The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-02-07
Washington Letter.
TOYS FOR AMERICAN
, BOYS

cussed in Germany looking to a re-
sumption Of her toy export trade. The
Schreibwareh Handel of Berlin ex-
presses it's belief that while senti-
ment may be great factor in Ameri-
Ca 1inimical to the consumption of
German toys, this is not looked upon
as a permanently restrictive agency in
marketing German toys in the United
States. Germany's chief fear is caus-
ed by. Japanese competition in the toy
trade which, Since the outbreak of
the European war has exhibited for
midable develspment.
Not only is Germany uneasy at the
prospect of competition with Japan
for the American toy market, but
American toy manufacturers them
selves are considerably upset about it,
for the Japanese sales of toys in this
country are increasing at rate cal
culated to justify such uneasiness.
The toy schedule has been subject to
35 per cent rate of duty both under
the Republican law of 1909 and the
present Democratic law, but the pres
ent law made certain reductions on tin
sci metal and china toys. During
the fiscal year 1913, under the Repub-
lcan law, we imported about S8,000,-
900 worth of toys, of which about 86
per cent came from Germany, and but
100000 worth from Japan. During
the fiscal year 1914, which ended in
June, Zone month before the outbreak
of the war, and 10 months under the
Democratic law our toy imports ag
gregated $9,000,000 in value, of which
nearly 90 per cent came from Ger
many, and $407, 900 worth from Japan.
The fiscal years 1917 and 1918 were
full war years, with near-free-trade,
Germany and Austria absolutely cut
off from the market. Yet, for the for
mer we imported 81 ,442, 900, and for
the latter, $2,000,000 worth of toys, of
which about 85 per cent came from
Japan.
These figures are taken from the
Department of Commerce reports, and
to the Christmas shoppers who saw
the huge stocks of toys in every store
last December, which were marked
"Made in Japan lit would seem as if
the official statistics wereSsuspicious-
ly conservative. In some shops the
shelves were glutted with japanese
toys of the cheapest and most inferior
workmanship, chiefly of paper and
wood, stuck together, which suggests
that they might have been camoufag-
ed by the department as manufactures
of paper, or wood, rather than as toys.
The toys themselves hung together
about as long as a Democratic cam
paign promise.
1t is repugnant to the American
mind to see a child playing with Ger
man toys, but time will weaken this
feeling. The parent who buys the Jap
top is paying small price for an in
ferior article which displaces an Amer
lean product. To the highly impress
sionable mind Of the child the sugges-
ton oft repeated that he is entertain
ed by toys "Made in America" cannot
fail to strengthen his Americanism. 1t
would be beneficial to place such
duty on toys in the next tariff law as
will relieve German manufacturers of
the anxiety they now have with re-
spect to competing with Japan for the
American market, and will also assure
the new American toy industries tina,
they will have nothing to fear from
either German or Japanese competi-
ton. In other words, such duty rates
as will restrict all foreign competition
in toys.
PURPOSE OF THAT $10O,O0O,O0O
Far greater opposition was met in
the Senate to the 100000 food
bill than was encountered when the
bill was going through the House.
Some of the strongest opposition was
based on the testimony of Thomas W.
Taliaferro, an independent packer of
Detroit, before the Senate Agricul-
ture Committee. Mr.. Taliaferro told
of a large shipment of meat to Eng
land, on order of the English Govern
ment, which was so heavily salted
that the English refused to eat it. at
was so salty the English wouldn't eat
it but it would be good in the South
of Europe where they cook vegetables
with their meat and want it highly
seasoned"
"Then you think the Presidents fund
of $100,O00,000 might be used to take
this meat off England's hands and
send it to Southern Europe as long as
the English won't eat it? asked Sen
ator Norris.
"That's what understand is to be
DONE"
This was followed on the floor of
the Senate by a charge from Senator
Gore, chairman of the Agriculture
Committee, that one object of the re-
quest for this large fund was to save
the big meat packers from a threat
ened loss on pork products which have
been shipped abroad.
The Senator's statement caused no
little interest among the other Sena-
tors, the same being based upon the
above mentioned testimony. "We had
a witness before the Committee on
Agriculture this morning." said Sen
ator Gore, "who told us that portion
of this money was to be used to stabil-