Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-15
IMPORTED GOODS
SELL WELL IN US.
American Toys Dominate
Field, However, in Yule-
toe Shopping.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, December 1a.-The
European countries, especially Ger
many and CzechosIovakia, are sharing
fuIIv in the benefits which the present
huge volume of Chris mas buying Is
bringing TO distributors and manufac'
turers. The European producers nave
lost the toy monopoly which they en-
loved for years, but they are sell
hundreds of thousands OF dollars
worth Of other kinds of goods.
American store managers have an.
parently lost the fear which they had
For some time of handling German
goods. For The first time since the
war products Of German factories are
plainly marked Made in Germany
and sometimes this is emphasized
rather than concealed.
The largest part of the goods sold
of German, Hungarian. Austrian and
Bohemian origin consists of intta-
tons of very expensive prodl" is.
Glass and china and pottery are s)e-
cially stressed and very passable Uni
tations of expensive glass and pottery
designs are on sale at moderate prices.
Outdlstance Competitors.
As to the toys, the American pro,
ducers have outdistanced all compeu-
tors. II ia generally conceded they
have done this by making toys along
lines which will parallel adult action.
The games and piaythinCs most popu-
lar are those which enable The young
Sters to initiate or duplicate actions
they have seen Grownups perform.
1t is for this reason that the dolls
have taken the forms they have.
OF the 25,000,000 dolls made in
America this year the larger portion
will talk. The single doll has been
converted into part of a group which
may be made TO take part in games.
Fashion in dress is as closely fol-
lowed in the dolls as in the dresses
shown for grown.ups in the same
shops. And there are even doll vanity
cases with which the dolls complex.
ion may be furnished up.
In the mechanical toy field the
American manufacturers are unap-
proachable and they have succeeded
in adding to the life of these toys. In
fact, as one of the factors of the in
dustry says himself. the Ann rican toy
me- lufacturers seem to nave every
thing hut a sense Of humor. Certainly
most of them take their industry with
q deep seriousness.
The theatrical profession has bene-
fitted materially from the Christmas
trade. Store managers have ceased
to he sa tisfied with Santa Claus who
simply wore a red flannel costume and
white whiskers. Today the Santa
Claus must be a real actor. who never
steps out of character. and who can
swing a line of patter which will play
up 10 parents as well as children.
Clowns Being Used.
Other actors are being extensively
employed by some shops to aid in
squirting sales and in advertising
goods. For example, clowns announc-
ing themselves as Santa Claus
brother" lead the children around,
showing off the toys. working the me-
chanical ones and indicating that they
will thus be able to tell Santa what
each boy and girl should have.
The grown-up shoppers are intrigued
in similar ways. A favorite method
is TO have a supposed family from the
country, consisting of father, mother
and daughter, go through each de-
partment and by their jokes and rus
tic comments draw attention TO the
leading articles in each section.
Personnel officers are perhaps the
busiest of any of the store executives
at present Thousands OF temporary
workers have been taken on, and
while many of these will be allowed
to go when the stores close December
"a many sales forces will be recruited
from the pick of these casual workers.
Moreover stress liz now being placed