Life, 1928-01-12 · page 5 of 39
Life — January 12, 1928 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Smith & Wesson revolver advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The "Life" magazine page uses the headline "PROTECTION" to market firearms for personal security. The image shows a silhouetted figure standing over what appears to be an unconscious person, illustrating a self-defense scenario. The accompanying text argues that revolvers are necessary for law and order, protecting life and property, and creating "a feeling of security." The advertisement emphasizes scenarios like "Failing Night and a Lonely Road" where citizens supposedly need armed self-defense, since they "cannot depend upon others for protection." This represents **early 20th-century marketing rhetoric** linking gun ownership to personal safety and responsibility—messaging that remains familiar in modern gun-rights discourse.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
fhe revolver is an effective instrument in the promotion of law and order. It is an invaluable factor in the conservation of life and property and creates a feeling of security PROTECTION . “a feeling of security”. . . . not just once You may live in the safest and best policed in a while, not just when you know in advance city in the world. But a pleasant afternoon’s thatyouare going into places that 4, rie rereiner hoa piace in te handsef tue =MOtOF tri» takes you, and your may prove dangerous, but always. 2.4 thay weld rather ottact an wnarmed pe. family, beyond the limits in ‘easels : : destrians motorist oF Gan om : nyt That is what the possession of rae a ees and sale of ve which you are willing to de- the modern, small, compact Equcsten to proming he somjten.ts pend upon others for protection. sale of automobiles to put an end to automobile and highly efficient super-safety seetdent kaw > , ° + ° * use of @ revolver or any form of con: Smith and Wesson brings. fanand os SF Tinh wise woo Falling Night and a Lonely Road And in coping with the unex- 5A seit-mrepunisment for crime @ the =| | out of gas and a mile to only proper means for reducing crime. peéted, nothing can take its Ae rete teens TT every law-abiding place. For today there’s as much —sette'w/rinaea-* hes neg, family needs the means of need as ever in the history of sens ¥ gute oer Prelim vigorous and immediate self- this country’s development to be sgatled"¥ ieee petal toe, defense; to fail to provide i y Nation os 0 whole. ond a > provide iC armed against the unexpected. Taisen oe tnaivtduat’in pretet= is tq invite avoidable disaster. Our Descriptive Booklet Y may interest you—it will be sent free upon request SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD, MASS., U.S.A. THE:>- REVOLVE RK MANUFACTUBER_ comicbooks.com