Life, 1924-04-03 · page 2 of 60
Life — April 3, 1924 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Michelin tire advertisement**, not political satire. The ad promotes Michelin Comfort Cords—tire liners that fit existing rims without requiring wheel changes. The visual metaphor uses a **hot air balloon** ascending with a banner reading "Balloon Tires that fit present rims." This cleverly illustrates the product's main selling point: achieving the comfort benefits of balloon tires (which were a newer technology) while maintaining compatibility with existing wheels. The advertisement emphasizes that Comfort Cords are "twice as big as oversize cords" yet inflated to lower pressure, providing superior ride comfort. It claims they last longer than ordinary cord tires and cost barely more. The balloon imagery suggests lightness, elevation, and progress—marketing language for automotive advancement in what appears to be the 1920s-30s era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
cz joucan enjoy the epoch-making advantages , | of balloon tires right now without chang. ing rims or wheels. Your Michelin Dealer “AS%| can supply you immediately with Michelin Comfort Cords to fit your present rims without any change whatsoever (even in the size for Ford clincher rims). Michelin Comfort Cords are twice as big as oversize cords but are inflated to less than half the pressure. This combination of large size and low pressure gives a degree of riding comfort such as you never thought possible. Every road becomes a boulevard; and the car is so completely protected from jars and jolts that experts estimate its life will be increased as much as 50%. Michelin Comfort Cords last longer than ordinars cord tires and cost hardly any more. The sooner you change to them the more you will profit. See vour Michelin Dealer now. Michelin Tire Company, Milltown, N. J. MICHELIN ComfortCords 1 comicbooks.com