The Columbus journal., 1910-12-21

greater number of all the toys manufactured
com. frrIn Nuremberg
The ancient feudal city around which cluster
The grin traditions of the nquisition and the
thrilling 'Iic of the times of Charles ". has for
four hundred years or more been the center OF
the chiidrcns fairyland. Ii has been and Is the
nucleus OF Christmas happiness for the youth
Of every place IN the Occident, and its charm
is The perpetual one of Joyous creation which de-
lights Fl planning the amusement of little people.
In the factories they will tell you that 10000.
O01 marks tSIS000. 900, worth of pleasure is
sent out from Nuremberg every year. and that
5000 060 OF this export is for the benefit of
Young America Only few years all of the
necessary labor for this immense production was
done by hand and much of the finishing and fine
last touches performed BIZ special artists.
Even in the factories the old spirit of an
almost consecrated enthusiasm lives and is evil
denr the interest OF the village artisans for
their craft Not merely the reason of bread and
butter goes toward the making of those marvel
sus walking dolls. those Phenomenal speaking
picture hooks. those Thousand and one games that
have called for all the imaginative well as
pracIlCal genius of these honest German peasant
folk Rather has their unique industry called for
ana developed in them romance. constituencies
Of perception which is remarkable.
brecht- Dur"rstrasse. and You come to one of the
MANY homes OF this Nuremberg spirit In a min
nature rcdroofed house. wedged in among hun
bred squat brown huts live two old men-brnth-
erS. ~ siXly-fve and seVenty-whoSe white
heads constantly bent small circles OF
d-shapng. pairing carving. painting.
Al. dav they sit there. sometimes all night.
toilinG over the delicatey ornamented dolls
dishes which perhaps you have bought. a small
insignificant thing. Just this afternoon for your
small daughters tree.
You looked NJ them carelessly: they were not
esp Cially original attractive and Won showed
them into Your bag with Misunderstanding accept
ance thinking that maybe they would please ca
priricUs Dorothy. How could YOU know that back
In the Village of Always Christmas Old hands had
Fashioned those trivial plaitS and pitchers old
eyes h&I strained with loving anxiety over those
fine tracrrieS OF colunlhine. and old hearts had
warmed over these completed trfes with the
thrill of the master painter over his best
Rp: this vas true. Indeed nearly all OF the
simple wooden toys are constructed by hand in
some humble yolhshause which goes 70 make up
the aggregate creative force of Santa Claus
workshop. Take the tiny sets OF soldiers the
dolls chairs and tables tn. painted wooden ami
mais whose realism is 3 delight all children.
actual grown NJ These are fashioned in
homes. sometimes by the efforts OF whole lam
lilies tut most often by children themselves
SIN,ecu * the age LIMIT for child labor in the
factories hut young person is prohibited from
assisting his parents al home provided he spends
the required period OF time AT school So that
many OF those playthinSs which give most hap
pineSS 10 tie children OF America have been
made ny the children OF Nuremberg. And If
babies must work. what work could one find for
them more appropriate or more poaSurabe than