Jan. 8, 1908 (Wednesday)

KING OF BEERS BUYS A KING-SIZED AD IN THE TIMES: Anheuser-Busch is making a big push against the Temperance movement. One tactic is exemplified in this full-page ad (right), which lays a traditional advertising pitch over what appears to be a page of regular news articles. All these "articles" tout beer. The headlines, in a "tombstone" layout across the top (above), are a great pick-me-up for the beer drinker. This is beer-propaganda at its finest. Some examples draw from historical annals, invoking the names of people such as Miles Standish and the duke of Wellington and drawing upon reverence for religion, military might and science. Here are three of the headline/subhead pairings on the page:
1. BEER ON THE MAYFLOWER: Pilgrim Fathers Drank It.
2. (my favorite) WORLD'S DECISIVE BATTLES WON BY BEER DRINKERS: Beer Drinking Armies Smashed Napoleon at Waterloo.
3. FOOD VALUE OF MALT BREWS: Scientific Evidence.


TRAVEL TIP: IF YOU WANT TO FLIRT, DON'T GO CROSS THE ATLANTIC ON THE EUROPA: The Hamburg-American Line is going upscale in its plans for the 40,000-ton Europa. The ship will include a TAILOR'S SHOP. The establishment will feature American tailors -- for travelers who prefer the English cloth, but don't like the English cut, according to today's New York Times. The paper adds that the liner will also have a modiste. The paper adds, "Whether women will feel spry enough to try on dresses in mid-ocean is yet to be proved, but Herr Balin thinks that the great size of the Europa, 40,000 tons, will preclude the possibility of rolling to any extent and permit women to keep their feet while being fitted."
There will also be a JEWELRY STORE on board. This might have a chilling effect on men who want to impress women on board. Here's the Times' explanation:
This latter feature may have a blighting effect on ocean flirtations, which, it is said, have owed much of their popularity to the fact that about the most expensive gift to be made to a woman on board ship has hitherto been a box of bon-bons.
This clearly ups the ante for those who want to play the game.
Also, there will be TANKS ON DECK so the ship can carry LIVE SOLES from Dover and Stettin.
All that's well and good; there's no mention of the number of lifeboats, however. That won't be a real issue until 1912, when the Titanic goes down.
(NOTE: The Europa name didn't stick. Two big ships produced by the Hamburg-American line were each originally going to be called Europa, the Imperator (above) and the Vaterland. Not sure which one this ended up being, if either.)