W. L. Douglas shoes than their real worth HE price stamped on the soles of every pair at our factory is the real value of the shoes. No better shoes can be made at the price. The stamped price is your pro- tection. If W. L. Douglas shoes are not sold near your home we shall be glad to send our new free catalog H]oGrislas President W. L. DOUGLAS SHOE CO., 147 Spark Street, BROCKTON, MASS. Ob ssosa One of the finest and most refined styles in the new Fall Line. Medium light Russia Calf and an attrac- tive harness-stitched pattern esta A Dress One-Strap Pump in Patent Leather —in excel- lent taste with al- most any costume OOD style and good taste are inherent parts of W. L. Douglas shoes. Scores of new Lasts and Patterns for young Men and well-dressed Men of all ages. Amost attractive Line of Women’s Smart Walk- ing Oxfords, Dress Oxfords and Strap Pumps. At W. L. Douglas Retail Stores in all large cities and in good shoe stores everywhere. comicbooks.com