WAR AND PHILATELY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 72, 25 March 1915, Page 7

WAR AND PHILATELY.

THE PROVISION \L ISSUES Naturally, a war like the present one, which reaches from tlie far east to Suez, the Baltic Sea and the Islands of the South Pacific, has resulted in the making of a number of new provisional issues of postage stamps. For instance, German Samoan. and New Guinea stamps have been overprinted "G.R.," and the Marshall Islands were overprinted by the Japanese after the occupation of that groiv2. The " Australian Stamp Journal " of March 10th. contains some interesting information regarding this matter

Stamp Collecting" writes as follows:—

" The lower values of the Germania type have been overprinted "Schweiz" (Switzerland) in the same type as ' Belgien.' We hear that stocks of the lower values are lyinjr in Berlin overprinted "England.' 'Frankrich,' 'Russland,' but 6 o far we have received no confirmation of the report that another 6cries is overprinted "Die Welt'(The World).

According to the " Postage Stamp" and " Stamp Colleetinjr."' certain German dealens have been sending out to collectors in neutral countries scurrilous pamphlets (so says the "Postage Stamp") and venomous circulars (writes the editor of "Stamp Collecting"'). These are enclosed with other printed matter, the object being to defame the British. The editor of the journal comments: —

"While we do not altogether approve of the scathing manner in which the editor of the ' Postage Stamp ' lias dealt with this subject, we think that the practice of th c German dealers cannot be too strongly condemned. Have things reached such a stage that German stamp dealers must actively participate in the warlike procedure of their country? We think it would be far better that no attempt should be made to refute the statements made in the pamphlets referred to, and that those who indulge in such displays of spleen should be left to realise later on that, instead of helping their cause they only estrange former friendshipe."