Evening star., 1937-03-14

sign would include portraits of the
five philatelic pioneer leaders who
deserve cognition"-Scott, Tiffany,
Worthington, Mekeel and Luf.
The growing fascination Of collect
ing foreign stamps is reflected in a
specialized catalogue for Czechoslo-
vakia and Eastern Silesia recently is
sued by the Cross Stamp Co., Newark,
N. j. Produced to sell at printing
cost, the pamphlet contains 27 pages
of carefully edited text and illustra-
tions. Copies may be had by mail for
Is cents, plus cents postage.
John Chamberlain, stamp editor of
the st. Louis Post Dispatch, writes
as follows; Dirty and discolored
stamps may be frightened up by
washing them in solution of one
part chloroX to ten parts water. If
the stamps are used, they may be
submerged in the solution, but if they
are mint, the face of the stamp should
be cleaned with a wad of cotton dipped
in the solution. Stamps so treated
should afterWard also be treated with
a solution of one teaspoonful of sodium
thloSulphate in a pint of water to
prevent further bleaching. The
stamps should be thoroughly blotted
after each application. Small paint
brushes should not be used in apply
ing the chlorox solution, as applying
the solution in this manner damages
the stamps"
The Third American Philatelc Con-
gresS will be held at the Hotel La
Sale, Chicago, Friday to Sunday, Oc-
tober 29-3l. Change of date was ar
ranged to avoid conflict with other
affairs scheduled for the closing
months of the year.
c. Robert Kay, stamp editor of the
Associated Press, discussing specula-
tion, says: 1T is possible to make
money in stamps, even as a collector
but it takes many months of close
study of stamp values, observation
of trade methods and a series OF
costly buying mistakes before a COL
lector can assure himself that he has
his hobby on a paying basis-that he
actually can receive more for his
stamps than he has paid for them.
Established dealers prefer to en-
phasize that a collector should not ex-
pect return of more than half the
money he spends for stamps. The
true lobbyist does not lay away
stocks of new postage stamp issues in
safety deposit boxes, expecting cash
profits in a few months or years. nor
does he conduct vest-pocket stamp
business on the side He collects only
for the joy of filling those irksome
blank spaces in those beautiful sets
he has neatly arranged on the pages
of his albums"
Alden H. Whitney, regional vice
president of the Society of Philatelic
Americans, has returned home from
a business trip to New Orleans. He
reports philately prospering in the
Crescent City.
According to the Hartford Courant.
no less than ST different stamps have
been issued in homage to Simon Boil
var, the George Washington of Latin
America
The Literary Digest for February 20
discusses the protests of South Caro-
lima and Georgia against the use of
Gen. William T. Sherman's portrait
in a stamp design, and then, with re-
gard to philately, says: Jim Faaley
has run into less opposition from legis-
lators than he has from 10000 900
stamp collectors and 10000 stamp
dealers. They aren't the least bit
backward about sassing the Post Office
Department, demanding more issues,
criticizing the people on the stamps
and even the clothes they wear.
Once, enthusiasts were so indig-
nant that the Postmaster General al
most faced a congressional investiga-
ton. That was in 1884, when he un-
Willingly decided ungummed, unper-
forated sheets of new stamp issues
would be ideal presents to his friends.
Collectors raved when President Roose-
velt, Secretary of the Interior Ickes'
relatives and others were found in
possession of such rarities. These
sheets are now valued at 100000
apiece.
But stamps are good investment
find ready buyers. So the Post Office
Department is going into the business
heavily these days. It's become almost
as fertile in postage as the Russians
and Germany during early inflationary
days Of the 20s. Last year 1885,
399,920 individual stamps were sold
for an income of s491 ,545, ,421.07. That
sum made a nice dent in the depart
ments 1886 expenditures of S753..
5l6,2l2. Even vogues such as chain
letters added $4,000 to the Golfers one
year. Therefore, argues Postmaste,
General Jim, the more stamps the bet.
ter. And collectors, dealers and Con.
gressmen applaud.
I'm session only seven weeks, Con.
gress already is jammed with bills fol
new postal recognition from all cor.
ners Of the country, as well as Puerto
Rico. And where party allegiance
falters, critics say, little stamp car
help turn political trick. Small
wonder, then, that Government skep.
tics now splutter: Keep politics out
of stampsI
Scene of the most frenzied activity
in these new stamps is the fourth
floor Of the Post Office Department
Building, where 40 persons sell thou.
sands of sheets at windows marked
'Philatelic Agency Others busily
answer phone calls and I'LL mail order,