The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-04-10

The Post Office Department has no intention of withdrawing the stamp which depicts General Rob- ert E. Lee as a two star instead of three star general, in spite of the flood of adverse comment which greeted in from the start in cer- tain quarters.
 Officials point out that General Lee was honored as Q man and a soldier and his portrait was given the position of prominence on the four-cent stamp in conformity to the wishes of the friends of the commander of the Confederate forces. The design and engraving for the stamp were done from a photograph furnished by August Dietz of Richmond, Virginia, an authority on photographs and records of General Lee.
 Work is being done at the Bu- reau of Engraving and Printing on die proofs for the five-cent Army and Navy stamp which, 1t Is expected, will be offered for sale the latter part of this month. One thing is definite, in this c0nnec- tion, and thatis there will be no first day sale of the stamp in Washington. The points selected for first-day sale are Annapolis, Md. and West Point, N. Y. The department anticipates a huge demand for these two stamps when issued.
 Viewpoints on the much dis cussed hobby of stamp collecting have been offered by numerous advocates but about the best re- marks in favor of the great game were offered recently by William M. Stuart in the Washington Post. MT. Stuart says:
 Stamp collecting is not to be considered racket, neither is it a swindle. It is hobby filled with rich possessions money cannot buy. In the pursuit of his hobby the philatelist finds not only great pleasure but much interest. Against this background is the unethical soul who always sees red and discusses stamps in dol- lar and cents never failing to cry out racket, speculation" or even fraud" Just now some of these cries are rather loud; dis count them for there is no truth in such mutterings. All countries will continue to issue stamps. Col- lectors, though loud in denouncing some issues will buy them. To de- clare all such issues on the part of any nation merely a racket" is preposterous for the issue and sale of postage stamps is perfectly legitimate. For instance take the Philatelic Agency. Stamps sold there have a rightful place. It is g foul slander to allege that to patronize the Agency furthers a racket. Equally slanderous is the declaration that our postal of- ficials are fathering 8 racket" Cast aside as utterly worthless the islanders now rampant against Philately. Consider them as the dying cry of the ignorant"
 Newfoundland-The coronation set for this country will consist of IA values, three of the stand ard design for all the crown col- Onies and the remainder, for the most part, the current designs in which will be inserted g vignette of George VI. The Set will be on sale from May 12 to December 31
 Bulgaria-There is being cele- brated this year the one thou- sandth anniversary of the Cyrillic alphabet and in conecti0n with the observance next month, the country will issue a set of seven values.
 Yugoslavia--Belgrade will have a philatelic exhibition in Septem- ber and . special stamp issue Is promised. Another of these souv- enir sheets which are now . field for specialized collecting may be In the offlng.
 New Britain was host to the New England Stamp Conference for the first time in its history last Thursday. Clubs from Con- necticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island took part in the activities which began at 2 p. m. in the Ma sonic temple. H. E. Erwin Is pres ident of the conference and L. \.