Life, 1924-03-13 · page 2 of 40
Life — March 13, 1924 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising for Statler Hotels**, not satire. The headline "Your Twenty-Cent Morning Paper" introduces the hotel chain's value proposition by contrasting guest complaints about cheap hotels with Statler's superior service. The small cartoon vignettes at the top illustrate common hotel annoyances: delayed newspapers, waiting for ice water, and lacking stationery. These depict the petty frustrations guests faced at budget accommodations of the era. The advertisement promises modern conveniences—complimentary newspapers, efficient water service, and room stationery—positioning Statler as an upscale alternative. The signed "Guarantee of Statler Service" emphasizes employee training and guest satisfaction, a novel marketing approach for early 20th-century hospitality. This is straightforward advertising rather than political commentary, targeting middle-class travelers seeking quality accommodations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Your Twenty-Cent Morning Paper Haven't you often awakened in the morn- ing, in some hotel, and wished for a morning paper? And you telephoned down, and it came promptly or tardily, and you gave the boy a dime or a quarter? That doesn’t happen in these hotels. For you find, every morning, that a paper has been slipped noiselessly under your door while you slept—and you don’t find a charge for those papers in your bill, either. And Your Fifteen-Cent Ice Water Then there's that other annoyance of hav- ing to order a drink of ice-water, and wait till it’s brought, and tip the boy. That doesn’t happen in these hotels. For a system of circulating ice-water is no further away than your bathroom, and all you have to do, at any time of the day or night, is help yourself. What About Stationery? Or perhaps you want to write letters: haven't you been in many a hotel where you had to make a request for paper and envelopes, pen and ink? Probably that boy was tipped, too; and maybe you had to wait. That doesn’t happen in these hotels. For there 1s always plenty of stationery in your room, with a penholder, new pen-points, blotters—everything you need. Just for Instance Those instances of provision for your com- fort, of thoughtfulness for your conven- BUFFALO: 1100 rooms 1109 : ara Square. The old Patel Sadr (ot and Swan) is now called Hocel Buffalo; and the old rooms, reco baths. Euclid, ot E. ath. DETROIT: 1000 rooms, 1000 baths. Grand Circus Park. ST. LOUIS: 630 rooms, 650 baths. Nonch and Washington. BOSTON: Now preparing to build at Columbus Ave, Prov dence and Arlingon Sou and Statler~operated ience, of better value for your money are typical of many others that you will find in these good hotels. There's the liberal supply of towels in your bathroom, for instance; and a properly-placed light to shave by; and plenty of clothes-hangers; and a pin- cushion with needles, thread, buttons and so on that you find on your dresser. Nor does this foresight stop with equipment and routine; the same thoughtfulness, help- fulness, obtains in the service of employees in these hotels. Here is the Guarantee of Statler Service: We guarantee that our employees will handle all transactions with our guests (and with each other) in the spirit of the golden rule—of treating the guest as the employee would like to be treated if their Positions were reversed. We guarantee that every employee will go to the limit of his authority to satisfy you; and that if he can’t satisfy you he will imme- diately take you to his superior. From this time on, therefore, if you have cause for complaint in any of our houses, and if the manage- ment of that house fails to give you the satisfaction which this guarantee promises, the transaction should then become a personal matter between you and me. You will confer a favor upon us if you will write to mea statement of the case, and depend upon me to make good my promise. I can’t personally check all the work of more than 6,000 employees, and there is no need that I should do so; but when our promises aren't kept I want to know it. My permanent address is Executive Offices, Hotels Statler Co., Inc., Buffalo. ‘New York ‘The largest hotel im the world Sak rae reaue; sins bots: On Seventh Avenue, yadeoysd Screets, directly oppo Pennoyirania Raley Every room in these hotels has private bath and running ice-water; in every room is posted its rate, printed in plain figures. comicbooks.com