Evening star., 1944-07-30
Clamps
By James Waldo Faucet.

ASS*OAS SAu0 OuA1Ceiil 1OI Ouly 70 LILO
effect that there was no "ofIicial
investigation" Of the irregular re-
prints Of Philippine stamps should
:4ot be permitted to stand uncon-
tradicted. The investigation was
made at the direction of Secretary
Of the Interior Harold L. Ickes in
line with his duty in relation to
insular affairs. It WAS conducted
by James H. Bremen and z. Quin-
tus Lobeck, working under tho
guidance Of Virgil p. Wallace, super
vising field representative. After
several weeks of careful inquiry, the
Investigators reported to Mr.. Ickes.
Then followed correspondence be-
tween the Secretary of the Interior
and j. M. Elizalde, resident commits
sioner OF the Philippines, terminate
ing In an announcement by the
latter that the objectionable stickers
no longer would be offered for sale
at the Philippine Philatelic Agency.
Published in The Star on May %,
the commissioners commitment was
the direct result of the inquiry or
dered by Mr.. Ickes and represented,
a complete vindication of the
complaints registered by collectors
against a racket" which has been
estimated to have cost the philatelic
public approximately $4,000.
The Washington Philatelic So
ciety has written Postmaster Gen.
eral Frank c. Walker in behalf of
the proposed commemorative for
the 50th anniversary of the postage
stamp division of the Bureau of En-.
craving and Printing. A letter
signed by Mrs. Grace Lowering Mac
Knight as secretary of the organ
ization, says: "The bureau, espe-
cially of recent years, has rendered
such exceptional and outstanding
service that it would seem fitting to
give it appropriate postal recogni-
ton"
Hensley C. Woodbridge, 3116 Sec.
ono road North, Arlington, Va, de-
tends the de Gaulle COMMITTEES al
follows: The Free French have
issued stamps for use in the French
empire ever since the beginning of
the movement in June, 1910. This.
1t seems to me, was the natural
thing to do, for in regions like
French Equatorial Africa, ths
French islands of the Pacific and
the French Indian possessions. the
de Gaullist regime was recognized
both by the people concerned and
by our own Government as the
government of those regions. 1t has
been the policy of our own Govern
ment to recognize the French
committee headed by de Gaulle as
the legal authority in territory that
recognized de Gaullist leadership.
Thus, the de Gaulhsts issued quite
legitimate stamps for the islands
OF st. Pierre and Miquelon. while
Martinique was still using the issues
approved by the Vichy government.
Likewise, in many of the de Gaul-
list French African territories, the
stamps OF the Third Republic were
overprinted or surcharged with
French Libre' or France Com
battante,' while until November.
1942, French North Africa and West
Africa continued to use the issues
of Vichy.
AS stamp collectors. it would
seem fitting for us to collect and
save all issues that have been used
for postal purposes regardless of
the political association of the gov
ernment that issued them. Certain
ly. the de Gaullist issues, for the
most part, have been used for
postal purposes just as much as
those of many other governments.
The debate now is open to all
readers of The Star stamp column.
Those who disagree with Mr.. Wood
bridge are invited to speak I'D, and
those who are in harmony with his
views likewise will be welcome to
space.
Mint stamps of the Dominican
Republic soon will be again on sale
at the Office of the Philatelic Section
OF the Pan American Union.
Lloyd Swift, IL, a native of San
Francisco who became interested in
stamps in Denver and currently COL
lects with zeal in the neighborhood
of 323 North Oxford street, Arling-
ton, Va, Is the author of spirited
story printed in the Henry Clay
Iwitter for May-June, now being
circulated. His dad is chief of the
Wild Life Management Division of
the United States Forest Service.
and his nom buys philatelic BIRTH
day presents for him at Uyeno's in
Washington. He was in &C when
he wrote his account of Battle
of the Stamps" but he now Ia in
IA. Two friends in the same street
share his hobby. Lloyd gives their
names as Donald and Louis Chill
ders and explains that there also
is boy nearby who, in spite of
having inherited" his sisters COL
lection, is less actively interested
than wnen he was younger.
The participants in the battle
by the way, are the animals pic.
tured on the stamps of Liberia. in.
cluding real vicious" camel and a
hippopotamus with mouth wide
open."
Expenditures for postal adhesives
privately manufactured for the Post
Office Department totaled s1,610-
629.40 between 1884 and 1898, ac-
cording to year by year figures al
follows: 1884. $135, ,974.47; 1885, $751;
753.47: 1885, $114,969 90; 1887: s11e.-
700; 1888, $32,4l1; 1889. $3.50 ,062 II:
1880, $l55,874; 1891, $4,000; 1892
1872, 1882; 1893, $3l2,ll0.e3.
The Collectors Club of Washing
ton will meet at the Thomson
School. Twelfth and L streets NV.
Tuesday evening at 8. Program, ex.
hibition and bourse.