Life, 1928-12-14 · page 25 of 48
Life — December 14, 1928 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **luxury cruise advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The Red Star Line promotes Caribbean and Mexican voyages aboard the S.S. Lapland for affluent Americans with varying vacation lengths (11-22 days). The page reflects **early 20th-century American attitudes**: it emphasizes the Panama Canal as an American engineering achievement, frames Mexico and the Caribbean as exotic playgrounds for wealthy travelers, and references "Old Panama" ruins from Spanish occupation in a tone treating colonialism as historical curiosity rather than oppression. The accompanying woodcut illustrations show tropical scenes—palm trees, colonial architecture, harbor views—designed to evoke romantic adventure and leisure. The marketing targets "the busiest person" who can afford extended ocean travel, appealing to the leisure class during winter season. There is **no satire evident**. This is straightforward period advertising reflecting contemporary American imperial confidence and tourism marketing practices.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Have you II days to play? or 16 or or 22? hese Cruises will suit the busiest persons WEST INDIES & MEXICO CRUISES What if you can spare but eleven days for play and recreation, this winter? You can crowd a lot of ocean mileage and vivid sight-seeing in- to eleven days and enjoy a glorious vacation in tropical American waters. If you can com- mand 22 days—or perhaps 16 or 17—so much the better. The Red Star Line offers youachoice of four cruises de luxe and a wide choice of carefully planned itineraries. You can take in Bermuda,a bit of delightfully foreign soil. You can see Mexico City and scrape acquaintance with its interesting and hospitable people. You can get a taste of carefree, sparkling Havana and see the Panama Canal, the world’s premier engineering triumph, planned and built by Americans. Think of buying a Panama hat in Panama City—of inspecting the picturesque ruins of Old Panama! They date from the Span- ish occupation of the Sixteenth Century. Choose your trip and sail away to a new world of sun- shine, warmth and gorgeous colors on the great liner Lapland, the ship with theluxurious appointments and the club-like atmosphere. S. 8S. LAPLAND Sailing from New York Jan. 31 (22 days) Mar. 16 (17 days) Feb. 25 (16 days) Apr. 6 (11 days) RED STAR LINE INTERNATIONAL MERCANTILE MARINE COMPANY Let us send you descriptive literature. Apply Cruise Department, No. 1 Broad> way, New York, our offices elsewhere, or to any authorized steamship agent, HE islands and shores of the “American Mediter- ranean” are brimming with historical glamour, vivid in- terest and beauty. The Lap- land’s Mexico call is unique and an exclusive feature. comicbooks.com