Evening star., 1922-11-15
CHRISTMAS BOOM
IN TOYS GROWING
Over $40, 900, 900 Soon to Be
Spent for Children in
, United States.
BY j. &. ROYLE.

Srecial Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, November 15.-The
youngsters of the country Will be
more of a factor in retail trade and
commerce in the United States in the
next thirty days than they have beer
since 1919. Toymakers. whose sea
son of great activity normally Is ovel
by this time, still are working night
and day to supply stocks from which
to fill Christmas stockings. More
than s2o.00O,O00 will be spent in the
next few weeks on toys and othei
gifts for the children of the country
Toy stocks are moving. and to be
popular the toys themselves must
move also. Manufacturers. wholesai-
ers and retailers agreed today that
mechanical playthiugs would be IA
voriteS this season. Springs, CLOCK
work, electricity and score OF me
chanical tricks are employed to give
life and motion to examples Oh tht
tOymakerS craft.
Must "Do Their stuff"
A youthful screen star who was
permitted today TO view the prellrnln-
ary exhibits Of a big department store
here struck the Keynote or the season
when he exclaimed after a b"ren
inspection, make them do their
stun" Mechanical animals are being
bought in huge quantities by retai!
stores and probably Will sell ex-
tremely we'll ClOrNwork teddy
bears on skates promise to be eN-
tensively featured, as do wooden sol
diers which march to music made
by their own band.
LeapinG hUllfroGs in high red
hats, monkeys which have left the
string anu move with true simian
swing and speed. and tumbling bears
are attracting attention. HonkinE
geese and chickens that do every
thing but Jay an egg are among the
less expensive favorites. while there
are varieties of every sort of motor
train. boat or aeroplane that can be
imagined at prices ranging from 10
cents to hundreds of dollars.
Big Radio Sales Assured.
The avidity with which children
even those only seven or eight years
old. have mastered the operation OF
radio sets assures big sales of wire
less apparatus. Dolls. of course are
staple for the holidays. but even these
must have some stunt to call at
tention to them. even if il is only
10 squeak mamma"
Many of the cheaper toys are com
ing from Germany and Italy. Vessels
arriving here will bring large cargoes
of playthingS ana Tree decorations
right up to Christmas week. The
reason the German toys can be sold
cheaply is because they are being
shipped against orders placed months
ago, wnen prices and exchange were
more favorable. Consequently they
can be made to show Il profit despite
the increase in the new tariff from
50 to 10 per cent ad valorem.
Cigar and ..isarctt;. niauufa cturers
a ipt frIi
ration for the Christmas trade. De-
mand for cigars is excellent. and
while leaf tobacco prices are high
retail prices of the finished products
have been reduced rather than ad-
vanced lately.
Candymakers Are Rushed.
Candy is in greater demand than
at any time in years. and factories
are having difficulty in making de-
liveries. The fall weather has had
little effect on the volume of trade
at the soda fountains and soft drink
places
behind in preparations for a big
Christmas celebration. Sales of mail
order houses are on the increase, and
mail advertising campaigns by re-
tailers. in cities in the farm sections
have met with a gratifying response
of mail sales. The volume of goods
being shipped by parcel post is rapid
]y increasing.
e Musical instrument dealers in every
section of the country report a decid-
ed revival of business, with volume of
orders exceeding that of the similar
period Of last year The demand for
Photographs of the more expensive
type is especially notable.
Furniture. rugs, carpets and house
hold goods are moving briSkly.