Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-10-02
SANTA CLAUS HARD
FIT BY the WAR
The Toy Industry in Ger
many Has Suffered as
the Result.

(Corrcspondorcc Of The Associated Press,
EERNE, Switzerland. Sept ID
Perhaps no single industry In Ger
many has suffered SO muCh from the
war as that Of toy making. In the
last year Gcrmany's toy trade aggrc-
gated 40, 0,000,000 marks. or $4,000
GOO. of which more than $4,000, 600
was export. and the larger part to
America. Since the war TINS figure
has dropped nearly two-thirds. What
s worse atill tor the German manu-
facturers is the fact that other coun-
tries have taken up this industry and
the Germans will find it very hard to
recole er their lost markets.
More than any other branch OF in
duatry the German toy trade sent its
products throughout the world. It's
nrst development was after the
Franco PrlssiaE war, but 1t was not
until 20 years ago that its exports first
assumed very large dimensions. Be
fore the war not less than one hum
drcd thousand persons were employed
IN toy making, mostly in SaXony
around Nuremberg. IT was largely "A
home industry and furnished work
for thousand, of women aud children.
In 1913 the toy exports to the
United States amounted to nearly Sl0.-
100000 but since then. owing TO the
British blockade, the volume of trade
has sunk to perhaps less than one
fourth Of this sum. The neutral
states. Holland, Denmark, Sweden and
Norway. have boush: more toys, but
their increased trade has failed TO
make up the losses of che trans-At-
,antic business. Austria Hungary, too,
has taken more toys and the home
trade has been much better But in
spite of all this. the total Shrinkage
in the annual turnover Is estimated
at between 60 and - per cent.
The shortage of raw materials, zoo,
has caused the toy manufacturers
enormous Inconvenience and the
enormous rise in prices has injured
their trade still more. The war mas
caused the loss OF business connec-
tons abroad which have existed for
many years. Foreign customers have
been looking for new sources of sup
ply, and foreign manufacturers have
been encouraged to 20 out after the
German trade. In the United States,
in England and France and Switzer-
land new toy Industries have been
started. aided greatly by the increa ased
prices which the German manufac-
turerS have been forced to demand
II Is said that 500 kinds of Ger
man toys are now being made in Eng
land and are being sold at the same
prices as the original articles. In
France the trade is being pushed
rapidly and one factory alone has al
ready made over a million dollars
worth of dolls. \ French bank has
been specially organized to promote
the interests Of the toy trade The
japanese competition. too, Is greatly
feared. especially in the American
market
Various projects are under cOnsid-
GRAFTON in Germany to improve the
situation Of what is after all "a Season
Industry" for holiday times 1t is
proposed TO establish "doll day" a
new Gift day, when every child shall
hc given DOH. st John the Bap-
lists day. June "a. Is suggested as Il
suitable date. II is thought that this
might not only greatly help the toy
Industry hut it might also be used to
promote the interests Of various mve-
nile associations. through the manu-
facturcrs deNOting Il portion of their
receipts to such charities. But the
main point is to do something to aid
this very hardly affected branch Of
German industry and provide work
for the many thousands Of families
dependent upon it.