Stamp Stories

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

Stamp Stories

No country realises the propaganda value of postage stamps more than Italy, apd the Government Printing Works at Rome regularly turn out new issues either for Italy itself or for one or other of the colonies. Though many people are of the opinion that the Italian authorities are overdoing the number of stamp issues, it must be admitted that they are at least picturesque. There is the further advantage that generally the designs are attractive and the subjects are not only interesting, but a study of them should prove useful in enlarging our knowledge. For the young High

School boy or girl who has to wadp through Roman history, many of the Italian stamps lead to a better understanding of the people and of the events encountered there. But modern .history is not being neglected. After the conquest of Abyssinia, Mussolini is undertaking the consolidation of the Italian Empire both in North Africa and in East Africa. In the East the older' colonies of Eritrea on the Red Sea and of Italian Somaliland to the south and facing the Indian ocean, have been joined to Abyssinia to form one territory under the title of Italian East Africa. With the avowed object of impressing the natives and of showing other nations that Italy has won a real place in Africa, various commemorative groups, together, with a long pictorial issue, have been placed on sale.

The designs of the regular issue are most •attractive, and one at least Is of particular interest because of the shrewd way in which Mussolini has at last managed to get his portrait into’the design 01-a postage stamp. • It has always been recognised that in countries ruled by a King, no living person, other than a. mem?

ITALIAN EAST AFRICA

(By R. J. G. Collins)

her of the Royal Family itself should be portrayed on the coins or on the postage stamps. So far as Italy is concerned the result of this has been that only King Victor Emmanuel and the Crown Prince Humbert and Princess Marie Jose have, among living people, been honoured on the various issues.

In the new set of stamps for East Africa King Emmanuel's portrait has been used for several values of the ordinary postage stamps. In the air mall issue, however, one of the designs shows a mountain scene with a desert in the foreground and with a huge stone monument occupying the left side of the stamp. Now this monument was intended to commemorate the exploits of Mussolini, and it was In the form of the head of the leader of the Fascists, so in a round-about way his portrait is clearly depicted.

Another interesting design in this same set offers a challenge to Great Britain as it depicts a symbolical figure intended to represent the Italian conquest of the source of the river Nile, The ancient Lion of Judah, the symbol of the previous rulers of •Abyssinia, has again been introduced into the design of a stamp for use in that country, but so that there should be no misunderstanding. the Italian eagle is shown attaching the lion. Additions to the stamp zoo Te provided' by ‘ the inclusion in the set of the graceful head of an • African gazelle and of the falcon, (he bird of prey which the Abyssinians used for hunting, in much the same wav as the kings and barons of the Middle - Ages were accustomed tq do. . Improvement in the means _of communication by the construction of main highways is represented

by a view of one of the- new concrete . arterial roads which the Italians are laying down in East Africa and the introduction of modernised methods of agriculture i$ symbolised by the large drawing of a plough with a native hut in the background. There is little doubt that this, set will impress the natives, while at the same time it will add colour to the pages of stamp albums. • -