Toys

Over 400 business establishments in the U. S. have manufactured toys for this Christmas. The industry has consumed this year about 30,000,000 board feet of lumber; and its products are estimated as being worth about $56,000,000.

Nevertheless, one deep shadow still lies across the U. S. toy industry--the fear of German competition. Last summer, many other industries were worried for the same cause; but, one by one, they have recovered from their fears. The steel industry now has little concern about an invasion of U. S. markets by German products. But the toy industry is in a quite different position. Before the War, when our markets were wide open to the products of German toymakers, the U. S. toy industry was small. During the War years, with German competition cut off, it grew heavily.

Now, however, the wheel has turned again. U. S. capital is becoming interested in the Sonneberg district of Germany with the view to rehabilitating its famous toy industries. The move will not affect this Christmas buying; but, by another Christmas, as Government trade experts point out, our toy markets may be flooded with cheaper toys from abroad.

About $100,000,000 is spent on toys annually in this country.