Evening star., 1937-03-21
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

ID
The Post Office Department again
Is considering plans for new regular
series of stamps, but it is exceedingly
doubtful that any definite announce
ment will be made before Autumn.
Acting Third Assistant Postmaster
General Roy M. North on Friday con-
flrn1ed rumors to the effect that an
ordinary set of standard values for
business use is scheduled for pro-
duction. "It is true that there Is
legitimate demand for revised SER
les" he said, and We hope soon to
start work on it
But when asked to indicate when
the new series would be ordered, Mr..
North was -committal. Maybe
this year, maybe next" he explained.
Other department officials declared
that nothing has been decided"
Drastic changes in stamp design
policy are forecast in the disclosure
that Edward Bruce, chief of the paint
ing and sculpture branch of the
Procurement Division of the Treasury
Department, has appealed for permis-
sion to have artists on his staff as
signed to aid the designers of the Bu-
reasl of Engraving and Printing
Should his petition be granted, novel
element of modernism" almost GER
tainly would be introduced into stamp
composition practice.
ar
ing the past week regarding the pro-
posed insular Indian, Constitution or
transatlantic airpost stamps.
J. William OReilley, writing in the
Philaticker for March, says: IN
creased speculation in stamps cannot
be blamed on any one cause. There
are varied reasons for it. Some believe
that it will not affect them, because
they are collectors. 1t is my conten-
ton that this statement is not wholly
accurate. For one reason, it has led
TO increased selling at club meetings
and this has resulted in a rapid fall
ing of in trading. Thus, it has tended
to conlmercialize hobby. When any
hobby is being commercialized, it will
have the tendency to cause loss of
interest and this is fatal. Another
reason is that with the increased prices
in the various stamps, a collector has
to pay this premium. If there were
no speculation, there would be enough
of a supply to fill the demand at a
reasonable percentage over face value.
Naturally, there should be some out
let for surplus duplicates, but I be-
lieve it should be through sales ex-
changes and not through direct selling
at club meetings. Another method
would be to have two or three bourses
each year. At all other meetings SELL
ing should be entirely banned"
A radio comedian recently suggested
that the portraits of Robert Taylor
and Clark Gable be reproduced on
stamps. Movie fans took the proposal
seriously enough to write Mr.. Farley
their Endorsement of it,
The Statesman, Calcutta, India
lately printed a comprehensive story
about Gerard Ten Eyck Beeckmans
plan for enlisting the collectors of the
United States to purchase "the rarest
stamp in the world" for the Smith
sonian Institution.
According to the Commentator for
April, stamp collecting is fun. It's
also good and profitable for the Post
Office Department. Last year the
Governments philatelic sales in Wash
ington amounted to s1,846,253. and
most Of that was clear profit. 1t costs
very little to make stamp and most
stamps bought for philatelic purposes
are never used for postage, so the
profit is almost clear. In 1885, thanks
to President Roosevelts personal in
tereSt in philately, a postage stamp
exhibition room was opened in the
Post Office Department Building. Now,