Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-16
Where Toys Are Made for
American Children.
EUROPEAN CENTERS
FOR THE MANUFACTURES OF
CHRISTMAS NICKNACKs,
Fashions Change Rapidly in Toys
Difficult to Get Out New Articles
to Please Juveniles.
Written for The Star.

Written for The Star.
With each succeeding Christmas that
head servant of Santa Claus, the toy
maker, is becoming more firmly estab-
lished on American soil. OF course Nurem-
burg is still his headquarters, as it has
been for many generations and thousands
of busy hands are working all the year
round in Austria, Switzerland Saxony, Ba-
varia. France and Belgium to make the
Christmas toys for American children. But
none the less. there are plenty of toy
makers In the United States nowadays. and
their industry IS q considerable one espe-
ciaIly around this season of the year.
You know the old question, What be-
comes of the pins?'" said the manager of
a large factory in New York city for the
making of tin toys. IF you could tell me
what becomes of all the toys that are made
you would solve problem which often puz-
zles the people who make them. American
children, believe, have more toys than
any other youngsters on the face of the
globe. The qualities that are sold by
American manufacturers alone, to say
nothing OF the impQrtations, are simply
incredible to people not in the business.
we regard a gross as the unit in our
line Of trade. Any of our drunmers would
have nervous prostration If an order were
given to him by the dozen instead of by
the more expensive imported articles, but
of the toys made here, which nearly all
range IN value from a cent up to a quar-
ter.
Take this article, for example," picking
up small tin horse. You see It Is made
in two halves, which have to be soidered
together. A fair workman will solder 200
gross of these horses In q day; an expert
will do q great many moro. You can easily
imagine how many Of these horses are
turned loose through the toy shops OF the
| ,trry Ap6 CO . xrsffl tla1
Giles. Sometimes 1t seems sheer lunacy to
make so many, but somehow they always
sell.
Horns and Drums.
For the recent New York municipal cleo
ton alone, our firm made over ten thou
sand gross of toy horns, and other manu-
facturers doubtless had their fair share of
the trade. No wonder the town was noisy
on election night! For the last presidential
election the orders, coming from all parts
of the country, ran well over $50 600 gross.
For the Christmas trade 100000 gross Is a
most conservative estimate for our firm
alone"
This is just to show that the toys the
American child like best are those that
make the most noise. The kid knows what
he wants, and insists on having II. No sane
parent would destroy the peace of his home
by introducing tin horn or drum into
1t unless he was absolutely obliged; but
nevertheless, una drums are more
sold than any other toys. 1t proves the
fact that the child is the boss of the Amer
lean home.
IF you could see how many of these
instruments of torture we have been turn
Ing out during the past few weeks Won
would wonder how there could be any
peace on earth at Christmas time It is a
nefarious business we are engaged in and
unquestionably we ought to be put down
by law.
1.-The only redeeming feature about It is
that the American-made horns and drums
do not last long. They are mad eto look
attractive and sell readily at a cheap price
not to stand the rough usage that the
American child, cloyed and satiated with
many toys, gives to them. He breaks in a
week the toy that an English youngster
would treasure the whole year, for he
knows that he can get another one right
away. The average English parent doesn't
spend dime in toys to the American pa
rents dollar.
You have to be in the toy business to
understand properly how some American
children are spoiled. A few years ago I
was on the road and spent three-quar-
tiers of an hour selling bill of goods In
shop in Cincinnati.
Bought Three Drums.
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