The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-25
"Made in Germany" Mark Is
Seldom Seen This Year.
AMERICANS FILL The GAP
manufacturers Meet Every De-
mand Except in Dolls.
More Money Spent by Santa
Claus Than Ever Before,

rms exclamation of joy from the
earliest risers in Topeka this morn
ing proclaimed a new era in toys. Old
Santa-that prosperous American in
dividual not bowed down by the cares
OF war and strife, but actuated only
by the desire to bring happiness to
aIl-came through the chimneys this
year with his pack loaded with
american toys, expensive toys, and
psychological toys
Today is a Montessori Christmas in
most homes where there are children
and 1t is all because. of the war. Until
this year made in Germany toys mo-
nopolized the toy market. Buyers in
Topeka stores went into the market
early and placed their orders with
American firms. The home manufac
turers filled the gap with well made
toys; manufacturers in this country
always have eXcelled the German in
well constructed toys but they have
never been able to compete on prices.
America first, money, and psychol-
ogy ruled the toy buyers this year
more than ever before. Topeka dealers
declare and point out that more money
was spent for Christmas this season
than ever before. One merchant esti-
mated that $2OO,OO0.0OO would be
conservative figure of the money ex-
pended for tokens of the holiday
cheer
People bought more expensive toys
for the children this year than ever
before" explained the manager of the
toy department in one of Topeka's big
gest stores. "A man came in here
the other day and bought S45.50
worth of trains and track for his boy.
This outfit had been sold to a woman
but had not been marked so it was
necessary for US to wire for another
outfit. This is just one of the exam
pies of the money spent for toys.
Met the Emergency.
American toy makers have met
the emergency in almost every line
except dolls. We have not learned the
secret of the bisque-faced doll indus
try which has taken generations to
perfect in Germany. There is but one
line of dolls manufactured in this
country that meets the demand and it
is made of 4 combination substance
which is non-breakable. A man who
came from Germany is manufacturing
these dolls in this country now. In
every other line the American toy is
far superior to the foreign articles
True we had some German and Eng
lish toys this year but most of them
Were shipped early last year.
Inc government of Great Britain
modified it's orders in councils tc the
extent that it WIS possible to bring
over few cargoeS of German made
TOYS before Christmas but there are
still millions of dollars worth of Ger
man and Austrian merchandise on the
docks at Rotterdam for which de-
livery permits have been withheld
The American toymakers have not
SHOWN -nuch originality, having de-
voted their efforts to copying the
German and French types" pointed
out one Topeka dealer. They have
made little effort. also to develop
these models in which the war spirit
is manif ested, such as soup kitchens,
armored automobiles and locomo-
tives, flying machines and subma-
rineS."
Can't Sell German Soldiers.
One toy-seller who had a number
of tin-soldicrs of the various Euro
pean types stated that he was forced
to put his German" soldiers in a box
and keep them on the shelves.
Most people who bought tin-sol-
diers picked out the English, French
and Russian types and spurned the
German lie said.
And last but not least great deal
of attention was paid this year to buy
Ing toys that suited the psychological
nature of the boy or girl. The TOYS
that do something or that give the
child an opportunity to use