Smiling siblings, helping out in the kitchen? No water fight, no whining, or accusatory sponge-throwing? Such a scene is not my idea of a mess, not by a long shot. But I'm not going to fault Westinghouse for this seeming disconnect; in fact, given the timing of the ad—1944, by my estimate—such a peaceful situation is rather poignant. As the manufacturer explains, the washer/dryer being promoted would not be available until after WW2. Am I stretching things to equate clean dish towels with the white flag of surrender?
