Evening star., 1946-02-17
stamps
By James Waldo FaaOcen

The record of the hearings on
the Post Office appropriation bill
for the fiscal year 1947 has been
published, and it throws consider
able light on the importance Of
the worlds favorite hobby to the
Government.
For instance, it is reported that
on December 7 last Third Assistant
Postmaster General Joseph J. Law
Ter, replying to a question concern
ing request for permission to add
nine persons to the staff of the
Stamp Division, testified that the
increase was regarded as necessary
because of an overwhelming, un-
precedented increase in philatelic
activities" Business, he said, "has
more than doubled since the early
part Of last year" One result Of
the development was that: 1--WE are
now SO days behind-maybe a little
more this week-in filing mail
orders received in the Philatelic
Agency.
Mr.. Lawler continued: "We had
heretofore 38 employees and now
use so employees" in the agency.
"and still have not been able to keep
current. In addition to that, we
have taken every variety of stamp
from the philatelic lists except COM
memorative issues. The work
we have suspended temporarily is
equivalent to the production of
eight or nine clerks, and there has
not been any letup; the work is
increasing"
Another witness before the COM
mlttee was John F. Garland, direc-
tor Of budget and administrative
planning, who declared: "As to
philacely, they claim that there are
Il, ,0OO.0 600 people in the United States
interested in it. There is hardly any
man who comes into my Office on
any business who does not sooner or
later begin to talk about it. Philate-
lists are never quite satisfied; they
are artists, connoiSseurs and collec-
tors. The amount of correspondence
In connection with philately is very
heavy. " = The Bureau of the Third
Assistant can use prohtably every
position requested"
Commissioner of the Budget A. B.
Strom, following Mr.. Garland on
the stand, disclosed that the sale of
stamps and stamped paper in 1945
had been estimated at 5000 1893 1888,
but actually had reached s953,769.-
7f9. The next witness, John A.
Brennan, special administrative aide
to the Third Assistant Postmaster
General, gave S925.52076 as the
budget estimate for the manufacture
and distribution Of stamps and
stamped paper in 1914 and 1928 ,884.02
as the provision for the same pur-
poses in 1945. He said that stamps
and stamped paper in 1916 had in
Volved an appropriation of s828,-
95b.60, but that the estimate for 1947
had been figured at S932, 2,49724. The
cost per thousand ordinary stamps.
it seems, rose from 057 cent in 1914
to .0652 today"
Still more notably interesting,
however was Mr.. Brennan's dis
closure that, whereas $97 ,2057 70 had
been provided for the manufacture
and distribution of commemorative
stamps in the fiscal year 1914, only
s25 900 was appropriated for 1916
and only S50,0o0 requested for 1e47.
Mr.. Brennan's testimony likewise
brought out the fact that S346.83 was
wanted to pay for an edition of only
715,700 fatbed special delivery
stamps at .4846 per thousand during
lS47. OF comparable rarity would
be an edition of only 3,153,80O special
handling stamps at .4585 per thou
sand, or s1,446.02 for the estimated
lot. A fair inference is that it is at
least eight times as wise an invest
ment to collect fatbed special deliv-
cry and special handling stamps as
it is to collect the general run of
ordinary postal issues.
When Robert E. Fellers, superin-
tendent Of stamps, was called, he
was asked about the additional cost
incident to the issuance" of COM
memoratives, and replied: THE
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
gives us price on the quantity per
thousand and on commemorative
stamps it amounts to about Is cents
thousand"
The amount of business done bv
the Philatelic Agency, Mr.. Fellers
told the committee. rose from s3O2.-
619.54 in 1888 to S2,489, ,4O6. so in 1945.
Elghty-five per cent of the total
receipts, he suggested, lis clear
profit to the Government.
Ir0mmnntinO
representative Louis L. Ludlow of
Indiana remarked: q think Mr..
Garland was eminently correct
when he indicated that the country
Is becoming philately minded"
Mrs. Edward B. Martin, assistant
to the philatelic consultant at the
Library of Congress, desires to add
to her collection of stamp literature
IN study room 201 of the Library
Annex any and all numismatic
periodicals which friends would care
to donate for that purpose. Mean
while, she is continuing her work
on the national philatelic census and
reports the registration of spnroxi-
mately $4,000 names.
A stamp club has been organized
oy students at the Oxon Hill Junior
High School, and volunteer advisers
and counselors are wanted. Senior
collectors who are willing to helm
VIII please get in touch with William
s. Schmidt, principal 1925 Iiv-
ngston road, Washington 20, D. C.
Add to the list of naval officers
who collect stamps, the name of Lit.
Comdr. Robert L. Sage, 2431 E street
NV.
STAMPS AND COINS.