Evening star., 1937-01-10

an important source of profitable rev.
enue to the department.
During the past year stamps in the
Scent denomination of commemora-
tive design we're authorized to mark
the completion of Boulder Dam, the
centennial anniversaries of Michigan,
Texas and Arkansas, and the tercen-
tenary anniversary of Rhode Island.
Included in the miscellaneous issues
were the 25-cent trans-Pacific airmail
stamp, 16-cent special delivery air
mail stamp printed in bicolor, and a
souvenir sheet containing one each
of the Connecticut, California-Pacif
Exposition, Michigan, and Texas COM
memorative stamps.
"The increasing importance Of the
Philatelic Agency as source of supply
of postage stamps for collection use has
been again demonstrated in the re-
ceipts from such sales of $1,846, ,253.79.
This represents the highest amount
Of business recorded since the opening
of the agency in December, 1921, with
the exception of the preceding year.
the sales of which included the special
issue of imperforate stamps in whole
sheets and blocks.
"As high percentage of the stamps
sold in the agency are never used for
postage, the accumulated revenue
largely represents clear profit to the
department. The establishment of the
Philatelic Agency has not only been
amply justified from the viewpoint of
profitable revenues, but it has served
indirectly to promote the interests of
philately throughout the country. This
is reflected in substantial sales OF
stamps in post offices for collection
purposes, the aggregate amount of
which Is not matter of record"
The December II issue of the Phila-
telic Magazine, London, contains an
interesting interview with Mr.. Farley,
written by Albert H. Harris, editor
and publisher, from which the fol-
lowing questions and answers are
quoted:
Mr.. Harris: "What is the under
lying idea of all these new stamps,
apart from revenue from stamp COL
lectors?"
Mr.. Farley: "Just educational. We
think it appropriate to honor people
in this way, such as Susan B. An
thony, for whom we had q recent
stamp"
Mr.. Harris: "Why are American
collectors denied access to the stamp
literature of other countries unless the
illustrations are defaced in a way
which the laws of no other country
require, and which effectively bars the
importation of all the most important
British and foreign publications-un-
less they are smuggled?"
Mr.. Farley: 81 did not know that
was So"
Mr.. Harris: "In England, too, we
have a law, dating from 1898, which
makes the importation of illustrated
stamp publications technically illegal
But for 38 years the English authori-
ties have allowed importation freely,
recognizing that the law was not
aimed at harmless press illustrations.
Successive English postmasters gen.
eral have also undertaken not to in
terfere with stamp illustrations where
no danger to the revenue arises. Yet
within recent weeks, for the first
time, the importation of further copies
of the American Scott and other pub
lications has been banned, and all
trade between England and America
based on catalogue numbers is stran-
gled. I suggest it would not have
occurred to the English authorities to
change their attitude but for the
trouble they have had through so
many publications being returned or
confiscated by America. As this re-
fusal Of each others publications is
damaging to the trade of both coun-
tries, could not a reciprocal arrange
ment be made in the mutual interest
of every one?"
Mr.. Farley: "I should like you to
give me a memorandum on the sub
ject, as fully as possible, so that I
may look into it,"
The Postmaster Generald told Mr..
Harris that he has become . collector.
Hal-tone cuts for the Post Office
Departments official list Of postage
stamps issued since 1847 have been de-
livered to the Government Printing
Office. The projected pamphlet, an
nounced for publication "after the first
of the year." is expected momentarily,
but the price at which it will be sold
has not been decided.
Meanwhile, the New York Times
joins the list Of newspapers and maga-
zines which have protested against the
illustrations regulations by breaking
them. The rotogravure section of the
Times issue for December 27 shows un-
mulila.ed reproductions Of Byrd and
Omaha (Yosemite) souvenir sheets.
Albert F. Kunze, writing in Week.
ly Philatelic Gossip for January
9, says: 1.-THE present inability OF
publishers to illustrate United States
stamps had its inception in the hope
hor,, n, tho Y,ninds nf snYnA Govern