New-York tribune., 1918-10-30

Coming of Toy Cargo
Starts Crusade Against
Wares Of Every Kind
State Legislation
Will Be Invoked
American Defence Society
Would Make Offending
Stores Post Signs

The fight against the sale of Ger
man-made toys, prccpitated by the ar
rival in this port Of large consign-
mcnt for the Christmas trade, HIS now
spread to include all German made
goods of whatever nature that may be
offered for sale at this time or later.
This became known yesterday when
Richard NJ. Hurd, chairman of the
American Defence Society, announced
that the next session of the New York
Legislature will be asked to enact a
law compelling merchants who handle
German made goods to post large signs
outside their stores announcing this
Fact.
This is the law in Canada said
Mr.. Hurd, "and it works we'll. 1t will
work as we'll here and will dispose of
that type Of merchant TO whom profit
is everything. 1t will leave him free
10 buy and sell whatever he may wish
to, but it will not permit him to get
good. patriotic American dollars under
false pretences.
Merchants Need Club
"lt is to be regretted, but it is a
fact, that there are merchants in this
state who will have to be dubbed into
refusing to sell the toys and things
recently landed and which Will be
brought over later. They are moved
by two mpulses-profit, for this stuff
will be sold cheaply, and desire to
cater to the German element, which
persists in this and every other COM
munty to a greater or less extent.
There are probably 10000 men and
women OF German birth or blood in
this state who would like to buy Ger
man-made stuff. At any rate they will
resent any apparent discrimination
against it.
Some merchants will hesitate against
offending so large an element. These,
in all probability, will insist on sell
ing German toys whenever they can get
them. We cannot stop them. But we
can give them their choice between the
trade of the 100000 and of the 70OO,-
600 other persons who trade in the
state
81 believe that the Legislature of
in the position OF favoring the sale Of
German made goods even 20 tie extent
of remaining passive. The Canadian
law will answer the needs of the sit
uation.
Hopes to Flood Market
"Of course, the Christmas trede will
be over before any legislation of this
sort can be enacted. But what folks
must not lose sight Of is that the Ger
man toys which have centred public
attention on the matter of German
products are but very small part of
the stuff Germany hopes to flood our
markets with. The present shipments
are but the entering wedge. They will
be followed by big shipments in other
lines rything from needles up.
"ln all equity and fairness those who
wish to buy goods are entitled to fair
notice that the place they propose to
trade In is contaminated by German
made stuff. II they want that stuff and
the merchant wants to sell it let them
go ahead, but do not let anv merchant
run with the hare and hunt with the
hounds. He must take his choice be-
tween Germany and the United States.
between those who want the goods of
the Naterland and those who never
again will willingly or knowingly con-
tribute one cent toward anything Ger
man"
PIacard Plan Adopted
Most of the retail toy shops in New
York within few days will DISPLAY
a placard reading:
No German made toys sold here"
The cargo of toys which arrived
from Rotterdam last week consists of
1000 cases and is valued at $3.50, 900.
I"e toys were purchased and paid for
by seven American wholesale dealers
in 1914. They are now being held in
storage in Hoboken. Butler Brothers.
one of the consignees, was the first
firm to repudiate ownership of its part
of the cargo
Mr.. Hurd said yesterday that the
Strobel g. Wilkin Company, in addi-
ton to Carl Silverman, had declined to
give up their claims on the newly ar
rived toys, so that the whole cargo
meadows and burned.