The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-03-14
WHO CARES WHO GOES ON WHAT
STAMP?
By BRUCE CATION

Aw, come on, boys, haven't you got
more important things to haggle about
than who goes on what postage stamp?
There are plenty other mighty fine issues,
all tried and true, that you can concern
yourself with. There is unemployment,
for example, or the deficit, or the war
scare.
And you, Mr.. Bruce Barton, when you
went down to Washington as representa-
tive from New York a lot of people
thought you would head up a vigorous and
well-intentioned minority group, some
thing that hadn't been much in evidence
since 1888. And you gave signs of doing
just that. That's why disappointment was
the general reaction to your present accus-
alton that Postmaster General Farley re-
vised postage stamp designs merely as
scheme to make sure that all Republicans
are forgotten"
You said further: ''The good spots are
Democratic. Three cents, Jefferson; 8
cents, Jackson. Mr.. Farley is their cam
paign manager as well as the Presidents.
He is going to make sure that their men,
cries are kept green"
Now this is no case for Mr. Farley, whose
right hand as chairman of the Democratic
National Committee undoubtedly had
some idea of what his left hand as post
master general was doing to the nations
stamp designs. Mr.. Farley honored all the
deceased Presidents in order-eXcept that
he put Ben Franklin, founder of the post
office system, on the 12-eent stamp and
Martha Washington on the 12-center.
This revision took George Washington,
who probably would be considered Re-
publican today, off both the 2-cent and g.
cent stamps. Thomas Jefferson was plac-
ed on the 3-center, and John Adams, whose
political beliefs were the same as Wash
ington's on the 2-center. Washington was
relegated to the 1-eent division. Lincoln
moved up to the 15-cent.
Representative Barton seems seriously
concerned over the fate of Calvin Coolidge.
Coolidge, whom Mr.. Barton establishes as
the prophet and symbol of thrift and
economy" heads up the So stamps. In all
fairness it should be pointed out that this
will be the frs time Coolidge has ever APP
peaFed on any stamp. And there is the
further consideration that some people
would consider it an honor for their like
ness. to decorate the most expensive stamp
issue by the United States government. AS
one stamp collector said of the revision,
1T certainly puts some of the Republicans
in q more exclusive position
So it is just barely possible that politics
was the farthest thing from Mr. Farleys
mind when he decided to rejigger the
stamp setup. And there seems to be a
good chance that, even if the postmaster
general did have ulterior motives, such
dastardly purpose may not be accomplish
ed. For many people honor greatly the
sum of IS, even if it's represented by a
postage stamp.
And finally, what difference does the
whole business make? Suppose one Demo-
cratic Presidents face is seen little often
err than that of famous Republican Pres
ident
After all, what do people do with post
age stamps? First Neutrality-suspicious.
on them. Then they place them on an en-
Vel9pe and hit them just as hard as they
can with the bottom of their fist.