Evening star., 1937-05-02

in The Star April 20. sent word Of
his approval Of "a very correct and
fair statement Of the situation As I
know It,"
Need for the conference, meanwhile,
was summarized by J. w. Longnecker
president Of the Hartford Stamp Club,
as follows: mo clear-thinking eXecu-
tive would consent to the use of slazy
or poorly printed envelopes or paper
or sloppy tipping in addressing mail
Why, then, should they be compelled
to deface their advertising by poorly
engraved stamps? Some studies
have made have convinced me that
prospects do not reason out that q
business house should not be held re-
sponsible for the cluttered and inar-
tistic stamps on a letter-we adver-
tising men know that first impressions
are what count most in our mailings.
do not claim that better stamps
would increase the effectiveness of let
ters enough to balance the budget, but
an improvement in our stamps would
certainly cut the waste of selling by
mail. -
Il hesitate in these times to suggest
possible method of enforcing reform.
the educating Of the public to refuse
under any circumstances to accept at
any post ONCE any postage stamps
known to philatelists as S. e., o. c. or
d. t. Postmasters, usually politicians
with a penchant for keeping close to
the public's pulse, would be the first
to detect signs Of resentment, If sheet
after sheet was pushed back through
their windows, refused on account Of
poor quality If such sheets went
back to Washington in ever increasing
numbers, some impression would be
made. OF that am confident.
Then, too, I think Washington
could be impressed by the fact that the
loWly postage stamp is the most COM
mon and intimate reminder of our
Nation and its Government in the
daily lives Of millions of our people
think the evidence Of careless
workmanship or obsolete methods of
production manifested by our stamps
has bad effect on our people. Next
to the post once pen of ancient and
evil reputation, our stamps may be,
perhaps are, taken as good examples
OF governmental inefriciency and plain
pad business management"
A less critical point of view is Of
fered by Hugh M. Southgate, presi-
dent OF the Bureau Issues Association,
who says: Il have for years given
consideration to the question of wet
and dry process production of our
postage stamps. thinking that prob
ably major improvement in centering
was tied up with the development of
= dry process.
However, it is my belief that the
less the collector interferes with the
Post Office's business, the better it will
De. The moment the Government
produces, as they have been doing,
stamps for collecting purposes rather
than for carrying the mails, philately
becomes exploited
Beautiful designs can be made by
other methods, and they might be
suitable for our commemorative is
sues. think that even if stamps could
be produced economically and with
the necessary safeguards against un-
oncial reproduction, that such stamps
would not be suitable for permanent
issues. The stamps of the United
States are generally recognized as
being most artistic. However, when
they are produced in such rapid Sc
quence, as has been the case in late
years. it is almost impossible to ex-
pect individuality in each design"
Speaking from Station WCAO. Bal
timore, yesterday morning. Gerard Ten
Eyck Beeckman said, in part: "Phila-
tely knows no limits of age or class.
1t is famous throughout the world
as the hobby Of kings and the king
OF hobbies. There is far more to it
than just the placing Of small bits
OF paper on album pages printed for
the purpose. For example. it Is a
known fact that postage stamps, re-
Meeting not only the past and the
present, but in a measure the future
Of the life of a nation, are emissaries
Of goodwill
The United States Government
has recognized in its postage stamps
great European heroes such as Gen.
von Steuben, the German soldier who
aided the Colonies during the Ameri-
can Revolution; Gen. Pulaski, the
Polish captain who also aided the
colonists in their fight for freedom,
and others. Poland has placed the
portrait Of George Washington upon
her stamps, and on the stamps of
Peru you will find our own Statue OF
Library
There are many advantages to
the collector of stamps besides that
of gaining general knowledge of the
life and customs of nations. Through
stamps he may learn history, geog-
raphy and foreign money values. He
likewise may obtain very good
working knowledge of art, architec-
ture, sculpture and foreign commerce.
For example, collector for few
cents may buy a beautifully en-
graved, richly colored Netherlands
stamp showing q reproduction Of a
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