The Detroit times., 1910-12-22


emburg, Germany. In those districts
they have studied the question OF
universal child taste so carefully that
they are able to delight equally the
youthful American, the Japanese
child, the Mexican, the Eskimo, or
the Malay OF the South Seas.
The making OF metal toys is con-
centrated principally in large factor
| les, although in some cases the sep
arate parts are made and painted in
the homes of the peasant classes. In
the making OF tin toys the first pro-
cess is 10 cut out the pieces of tin
| from which the toy is TO be shaped.
! Other machines. driven by large pow
er engines, press the various paris
into the required shape. and then
they are ready for assembling and
painting Some OF the more compli-
Gated metal toys pass through at
least $50 hands before the plain
metal becomes the finished toy In
days gone by the completed plaything
needed only TO be approximately like
the real thing IL represented. But
the present-day child is not satisfied
with an indifferent imitation: he
wants an exact duplicate, except in
size, Of the original. For instance
IN the production OF aeroplanes, he
insists that the lines shall indicate
whether his toy be monoplane or a
! biplane, and even whether it Is a
Wright or a Curtiss model.
This means that exacting workman
ship is required. There are thousands
of boys and girls no larger than
those who hang up their Christmas
stockings in America, employed
throughout the year in Germany in
making toys. Most OF them are en-
gagged in the production of wooden
toys. The peasants of the Saxon Ore
Mountain region get little blocks OF
wood from the factories in the fall
and all during the long winter days
and evenings the whole family works
away, producing wooden horses,
wooden soldiers, painted Santa
| Clauses, Noah's Arks, wooden wagons
and other toys. Each member OF the
family makes some particular toy
and sticks TO It, One man will make
+, wooden horses, and would be com
plete failure at turning out wooden
COWS. Another makes elephants, but
could not possibly make horse. Men
have been known to work on one kind
! of toy for twenty-five years in sue
cession.
| In some Of the families they make
| the complete Noah's Ark. The father
will cut out the animals in rough out
line with a delicate little scroll saw,
and each child will play his respec-
tive part In bringing them TO perfec'
ton. They usually toll from o'clock
lin the morning until 10 o'clock al
night. Their wages for piece work
are pitifully small. In making wool
" little lambskins, such as sell for
five cents apiece In the toy store, the
whole family is able TO turn out from
250 to 300 dozen a week. the mater
ial being furnished by the manufac
turer. For this work they receive
total Of about Ave dollars. The
pencil boxes which sell for a nickel
in the toy store cost only hfty-eight
cents a gross to make. A girl VINO
makes doll dresses receives only two
dollars a week.
But the fact that they have 70
work early and late does not AFFECT
the geniality OF the little German
peasants, nor does it interfere with
their enjoyment of toys at Christmas
time. OF course, the toys which they
make do not appeal to them as play
things. II is said they are proudest
when Santa Claus brings them
mechanical toys which bear the
stamp of American ingenuity. There
Is now a considerable demand IN
Germany for the cheaper grades Of
American mechanical toys and many
OF them go TO cheer the lives OF these
little men and women who work sc
faithfully that the American small
how may have his Noahs Ark or his
animal circus.
When one travels through Ger
many strange sights oftentimes greet
his eve. In one yard he may see q
whole host OF hobby horses, in an
other yard he will see a thousand
saints newly-painted and set out 70
dry. At another place a large army
of wooden soldiers stand at atten
ton while their bright colors are be
ing set by the sun. Travelling a lit
tie further he will come upon a
peasant dooryard in which arc
enough wagons to make a full army
wagon-train.
| 1neTe Is dI dSSOOldAiph VI
manufacturers of tin toys which was
formed for the purpose of mutual
protection for their original ideas
There are many manufacturers in
various countries who would not hest
tate TO steal an idea. For instance
an American dealer might get a
French toy which he believed could
be reproduced at a smaller cost In
Germany. He would take the toy
send IL 10 a German manufacturer
and inquire of him what it would cost
to reproduce il. The German asso
citation was organized to protect
every manufacturer, no matter what
his nationality, from the theft of his
| ideas.
The toy makers of the world keef
in close touch with the politics and
economic conditions. obtaining in the
various important countries. The
manufacturers of tin soldiers have
noticed a revival of interest in their
line. whenever there is tendency
toward militarism the demand for tin
soldiers increases. Tariff legislation