B

ROADCASTING of a series of lectures on postage stamp collecting has been begun by the well known E. B. Power at a number of the radio stations, and responses received from the public at one of these stations-WJZ in New York-indicates that philately is a live topic of popular interest.

Mr. Powers' first talk was given several months ago, and at WJZ more than 1,100 letters came from persons who had listened in! This is said to be the largest number of responses ever received regarding any one lecture except when, on one occasion, 5,000 replies came in after a talk on radio hook-up.

That first talk by Mr. Power obviously won so much popularity that he arranged to broadcast a series of twenty lectures on the subject throughout 1924 and extending into 1925. The first of this series was sent out from the WJZ station on February 5, and in it Mr. Power offered to give away twenty-five postage stamps and a small album.

In the following morning's mail several hundred letters accepting Mr. Power's offer reached WJZ from points in New York and New England. In subsequent mails came thousands of letters from various sections of the country.

All these letters were not from children. Indeed, a majority came from adults— from parents, grandparents and other relatives. Some wanted the stamps for their children. The letters of others stated that the lecture had rekindled the philatelic flame and that the senders had decided, because of Mr. Power's lecture, to renew their devotion to the hobby.

This situation is not exaggerated. "I formerly collected, and your talk has inspired me with the idea of starting again," the expression contained in one letter, is representative of sentiments expressed by literally scores of the writers. Banks, secretaries, United States Army officers, real estate dealers, lumber producers, jewerers, trade magazine editors, interior decor

ators, plate glass and quilt manufacturers -a quick running through of the various letter heads indicated the wide diversity of professions of persons who wrote to Mr. Power.

The stations at which Mr. Power will talk in the future include WJZ in New York, WRC in Washington, KYW in Chicago, WBZ in Springfield, Mass., KDKA in Pittsburgh, and stations in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Buffalo and other cities.

No definite schedule of dates and stations has yet been arranged, but philatelists who are radio fans can probably obtain information by keeping in touch by letter with the various stations.

Write to the stations with which your. sets are in touch and ask when the lectures by Mr. Power are to be broadcast. The talks are prepared from the historical and informative viewpoints, and even the old timers in philately will learn things of interest regarding the hobby-for letters received by the WJZ station included words of appreciation from veteran collectors.

All this is going to help boom philately unquestionably. Many persons formerly interested are going to take up this "indoor sport" once more. Dads are going to learn why the hobby is worth while for their children to pursue and hundreds of new collections will undoubtedly be begun. The more collectors, the smaller the average supply of stamps; and the smaller the average supply, the sooner will various stamps increase in value because the greater will be the average demand.

Children as young as eight years old wrote enthusiastic letters to WJZ. One 11year-old boy mailed his words of praise a few minutes after the February 5th talk had been concluded and told Mr. Power that "I hope to continue collecting until I am at least 100." He ought to have quite a collection by the year 2013!

I

1923 1,579 812 267

Totals 11,833 6,683

676218 29

11 | 26 | 0 73 168 374 92

N the November, 1923, Journal there was published in this department a comparative table showing stamps issued from 1919 up to and including the October, 1923, Journal. In that table the number of varieties given for 1923 was given as 762.

One of our British contemporaries took exception to that 1923 figure and stated that some 1,400 or 1,500 varieties were known to have been distributed.

con

In making that "correction" our temporary failed to make mention of a vital reservation which the Journal published as part of the text accompanying the table in the November issue-namely that the figure given, 762 for the year, included only those stamps which Mr. John N. Luff, official chronicler for Scott's, had listed in the Journal up to and including the October, 1923, issue. In other words, Mr. Luff does not chronicle everything which various European journals accept into philately. He makes inquiry first— examines the stamps themselves-uses his own good judgment, based on years of experience in this kind of work, as to whether printed adhesives are stamps or merely "stamps."

The text in the November Journal said also:

"It is too early yet, of course, to know what 1923's harvest will be."

Mr. Luff has continued his chronicling of 1923's stamps through the November and December, 1923, and the January and February, 1924, Journals and these new listings have added more than 800 varieties to the 1923 philatelic harvest.

Thus in the revised table, published herewith, the total number of stamps chronicled by Mr. Luff up to and including the February, 1923, issue of the Journal is 1,579-somewhat in excess of the total suggested by our British contemporary which took exception to our figures in the November Journal.

A glance through the "Chronicle of New Issues" in the current March issue of the Journal will show scores of more varieties for 1923 listed, and others will be mentioned during the coming months. It is not probable, however, that 1923's total as finally summed up will exceed, in number of varieties, the present total for 1922— 2,019 as shown in the accompanying table.

In this table two features are perhaps striking ones.

First, more than one-half of the total varieties thus far chronicled for 1923 are surcharged stamps, as compared with a considerably smaller percentage of overprinted adhesives in 1922.

Second, more than one-sixth of all the 1923 varieties thus far chronicled are commemoratives! This is the largest per centage of commemoratives in one year in a long time--while figures are not available at the moment, it is probable that a larger percentage of commemoratives appeared in 1923 than in any previous year of philately's history.

In considering the accompanying table it should be explained again that there are instances where the same stamps are listed under various columns. A certain stamp may appear in the "Total Varieties" col

umn, in the "Surcharges" column, in the "Occupation" column and in the "Postage Due" column.

Of the 1,579 varieties thus far chronicled for 1923, the United States is accountable for 179 varieties, not including those issued in the Philippines.

Future Issues

A WRITER in the London Times,

after reviewing the more notable stamps which appeared in 1923, makes some predictions as to the coming months. We read:

"Rhodesia is about to be supplied with new postage stamps, printed for the first time on Government watermarked paper.

"A pictorial series for the Union of South Africa may be expected, as well as a definite issue for Trans-Jordania showing the ruins of Saladin's Palace at Meshatta.

"One of the most notable stamp issues now, in course of preparation is that authorized by the French Government in connection with the forthcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

"Souvenir stamps in honor of the jubilee of the Universal Postal Union are to be issued by the Swedish Post Office when the eighth convention assembles in Stockholm this year.

"Twin portraits of King Leopold I and King Albert will figure upon some Belgian postage stamps to be issued in May on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the adhesive postage stamp into Belgium.

"Algeria is destined to join the ranks of the stamp-issuing countries of the world in the near future.

"Other interesting new issues of postage stamps heralded for 1924 hail from Danzig, Czecho-Slovakia, Italy, Greece, Japan, Palestine, Brunei, Paraguay, Dahomey, Cameroons, Nauru and the Spanish colonies in West Africa."

The Times story says that "the United States is said to be contemplating a stamp issue commemorative of the exploits of the American Army in the Great War"--which may or may not be news to our Postmaster General.

Regarding the awarding of Britain's stamp-making contract to another firm of printers, as mentioned in the February issue of the Journal, the Times story says:

"It is probable that the long-contemplated change in the color of certain duties may be given effect under the new contract, and it is understood that some modification of the existing form of watermark is also under consideration." Trans-Desert Mail

THE

HE inauguration of a trans-desert mail service between Palestine and Iraq, as announced in official advices received from Jerusalem by the Department of Commerce at Washington, is of interest to collectors for the reason that-to quote the Department's statement:

"In addition to the usual postage at foreign rates, a special fee of 13 milliemes ($0.057, at current rate of exchange) for each 20 grams or fraction thereof must be prepaid by postage stamp. If this fee is not prepaid the mail will be forwarded by the usual sea route."

The trans-desert route has been established by the Government of Iraq and runs from Haifa to Bagdad by way of Damascus, Rutba Well and Ramadieh. Mail leaving Haifa by motor truck at 10 A. M. each Thursday reaches BagThe dad two and a half days later. motor mail service saves so much time that letters leaving Bagdad by way of the trans-desert service to Haifa, thence by train to Port Said, and thence by steamship, reach London nine days after leaving Bagdad.

Palestine already has an 13m stamp. What is Iraq's equivalent? Will a newvalue Iraq adhesive be necessary?

Packet No. 61

COTT'S stamp packet No. 61 is alleged to contain 1,000 mixed foreign. Edwin H. Bryan, a customer in Honolulu, Hawaii, recently decided to "take a chance" on one of these packets and sent "two bits" for one, notwithstanding that he possesses "a fairly large general collection." Mr. Bryan made an analysis of the contents, and writes as follows: