Evening star., 1936-05-10
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

WlUQ SIdIIlp COucCCOlo 1AOlil AAAoAS
than 40 different nations in attend
ance, the Third International Ph1la-
telic Exhibition, Grand Central Pal
ace, New York, was formally opened
yesterday afternoon.
The public actually had been ad-
mitted to the building at 8 am, when
the special souvenir sheet Of four
State commemorative, printed for the
occasion, went on sale.
But the official inaugural ceremony
at 1880 pm was the stellar incident OF
the day. Postmaster General James
A. Farley, delegated for the duty by
President Roosevelt, represented both
the Post Office Department and the
Federal Government of which it is
part.
The decade that has elapsed since
the last international philatelic ex-
hibition in this city," he said. has
been most important period for the
advancement of stamp collecting. On
every hand we see evidences of the
phenomenal growth made in these in
tervening years and we Of the postal
service have substantial evidence of
the greater public attention that is
now being accorded this fascinating
hobby through the increasing patron
age of our Philatelic Agency,
Il need not go into detail as to
what philately has to offer the indi-
vidual, but it is proper to note that
the study of postage stamps has some
thing worth while for every person
who elects to become interested, re-
gardless of his age or his station in
life. If there were no other reason
for it, stamp collecting would be
worthy of encouragement for its bene-
fetal results through the formation of
stamp clubs in the schools of the Ma
ton.
In recognition of the high prin-
ciples of philately as represented in
the Third International Philatelic
Exhibition, it has been my pleasure
to authorize the printing of special
souvenir sheet of four different COM
memorative postage stamps, which is
now offered to the public for the
first time
The signal to unlock the gates was
flashed from the White House by Mr..
Roosevelt as scheduled several weeks
ago.
Meanwhile, crowds estimated at
many thousands had entered the halls
and galleries where more than 5000
frames of selected stamps and covers,
submitted by hundreds of collectors
at home and abroad, will be on dis
play until Sunday evening, May II.
The scene was indescribably color
full. On the ground floor the Gov
ernment's contribution to the exhibi-
ton had been arranged. The branch
philatelic agency did a land-office
business" at u windows where long
lines of patrons were served by clerks
drafted from the New York Office
working under the direction of Supt.
OF the Division OF Stamps Robert E.
F'ellers and his assistant, Mrs. Louise
P. Shawen. Cancelling machines
with a special die were operated by
Charles F. Anderson.
While their elders thronged the
agency sales section, scores Of children
viewed the junior portion of the exhi-
bition-the so-called NAJEX division,
where the Washington Federation of
Junior Stamp Clubs was awarded
fourth prize, with individual recogni-
ton for John GRAHAM, Irene Sloane,
Genevieve L. Reimer and Marion Alice
Lancaster.
The Bureau of Engraving and
Printing display also attracted crowds
of boys and girls, naturally anxious to
see with their own eyes the mechanics
of stamp printing James M. Lanigan
and Miss Nettie Hef1in operated the
presses.
Other WaShingtonians seen in the
building during the afternoon included
DR.. Ellis Haworth, president, and
Philip Simms Warren, treasurer,
Washington Philatelc Society; F. A.
Bickert, president Collectors Club;
Valdemar Weiergang, specialist on the
stamps Of Scandinavia; Michael L.
Eidsness, jr., former superintendent,
division of stamps, Post Office Depart
ment, now associate editor, Stamps
Magazine; David H. Davenport, Wash
1ngton correspondent, Mekeel's Weekly
Stamp News; Albert F. Kunze, Wash
ington correspondent, Weekly Phila-
telic Gossip, and Mr.. and Mrs Clyde
V. De Binder
Mrs. Catherine L. Manning, phila-
tehc curator, Smithsonian Institution;
Miss Alice B. Cilley, secretary, Wash
ington Airmail Society, and Miss
Irene M. Pistorio are expected to ar
rive today; Alvin w. Hall, director,
Bureau of Engraving and Printing,
and John M. Smith, superintendent,
Bureau Postage Stamp Division, Tues
day.
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Clinton B. Eilenberger and Deputy
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Roy M. North accompanied Mr.. Farley
to Grand Central Palace for the open
ing ceremony.
A message from Secretary of the
Interior Harold l.. Ickes, A. P. S. 9529,
was displayed in the entrance lobby.
1t read: "As grow older, find myself
more and more deeply interested in
four things. They are. in brief sum-
mary: Progress-the steady and con-
sistent advancement of humanity on
ward and upward toward civilization
freer, happier and more notably hu-
name; education-the improvement of
our democracy in terms of a culture
that is based upon philosophy, art
and science, through both individual
and cooperative effort; conservation
the preservation of the precious mate
rial and spiritual resources of our
country and our people, and peace
the development of a practical good
neighborliness in the world.
"All of these great aims, I believe,
may be promoted by and through
philately. They have been and will
be stimulated by the universal system
of postal communication which now
correlates the most distant commune
ties Of the earth. The little scraps of
colored paper that we call stamps have