Evening star., 1934-01-14
zSTAMPSA ~
BY JAMES WALDO FAwCETT.

BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.
The central event Of the past week
IN Capital stamp collecting circles was
the address Of Michael L. Eidsness. jr,
before the Washington Philatelic So
ciety, Wednesday evening. A capacity
audience attended to hear the former
superintendent Of the Division Of
Stamps Of the Post Once Department.
He was generously applauded when he
rose to speak and again at the close Of
the program when he was unanimously
elected an honorary member OF the Or
ganization.
II think it well for me to state in
the beginning" he said, that the Post
ONCE Department Is an institution
much greater and much more important
than any one group Of administrators
or any one political party. It is that
branch of the United States Govern
ment which reaches out from Washing
ton into every home and ofdce in the
land, serves every individual. and rep
resents in the most intimate and COM
prehensive way the organized ideals OF
the people as expressed by their chosen
agents, the President, his cabinet. the
various departments, and Congress. To
the masses the post Office system Is
Uncle Sam, and 1t is both right and
natural that 1t should be So,
Granted that mistakes sometimes
are made, I believe to the bottom of
my heart that there is no more devoted
nor earnest body Of public servants
anywhere in the whole world than the
rank and file of Post Once Department
employees. One of these days some
gifted author will write a history of the
postal service, and it will be revela-
tion Of romance and drama, OF science,
art and business, and OF human loyalty
and heroism which will stir the imagi-
nation of the Nation.
mo one has higher regard than I
for the brave men who in time of war
offer their lives and their fortunes to
the flag, but often wonder If we
should not also remember with graft
tude the men who fight the inceSSant
battles of the United States mail, and
carry on In the eternal war whose SYM
Dol Is a postage stamp. and whose VIC
tories are the increased welfare. peace
and happiness of American citizens and
Of their friends wherever they may be.
II do not think that it would be
too much to say that the postal system
is the amalgam, the cement which
binds American society together and
furnishes the foundation for American
culture in all its many fields Of enter
prise. To measure its value accurately
one has but to imagine what would be
likely to happen II the mails ceased
moving. Industry would be Frustrated,
education would halt, family relations
would be broken, stagnation would
settle over the land like dismal cloud.
Nothing could take the place Of the
postal service 1t is the most impor-
tant, the most truly vital business ever
developed or maintained on the face
Of this good green earth.
And it is my consciousness Of the
surprising worth and utility Of the Post
Once that prompts my interest in
stamp collecting. think of philatelistS
as being students not merely of assorted
colored scraps of paper, however at
being students of civilization. I know
from abundant experience how far
reaching, how wide and varied the
stamp collectors realm Of inquiry is.
I know that no one can collect stamps
intelligently and remain ignorant Of
history, geography and civics. know
that no one can embrace the philatelic
hobby with ardent enthusiasm and
remain narrow or bigoted, selfish or
mean. The stamp collector. wherever
he resides, Is world citizen, knowing
all nations and appreciating all, but Of
course preferring the land In which he
u born and the people with whom his
destiny Is especially connected. Thus
philately makes for international amity
and brotherhood, and at the same time
promotes patriotism and the social in
stinct. If there be a nobler goal than
these for human endeavor I never have
heard its name.
TT is because so deeply believe in
the liberalizing and educational values
Of stamp collecting that I advocate
philately for children. If could have
my way In the matter, would arrange
that the schools of every county, town
and city might have a philatelic ad-
wiser, q skilled and competent man or
woman who would go from class to
class, teaching stamps and the science
OF stamps as painting and music now
are taught. would approve an under
standing whereby boy or girl might
have credit for philatelic enterprise,
for time, thought and energy spent in
would do everything possible to stimu-
late the hobby for its constructive ef-
feet upon the child's mind. I am con-
f1dent that the average normal child
would respond and that the resultant
enthusiasm would be an endowment,
an enrichment Of his life.
But am Just as ardent an advocate
Of stamp collecting for adults. and I
believe 1t would be 8 mistake to permit
the impression to prevail that philately
Is merely q juvenile paStime. OF
course, It Is not limited, should not be
limited to any single period OF an in
dividual's career. have met collectors
of z and 20, and they differed naturally
enough in every respect except with
regard to their affection for the stamp
game. Doubtless the ideal arrange
ment would be that whereby q person
begins to collect as an infant and keeps
on to the very end; President Roose.
type Of collector. He was only 8 years
Of age when he first felt the fascina-
ton Of philately. To-Day he has more
than 40 years Of stamp experience be
hind him, and hope period equally
long still to enjoy.
II have had the pleasure Of talking
about stamps with Mr.. Roosevelt on
several occasions, and Will treasure
the memory. It Is something one never
can forget to see the boytsh enthu-
siasm, the happiness, which he finds
"And that brings me to another
thought which should like to express
to you. It happens from time to time
that I hear of q friend who is discour-
aged, q friend who has been i'll or who
has had some other variety Of misfor-
tune, and invariably my instinct is to
tell him to interest himself in stamps,
to discover for himself the peace of
mind, the relaxation, which stamp col
lecting brings. President Roosevelt Is .
living proof Of the value Of that idea.
When he was so i'll that his physicians
were agreed that he would Be an in
valid for the rest Of his days. he called
for his stamp albums and occupied
himself with them with the confidence
Of q real philosopher. All during his
long struggle back to health and his
campaign to reach the highest ONCE
within the gift Of his countrymen he
was q loyal pl1ilatelist, finding recrea-
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