Evening star., 1954-08-22
PhiIuteHc News
PhiIoteIic News
ITO Million Too Few
For a Commemorative

~ ~ ~~uHu
By jones \
Collectors have raised q
question as to whether the
Post Office Department is linn
tting the editions of commem-
oratives unwisely. The usual
number of such stamps man
ufactured is 11O million. but
It Is suggested that this figure,
tracing back to the days when
James A. Farley was Postmas-
ter General, Is not large
enough. Granted that speci-
mems of relatively recent spe-
cial issues remain available
at the Philatelic Agency, it
still is a problem to obtain
them at post Offices through
out the country. The Scent
Gadsden Purchase label Is
hard to find in the Southwest,
where logically it would be
supposed to be common. Part
of the explanation may be
that postmasters, traditionally
unfriendly to commemora-
tives, refrain from ordering
them, thus arbitrarily cutting
the number circulated in their
respective areas.
But it would seem a matter
Of desirable policy for the
Post Office Department to
place commemorative con-
structively without regard to
the prejudices of local officials.
Special issues are produced for
national purposes and ought
not to be sabotaged on any ac-
count. To Offset such attitudes
and activities, Postmaster Gen.
eral Summerf1eld well might
consider doubling the usual
number of commemoratives
printed. 1t is obvious that
110 million copies Of q given
stamp is a very small edition
for a country Of approximately
160 million people, at least 20
million of whom are collec-
tors. Limiting 1854 production
to 1884 demand simply plays
into the hands of professional
spectators interested solely in
their own profit.
The Scent George Eastman
stamp-a beautiful work of the
engraver's arts IN trouble
because of poor centering. Po-
sition block collectors are find
ing it almost impossible to
obtain perfect specimens. Why
this should be is something
of a mystery, but inquiries are
being initiated.
A maddening example Of
post Office inefficiency Is the
stripping of commemorative
stamps used to frank invita-
tions to attend the American
Air Mail Society convention
luncheon at the Bellevue STRAIT
ford Hotel, Philadelphia, Sep
tember 3. These cards were
mailed at Conneaut, Ohio, Au-
gust 18. They were put through
a canceling machine improp-
erly adjusted, with the result
that the lower right edge of
every stamp was torn away,
the covers thus being runined.
What might have been nice
items in hundreds of collec-
tions were destroyed by care
lessness of a type entirely too
common in many post Offices,
not at Conneaut alone by any
means.
The Scent bicolored Statue
OF Liberty stamp is not avail
able in the average post Office.
Inquiries at the Ben Franklin
Station here. for example, are
answered: You can get them
in the Philatelic Agency. We
don't have them" OF course,
1t follows that the patriotic
intent of the Government in
producing this issue is being
defeated.
When the long-delayed Gen.
John j. Pershing stamp finally
Is issued, one post Office stipu-
lated for first-day sale should
be San Francisco, where a
noble monument to his mem
ory has been raised near the
Presidio-the scene of the
great tragedy of his life.
Specialists in the stamps of
Korea are notified that an ex-
cellent portrait of President
Syngman Rhee appears on
the cover of Korean Survey
magazine for August-Septem-
ber. Copies may be secured at
1928 Jefferson place NV.
A new basket cart for mail
carriers has been designed by
a carrier in Detroit. 1t is built
of rolled steel and mounted on
14-inch ball bearing wheels
with puncture proof tires. The
basket is As inches high and
26 inches wide.
The new branch post Office
In the main building of the
Library of Congress, opened
July 26, may lead to similar
branches being established in
other cultural agencies and in
stitutions. It also Is possible
that additional secondary pos
tai stations may be opened at
strategic airways. railways and
bus terminals.
Modern nursing is cele-
brating its centennial this year
STAMPS.