The Evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1917-1920, 1917-12-19

MADE IN j. 5. TOYS
ARE NOW THE RULE
American Industry Devel-
oped Through Necessity
and Increased Patriotism.
GOOD SALES HERE
Expensive and Elaborate
Playthings Not in Demand
Dolls Are Different.
GOOD SALES HERE

The 1917 Christmas idea of Amer
ican toys for American children" was
developed through the more enthus-
iastic patriotism of Americans since
the United States entered the wal
and through an urgent necessity for
the domestic manufacture of toys
Now that Germany no longer provides
Santa Claus with toys, the American
toy-makers must see to it that Santa's
pack does not go empty, for. war or
no war;, the children will have that
might before Christmas" anticipatory
feeling and cannot be disappointed
Christmas morning.
No toys will bear the made in
Germany" label, without which. in
other years, no bisque doll or me-
chanical toy was complete. These
are days of substitution and the
American toys are not only just as
good, but are. If anything, little bet
ter than the foreign makes. 1t is
said that the toy business in the
United States has grown tremen-
dously in the last two years, and that
made-in-America toys are not only
better in workmanship than the more
frivolous foreign ones, but may be
used, too, in practical and educa
tional ways,
Elaborate Toys Lacking.
Expensive and elaborate playthings
are conspicuous by their absence in
Columbia stores. Perhaps the peo-
pie who buy them do their Christmas
shopping in the larger cities; how
ever that may be, the great majority
of the toys seen in local stores are
simple and inexpensive. This fact
seems consistent with the sacrifice
and economy practiced all along other
lines of Christmas shopping this year.
Only one toy dealer out of five Wis
tied by the reporter said-or ad
mitted-that his business is not as
good this year as in the past. He
has not bought nearly so large a
stock of toys this year as last; people
this season have not spent so gener-
ously on toys, and he is not looking
for any noticeable increase in their
tendency to buy. On the other hand,
another dealer says that he has had
a splendid trade in toys the last few
days and that the most expensive
ones in his stock have been sold most
easily.
The intricate mechanical and cleo
tric toys, engines and trains of va
rious kinds are sold in Columbia at
the hardware stores, and the sales
men there say that as these kinds of
toys have always been manufactured
in the United States the war has not
at all affected their output and sale.
Contrary to the general belief, it has
only been the cheaper sorts of cleo
trical toys and novelties that have
come from abroad.
Some Toys From japan.
One of the 10-cent store managers
here says that only six carloads of
foreign toys have been procured for
among 1000 company
stores over the country. In this ship
ment most of the toys are of Japan
ese make. The statesmen and mana
gers of these stores are alone in af-
firming that the toy business for
them this year has been better than
ever before.
Dolls are eternally popular with
the children, but the kind that goes
to sleep and has real hair and says
or papa, when pressed In
the right place, is a thing Of the
past. American dolls Of rubber,
celluloid or wool will hang on the
Christmas trees this year; they will
be durable, humorous and patriotic
and the German ones will not be
missed
Iron and steel toys this year are
of inferior quality and workman
ship. The price of steel and other
metals has risen anywhere from so
to 100 per cent, so the toy-makers had
either to cheaper the cost Of manu-
facture of these toys or not sell any.
For, although the people still want
them, they are unwilling to pay
higher prices this year. And
not even in view of the fact that toys,
as material expressions of the play
instinct in human nature, might be
classified as necessities.