Evening star., 1953-05-24
PhioteHc News

bishop of New York and
famous philatelist, has come
out strongly for. the inclusion
of the motto In God We
Trust" in the designs of
stamps.
The views of His Eminence
are set forth in a letter to
The Star from Sister M.
Fidelma, curator of his collec-
ton. explaining that as early
as September, 1850, he said:
IF now, in this dread hour of
tragedy. we were to engrave
the motto In God We Trust
in our hearts. place it on our
lips and send 1t across the
ether waves of the air as the
true Voice of America: if we
were to emblazon it on every
postage stamp which leaves our
press, what faith it would
engender, what hope it would
revive! In the Saviour of the
world is our salvation! In
God is Americas hope! In
Him do we trust!"
Again in March. 1851, Cardi-
nal Spellman. addressing lis
teners to a program of the
Canadian Broadcasting Com
pany's Stamp Club of the
Air" declared: I'VE as stamp
collectors can contribute to the
ideals that have made our
countries great and free, the
ideals of government of free
peoples obedient to the laws
of God. We can, in our hum
BILE way, advocate the issuance
Of stamps which will affirm
our belief in God. Such
stamps will serve as emissaries
of truth penetrating iron cur
tains and bamboo curtains,
surmounting dikes of igno-
rance and dikes of malice. They
will bring messages of hope
to the oppressed and let them
know that God still rules and
is loyalty worshipped in both
Of our countries. Through
these tiny messengers we can
reaffirm our faith, our hope
and our charity and proclaim
to the Slave-world that we in
the free-World, inspired by the
message of the Risen Christ,
are united in brotherhood un-
der the Fatherhood of God"
The cardinal, Sister M. FL
delma writes, "haS followed
the present discussion with in
terest and is confident
that our Government will work
out a feasible plan and issue
stamps worthy to carry a mes
sage of hope to the peoples
of the world"
Meanwhile, it has become
known that Post Office De-
partment officers are giving
serious consideration to a pro-
posal to issue at least one
really beautiful and entirely
reverent stamp bearing the
motto for use on overseas mail.
1t also is generally understood
that special slogan cancella-
ton dies inscribed I'm God
We Trust" may be made avail
able to cities and towns want
ing them.
Collectors who wish to COM
municate with Sister M. FL
delma may address her in care
of Regis College, Weston SO,
Mass.
DR.. George L. Fite has been
chosen president of the Wash
ington Philatelic Society for
1953-1954. Serving with him
will be Major James T. De-
Voss, first vice president; Rob-
ert A. Peck, second vice presi-
dent; Samuel M. Burgess II.
secretary: Charles H.
Vaughan. treasurer: Edward
S. Conger. DR.. Griffin G. Fra
zier, Joseph A. Herbert. jr..
and Svend Yort, members of
the Board of Governors. The
club will have as speaker at
it's meeting at the Arts Club.
2107 I street NV, Wednesday
evening at 8. veteran member
Col. Spencer Cosby. He will
exhibit and describe his prize
collection of Cape of Good
Hope triangIes. Public invited.
The Collectors Club of
Washington meets at 419 Sew
anth street, NV, on first and
third Wednesday evenings at :
o'clock. Visitors always well
come. II
The Associated Press says: i
India has made a substantial
profit from the sale of special
stamps. Ac-
.ording to Deputy Communi-
;ations Minister Raj Bahadur.
he government produced be-
ween August l949 and March
.953 a total Of 3,021 billion