Evening star., 1934-05-06
EHSTAMPS<alaAl7 lA

| Marshal Joseph Pilsudski, Poland;
Prince Michael of Rumania, Prime
Minister Ramsay Macdonald, Pre-
mier Mussolini, Folliott Sandford OF
the air ministry, London: Ernest
Bryce, Australian philatelist; Mrs
Calvin Coolidge, Mrs. Theodore
Roosevelt, Mrs. william Howard Taft,
publishers and editors of the phila-
telic press, stamp editors of an in
ternational list of newspapers and
scores of eminent philatelists through
| out the world.
Mr.. Mooney sent to his aged
mother in Ohio a special first-day
cover with message reading: al
though we have our heartaches, and
some of the loved ones have been
taken away, God has been good to
us-He has spared you. May He
continue His blessings and preserve
you for many years to come. The
Lord bless Mothers day and bless our
mother
Add to the list of those who played
parts in the unwritten drama be-
hind the Mothers day stamp the
names of Representative Louis Lud-
low. Indiana, who gave Mrs. Ochiltree
invaluable assistance, and j. Clarence
Benzing, engraver, Bureau OF En-
craving and Printing, who contrib
uted of his talent and skill to the
making of the plates for the printing.
Also Edward M. Weeks, chief of
the engraving division of the bu-
reau; E. NJ Hall and w. B. Wells,
engravers, all of whom likewise
worked on the plates, and Miss Nell
lie Mae Veatch of the American War
Mothers staff, who has been Mr.
Kunze's assistant in the preparation
of the official covers.
The American Artists Professional
League has filed a protest with Mr.
Farley against the design of the
Mothers day stamp. A telegram
signed by F. Ballard Williams, ma
tional chairman. was received by the
Postmaster Generals secretary yes
terday
Complaint centered about the elimi-
nation of certain minor details of the
painting as it left Whistler's brush
and the introduction of the vase of
carnations, which appears in the lower
left corner of the stamp
Mr.. Williams also argued that the
perfect balance" of the original con-
ception had been destroyed by cut
ting off the lower part of the por-
trait
In Mr.. Farley's absence, First As
SiStant Postmaster General William
w. Howes answered the criticism with
the remark, The people seem to like
the stamp. First-day sales ran over
million copies"
Meanwhile, Mr.. Hall has been re-
ceiving congratulations on both the
design and the workmanship repre-
sented in the stamp. New York
Philadelphia and Boston collectors
have joined with Washington phila-
tel1Sts in chorus of praise.
Local artists and professional critics
of the arts. however, have been less
enthusiastic. Some have said, lit is
impossible to do justice on a stamp
to such a magnificent work of genius.
Others have expressed the thought
that an original, made-to-order sub
ject should have been chosen. not a
canvass by painter beyond the reach
of any benefit from the use of his
composition.
For the sake of history. it may be
recorded that it was President ROoSe-
welt himself who selected the Whistler
picture. The Interpolation of the
flowers was opposed by several persons
who viewed the models prepared by
the bureau, but their objections were
overruled on the ground that the car
nation is the accredited symbol of
Mothers day and therefore properly
should be included in the design.
Post Office officials last night said
that there is no possibility of the
stamp being withdrawn.
Several poStmasters violated de-
partment regulations by permitting
advance sales of the Mothers day
stamp. 1t is understood that they
have been rebuked for the mistake. 3"
MT. ElQSneSS says. l am sorry II
there is to be no stamp in tribute to
Lafayette. Such an issue was prac-
tlcally guaranteed about three years
ago, and one administration usually
has been mindful of the promises of
another in such matters.
The sponsors of the Lafayette plan
submitted the most convincing argu-
ment I ever heard made for a COM
memorative. They were assured that
their claims would be given considera-
tion this year. and regret that the
change of administration should have
Cancelled the pledge
The great Frenchman eminently
merits philatelic honors. Is it logical
to suppose that it is proper to pay
tribute to De Grasse and Rocham-
beau, Pulaski and Kosciuszko while
denying similar recognition to the
most widely celebrated of all the
aliens who fought for American
independence?
One of the specialties of President
Roosevelt's stamp collection is the
early Roman States issue of the nine
teenth century. He has an exception
ally fine showing of these valuable
and interesting specimens.