Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-29
GERMAN TOYS FOR AMERICA.
Greatly Increased Trade This Year
Factory Operations.

Consul George N. lift reports from An
| naberg, one of Saxony's great toy manu-
featuring towns, in regard to the annual
contribution of Germany to the toy supply
Of America for this season.
1t Is estimated that from January 1 to
| september /, 1906, total of 9,S95 tons of
| toys were sent from Germany to the United
States, as against s.716 tons for the same
period last year. During the same period
o.4sS tons OF German toys were sent to
England, but considerable portion OF
this class of goods for the English Christ
mas trade is shipped after September
not fall far below that to the United
states. 1t Is also estimated that toys to
the value Of 10 to Is million marks G3.-
57l,42S to xi,2S5,710 are required annually
to supply the German market
While usually the second item in value
on the list Of declared exports from this
district toys constitute less than 10 per
cent of the total exports from the Anna
berg consular district to the United States.
Shipments for the first ten months of the
present sen calendar :: year a5e were invoiced at
total toy shipments from the district for
the year 1905.
From all centers of the toy industry in
Germany a fair demand is reported
are coupled extremely unsatisfactory labor
conditions. The steady advance in the
cost of living everywhere in Germany has
caused very general demand for higher
wages, and in many districts strikes have
been inaugurated to enforce these de-
| mands. A strike of toy-factory workmen,
extending through a number Of weeks and
involving many workmen, has just been
ended at Nuremberg by the granting Of
not only higher wages, but also of shorter
hours of labor The toy makers, both
as the house workmen' Chose who work
at their own homes, are everywhere Or
ganizing for mutual protection-to enforce
| their demands for increased wages from
the manufacturers and for better prices
from the factors or selling agents.
To these conditions must be added heavy
advances in the prices Of raw ma terials,
especially In mohair, mohair wool, cotton
goods and woolens-in some instances as
| much as 30 per cent. The result has been
a very unsatisfactory condition Of the in
dustry, both from the standpoint Of the
manufacturer and of the workman. Most
of the factories engaged in the manufac-
ture Of toys for the American market
have been kept busy throughout the year,
but other factories have suffered many in
terruptions from the conditions mentioned.
All are however, now working full capaci-
ty and some overtime to supply the home
demand for the Christmas trade. Just now
the centers of the toy industry are buster
than they have been, even at this season,
for several years past, due in a large meas
ure to the various Interruptions earlier in
the season.
Inc toys manufactured IN the ErZ noun
tains of Saxony are mostly of wood, and
the industry has therefore not been partic-
ularly affected by the advance in price Of
raw materials elsewhere. While there are
quite number of factories, there is a very
large house industry-work in the homes.
The factory employees are perhaps a mi
nority and not we'll organized as at
Nuremberg and other points. AS re-
suit the industry has been less subject to
disturbance, either from strikes, demands
for higher wages or unsatisfactory prices.
The advance in the cost of living has,
however, been keenly felt in the Annaberg
section, as elsewhere in Germany. Locally,
however, manufacturers and agents at
Marenberg, Olbernhau, Grunhainichen.
Waldkirchen and Zoblitz have had a good
season and fairly prosperous trade with
the United States