Evening star., 1934-04-15
BY JAMES WALDO EAWCETT.


The most important philatelic de-
velopment of the past week came
Wednesday evening. when Michael l..
Eidsness, jr, announced that plans
are being perfected for a great inter-
national stamp exposition to be held
in Washington in october or No
vember.
Speaking before the Washington
Philatelic Society, Hotel Carlton. he
said: I'VE will have here in the Ma
tional Capital one of the most impor-
tant philatelic shows ever staged. The
leading collectors of the United States,
we are assured, will cooperate, and
the stamps to be displayed will ap-
proximate several million dollars in
value"
Mr. Eidsness is the Washington
representative Of Stamps Magazine,
New York. Until October, 1888, he
was superintendent of the division of
stamps and head of the philatelic
agency. Post Office Department, and
he has large following among all
classes of collectors.
Further announcement, Mr.. Eds
ness explained, will be made in the
course of a few weeks.
The ceremony at the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing Friday when
the first printing of the Mother S
day stamps began was an interesting
show.
Mrs Franklin D. Roosevelt repre-
sented the mothers Of the land, and
with her came Mrs. Henry Morgen-
THAI. jr., wife of the Secretary of the
Treasury and mother of two sons
and a daughter. The American War
Mothers delegation consisted of Mrs.
w. E. Ochiltree, Mrs. H. H. McCluer
and Mrs. H. C. Boone, original spon-
sors of the stamp.
Postmaster General Farley pre-
sided and made brief address, and
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Clinton B. Eilenberger took advantage
of the occasion to send greetings via
radio to his mother, Mrs Catherine
Eilenberger, a resident of Strouds-
burg, Pa, SO years old.
Other Post Office Department off,
cials attending were: Second Assistant
Postmaster General Harllee Branch,
Executive Assistant Ambrose O'Con-
nell, Solicitor Karl Crowley, Special
Assistant J. Austin Latimer, Deputy
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Roy North and Superintendent Robert
E. FellerS of the Division of Stamps.
Press arrangements we're in charge
OF Harold F. Ambrose, chief, infor-
nation service.
Alvin w. Hall, director of the bu-
tho 1f
gathering, and members Of his staff
present included: Assistant Directors
Clark R. Long and Jesse E. Swigart
and Superintendents John M. Smith,
Edward M. Weeks and Thomas J.
Heany.
Victor S. McCloskey, jr., who de-
signed the stamp. and J. Clarence
Benzing, E. M. Hall and w. B. Wells,
who engraved it, constituted a second
bureau group.
The Treasury Department was
represented by Assistant Secretary L.
W. Robert.
A flat-bed press was used for the
initial printing and Mr.. Farley pre-
sented to Mrs. Roosevelt the first
full sheet to come through the ma
chine. Later the Postmaster General
inscribed sheet for the President
and one for Louis McHenry Howe.
the Presidents secretary. A fourth
sheet went to Betty, Ann and Jimmy,
Jr., Mr.. Farleys children. ~
The new stamp is a pleasing COM
position. 1t reproduces the Whistler
painting simply and tastefully. The
introduction Of a vase of carnations
probably was a mistake, but it is
not unduly conspicuous.
The inscriptions are: "U. S. Post
age" I'm Memory and in Honor of
the Mothers of America" and Three
Cents"
Two hundred million copies of the
stamp will be printed and both rotary
and f1at-bed presses are being used
The earliest products of the Latter
VIII go to Hawaii and the Pacific
Coast.
Prospects for the National Parks
series of stamps continue to be bright.
and it is understood that Mr.. Farley
soon IS to have a conference with the
President on the subject.
The philatelic agency stocks of G.
cent bi-centennial and 14-cent 1922
1923 series stamps have been ex-
hausted. Both issues were removed
from the list Thursday.
President Roosevelt, contrary to re-
port, has not even temporarily aban-
ooned his interest in stamps 1t may
be stated on the very highest author
1ty that in spite of the pressure OF
administrative business. the Nations
premier philatelist finds leisure for
his favorite paStime. He is adding
to his collection from DAY to day
and is keenly alive to developments
in the field of philately at home and
abroad.
Mr.. Farley has a souvenir of the
Mothers day stamp, which he treas
ures with ardent enthusiasm. It is
nothing less than his chiefs penciled
sketch for the new issue. In confer
ence with Post Office Department Off
cials, Mr.. Roosevelt, desiring to H.
lustrate what he thought would be
an appropriate stamp, drew a rough
outline of his idea on piece OF
scrap paper, and Mr.. Farley took
possession of the fragment.
He also has the Presidents sketch
for the Byrd stamp.
The Philippine Olympic Games Sc
ries of three stamps went on sale al
the Philippine Trade Commission, 91C
Seventeenth street, yesterday, and il