April-December 1977, Vol. 3, No.s 2-4 - International Philippine ...

CENSOR SEALS:
I have personally seen three types of censor seals on March 4, 1942 covers, namely: (1) The Black
Inscribed censor seals with border lines; (2) the red inscribed censor seals with border lines; and (3) the red
inscribed censor seals without border lines.
The existence of the red censor seals is open to doubt as to its actual usage on March 4, 1942. Most
of the old conectors who witnessed the activities on March 4, 1942 at the Post Office, claim that onlf the
Black Censor Seal was in use. It wiD be quite a challenge to disprove this contention. but C08!1 be done so
if a cover with a red censor seal tied to the envelope by the rubber handstamp ceMOt mark is found. I have
personally seen covers with the Red Censor Seals but not tied to the eJlvelor as discussed above, throwini
doubts as to the autenticity of the usage of the red censor seals on March • 1942. H~ver. some covers
whose rubber stamped censor marks were initialed by the Inspector. also bear the same initials on the red
censor seals. The practicality of using the red censor seal can be justified, since envelopes may be opened
horizontally or vertically, depending upon the Inspector.
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