Life — April 17, 1913

# Wrigley's Spearmint Gum Advertisement This is a straightforward **product advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes Wrigley's Spearmint chewing gum using a whimsical illustration of Father Time (identifiable by his winged form, long beard, and traditional hourglasses) to convey the slogan "Time Flies Pleasantly With Wrigley's Spearmint." The ad claims the gum's fresh mint leaves provide inexpensive oral refreshment that improves teeth, breath, appetite, and digestion. The classical Father Time figure is a conventional marketing device meant to suggest the product makes time pass enjoyably. The advertisement recommends buying gum "by the Box" and chewing after meals—standard early 20th-century promotional messaging with no political content.

# Analysis This page is primarily an **advertisement** for the Locomobile automobile, not political satire. The ad appears in *Life* magazine (page 763) and promotes the Locomobile brand with the slogan "Easier Riding, Better Service." The image shows an early automobile (appears to be from the 1910s-1920s era) stopped at what looks like a rural stream or ford crossing, with several figures and possibly another vehicle nearby. The ad emphasizes practical features: "Ten Inch Upholstery" and "Electric Motor Starter"—selling points for comfort and modern convenience to potential buyers. The Locomobile Company was based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This represents straightforward product marketing rather than political commentary or satire.

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 764 This is primarily an **advertisement page** for Life magazine's subscription, not a political cartoon. The page features eight cartoon figures in various poses of hurried movement—running, leaping, and gesticulating wildly—arranged around the centered text "OBEY THAT IMPULSE." The recurring theme appears to be **impulsive action**: the exaggerated, comedic drawings suggest people being driven by sudden urges or instincts to move, chase, or flee. The satirical point seems gentle—poking fun at human nature's tendency toward spontaneous behavior. The page promotes a 3-month subscription for one dollar, includes coming issues listings ("Bride's Hosiery," "Humorous Heart-to-Heart"), and subscriber notices about summer address changes. The artwork style is typical of early 20th-century satirical illustration, emphasizing physical comedy through caricature.

# Page Analysis This LIFE magazine page (765) is primarily **advertising-heavy**, dominated by product promotions rather than satirical content. The main cartoon, titled "HER TROUSSEAU," depicts a couple observing laundry hanging on a clothesline—likely illustrating domestic life and marriage preparations. The modest, domestic subject matter reflects early 20th-century gender roles. The page features ads for: - **Napisco Sugar Wafers** (National Biscuit Company) - **Harris Oils** (lubricants for engines) - **Fireless Cooker** (a 30-day trial offer) The article "The Pace That Kills" discusses a youth contracting profanity from his father, presenting a moral lesson rather than political satire. This appears to be a typical magazine page blending light domestic humor with commercial advertising typical of the era.

# Analysis This page is primarily **advertising for Ainslee's Magazine**, not a political cartoon. The three small comic strips on the left illustrate a domestic scene where a husband appears to be leaving home, with his wife asking "Haven't you forgotten something, dear?" He responds "Why, er—no, I don't think—" and finally says "Oh! Yes." The humor is a genteel marital joke: the wife is reminding her forgetful husband of something (likely a kiss or affectionate goodbye), playing on early 20th-century domestic stereotypes about absent-minded husbands. The main text promotes Bernard Shaw's essay "G.B.S." and other May issue content, noting the essay critiques England—"not apt to meet with approval in England." This is straightforward magazine promotion, not political satire.

# Page Analysis: Life Magazine, Page 767 This page contains two distinct elements: **Left side:** An advertisement for Indestructo Baggage/trunks, featuring a traveler with luggage and testimonials about durability and value. **Right side:** A satirical article titled "Women and Auction" critiques women's participation in auction bidding. The text argues women lack understanding of auction rules and strategy, relying instead on convention and quoting "authority." It presents this as a gendered limitation—men who auction professionally understand it as a "trade," while women are "slaves to convention." **Below:** A full-page advertisement for Sanatogen, a health supplement marketed to women, nursing mothers, and the overworked, claiming to restore strength and vitality. The ad features testimonials from medical professionals endorsing its benefits. The satire and product ads reflect early 20th-century assumptions about women's competence and vulnerability to health marketing.

# Analysis: Page 768 of Life Magazine This page contains a **satirical article titled "Do Not Believe It"** alongside tobacco advertising. The article, attributed to Dr. George Wharton James in *The Animals' Appeal*, mocks the notion that animal cruelty can be justified through "scientific investigation." The piece sarcastically catalogs horrific experiments (burning, scalping, poisoning animals) supposedly done in science's name, then declares such cruelty unjustifiable regardless of educational pretense. The irony is sharp: the page simultaneously runs a **Velvet Tobacco advertisement** claiming the product offers "contentment"—a jarring juxtaposition between condemning exploitation and promoting a consumer good. Below is a hotel advertisement. The satire appears to critique both scientific rationalization of harm and commercial messaging's hollow promises.

# Page Analysis This page is primarily **advertising and fiction**, not political satire. The top features "A Modern Phyllis"—a narrative poem about a woman named Phyllis who rejects her suitor Corydon, telling him she's going to vote instead. This appears to reference women's suffrage (voting rights), a contemporary social issue. The poem's structure mimics classical pastoral literature while updating it with modern feminist concerns. The main advertisements include Buffalo Lithia Springs Water (with medical endorsements) and a "Balkan Blouse" negligee from Franklin Simon & Co. A short story excerpt titled "The Disadvantages of Education" occupies the lower section, along with ads for garages and underground receivers. The page reflects early 20th-century consumer culture and emerging discussions about women's roles.

# Analysis This is a **Firestone Tire advertisement**, not political satire. The page shows a vintage car driving beneath an enormous tire, with text emphasizing Firestone's "Non-Skid Tires." The ad's appeal is practical rather than satirical: it promises "extra mileage," "extra traction," and "safety against skid" for touring trips. The dramatic visual—an oversized tire looming above the vehicle—is meant to convey the product's importance and reliability. The company name and location (Akron, Ohio) appear at bottom, along with an offer to write for H.S. Firestone's educational talks titled "What's What in Tires." This represents early automotive advertising targeting leisure travelers, when tire quality was a genuine safety concern for motorists.

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "Life" Magazine **Title and Theme:** "LIFE: Past, Present and Future" — illustrated by three figures representing life stages (a young woman, a middle-aged person, and an angel). **Main Cartoon:** The illustration depicts a conversation between two women in what appears to be a domestic setting. One woman, seated and wearing fashionable clothing, tells a man (labeled "Percy"): "No, Percy, now that I am a suffragist I can never be yours. But you may become mine when you will." **Satirical Point:** This cartoon mocks women's suffrage activism by suggesting that female suffragists would demand control over men in romantic relationships. The joke plays on anxieties about women's independence and power-seeking, portraying suffragism as threatening traditional male dominance in courtship and marriage.

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 772 (April 17, 1913) The page features a satirical article addressing women's suffrage and political activism. The main text discusses **Emmeline Pankhurst**, the British suffragist leader, who is at that moment imprisoned in jail on a hunger strike—a tactic mentioned as imminent in the article. The opening illustration ("While there is Life there's Hope") depicts a classical female allegorical figure, likely representing either Liberty or Life itself. The article's central "Conversation" section debates whether giving women the vote would be revolutionary. The author argues that contrary to fears, women's suffrage wouldn't fundamentally destabilize British political institutions, though it would represent a significant democratic expansion. The satire critiques both anti-suffrage fears as exaggerated and some militant suffragists' methods as counterproductive to their cause.