Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-11
WAR A HARDSHIP TO
STAMP COLLECTOR
Embargo Necessary for Military
Reasons-Position of Stamps
on Letters Forms Code

TNIIE trading-with-the-cn act is per-
i haps the greatest blow which American
philately has suffered in It's history. but
patriotic dealers In and collectors of postage
stamps are not whimperng The trade is
prepared TO forgo cheerfuly It's profits ordi-
narily derived from handling the current un-
used franking labels OF the Central Powers,
and the stamp lover Is equally willing TO re-
frain from buying them until the war is over.
The situation In the United States Is the same
virtually as that IN England and France,
and what philately in those countries has
done Is only what phiately In America is
row asked to do--to prevent any dollars
from reaching Berlin, Vienna, Sofia or Con-
stantnople through the purchase of stamps.
It Is not written specifically In the trad
ing.with-the-enemy act that the labels OF
the Central Powers are not to be imported.
But leading stamp houses have had their at
torneys studying the statute and the decision
has been reached that the enemy shall not
be given financial comfort In this manner.
A one-marS German stamp which sells for
It's face value In Berlin adds one mark to
Germanys war chest. II that unused stamp
stays In Germany throughout the war. the
money that purchased 1t comes from German
sources. II that stamp makes ITS way TO
America, the equivalent of ono mark comes
not from German but from American sources.
Thus the logic as to why unused current
stamps printed by the Central Powers shall
not be purchased in America until peace
comes Is obvious.
Early In the war, the British and French
Governments placed tho ban on dealing in
enemy labels. They went ono step further
than has happened. as yet In this country
for Great Britain and France forbade also
the handling even Of those enemy stamps
which had paid postage through the malls
II is not believed that this radical step Will
be taken by the American Government once
the stamps have been postally used, the BUY
ing and selling of them does not proIlt inc
In,
styuctions from Washington to the contrary.
American dealers expect to continue TO
handle such used copies as seep through from
the Central Powers.
In the unused copies. they see no reason WI
they should not be formally listed Ihey wiz
continue TO appear In the standard cata-
logues, but In no case VIII quo'a'oh pe
listed.
To List Enemy Stamps
The decision of the American dealers to
chronicle the enemy labels probably will sur
nrise philatelists in Great Britain and France.
There they are not only not handled nut no
mention Is made of them. used or unused,
In catalogues and trade papers. excep. ~
cases where they are criticized or ridiculed
II is the belief OF American philateiists that
this attitude In too extreme-that this bitter,
ness OF war will gain Entente dealers and
collectors nothing and that such feeiing In
America would be depioreu
Stocks OF enemy unused stamps purchased
before America entered the war do. OF
course. continue salable. But importation
81 them Is abandoned. This Is due to phys
teal az well as patriotic and legal reasons.
In fact even before this country took up
arms the American philatelists we're ex-
periencing difficulty in obtaining the current
iabels OF the Central Powers. They could
not come by way of France and Great
Rritain because the laws forbade and Italy's
statutes were equally rigid. Most of the
s,ocks which did get through the British
blockade are believed to have come by way
of swift serland. Holland and the Scandinavian
countries-secret channels which various
stamp importers zealously guarded. Today.
love Of country closes those channels.
Vith the newest OF enemy issues barred.
ana with more stamps certain TO emanate
from the Central Powers. how are philateists
20 obtain knowledge of what Is transpiring
- Interest to them In Germany and her
allied nations? The answer must be sought
throueh the Universal Postal Union. II is
cnstomary for each country that is a MEM
her OF this International organization. which
includes nearly all nations. to send to the
,,r,ons headquarters at Berne. Switzerland.
soo copies of every new stamp put forth
iron, Berue these stamps arc sent out to
ths 'postal authorities Of the various govern
msnts and. as IN the case Of about fifteen
isrrs American cities to Individual post
U11{<{ = 49, x1~--~>~..... - X -.