Evening star., 1932-08-24
PROFIT ON STAMP COLLECTORS
HELPS TO CUT POSTAL DEFICIT
$4,000 Increase in Sales
Over 1881 Laid Mainly
to PhiIateliStS.
Official Sees Increase in
Members and Intensity
of Interest.
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

The depression has meant little to
stamp collectors. Philatelists have been
increasing in numbers, and their inter-
est has been increasing in intensity.
Even members of the army of Father
Cox and of the Bonus Expeditionary
Force patroni2ed the Philatelic Agency
of the Post Office Department when
their presence in the Capital gave them
the opportunity.
In this way, Michael L. Eidsness, jr.,
superintendent of the Division of
Stamps and executive chief of the
agency since its establishment in 1922.
yesterday summed up recent develop
mentS in the art of stamp collecting as
it is practiced in the United States.
we can report an increase of busi-
ness to the amount of 100000 over last
year." Mr.. Eidsness said. The Wash
ington Bicentennial issues of stamps un-
doubtedly had much to do with this
So did the Arbor day and Olympic
games issues. But even when due al
lowance is made for these facts, it is
clear that stamp collectors are multi
plying in number and in devotion to
the game.
1T is interesting to note that there
Is much more interest in American
issues than there formerly was. Spe-
cial Bicentennial albums have been pub
lished. containing material on George
Washington's life and work, as well
as on the history of the paintings used
in designing the Bicentennial series
These albums have been especially
popular among school children and we
have had hundreds of letters from
school stamp societies. But among
| adults also there is much more interest
than there used to be regarding the
| stamps of the United States. The time
when collectors we're concerned solely
with foreign issues has passed forever
las yet, we cannot be sure about
the figure the agency sales of the BIZ
| centennial issues will reach. 1t is diff
| ficult to keep track of the purchases
which collectors make through the Or
dinary post Offices. But I think it is
| fair to say that considerable profit
will be realized for the Government
through the Washington commemo-
ratiye series. The educational value
of the stamps, of course. is obvious
"The Olympic games issues had a
very heavy sale, especially in California.
Participants in the games naturally de-
sired to use them in correspondence
with their friends at home. and also
| bought them as souvenirs. The depart
ment established a branch station at
|
these visitors. At the close of the games
the American Philatelic Society held its
annual convention at Los Angeles. and
the department sent Mrs. Myrtle c.
ShaughnesSy to that gathering to repre-
sent the agency. A branch was set up
at convention headquarters and a
special poStmark was arranged, reading
Los Angeles, California, Philatehc Sta
ton AS courtesy to the society, the
new Scent coil stamps, bearing the
portrait Of President Garfield, and the
new series of three Scent envelopes, in
white. amber and blue, carrying the
portrait of Washington, were released
| for sale.
THE next important issues Of the de-
partment will be the Scent airmail
stamp, which will go on sale in Wash
ington on Monday. September 26. and
| the Scent airmail envelope, which will
be available the same day The date