The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-07
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

years of age. in Italy for the past seven
years. who was born here OF Italian
parents, wish his return. From his let
ter II appears that the italian Govern
is trying to restrain him from re-
turning to his native land, as they wish
to hold him for the army. His folks
poor and cannot attempt legal pro-
ceedlngs. | would be pleased IL you
would advise me to whom I might ad-
dress n letter to get the necessary
papers that ne may be allowed to re-
turn. G. KEEGAN.
The status OF the young man Is set
forth thus by the State Department
Under the provision Of the Fourteenth
Amendment to the Constitution. all per-
sons born in the United States and sub
ject to the Jurisdiction thereof are citi.
zens of the United States. \ person
born in this country of Italian parents.
sidered an Italian subject. under the law
OF Italy, and the Department, therefore,
Is not In a position to assure such per-
sons that they will not he impressed
into the Italian army II they voluntarily
place themselves within Italian jur sdic-
ton
Among some veterans and myself,
also a veteran. there exists "A difference
OF opinion as TO the actual scope of May
30. or as II Is better known, Decoration
Day. | maintain that the United States
Government never officially extended
said day to the decorating OF the graves
OF all dead OF all wars and that merely
through general sentiment and desire of
the people at large invitation was
made and promptly accepted by the
veterans OF the Confederacy TO Join on
that day and mutually. by both sides
to that great question. decorate the
graves of the Federal and Confederate
dead. but that 4 has never been ex-
tended officially TO cover the lead of the
late wars with Spain, china and the
Philippines, though the United Spanish
War Veterans may designate tina day
to decorate the graves of their dead.
T.. e.. p.
Decoration Day. or. rather. Memorial
Day. was instituted by popular senti-
'rent. which has extended its observance
to include the dead OF all wars. Omcial
character IL given 10 il BY laws passed
by Congress and State Legislatures
making 1t a legal holiday in all Terri
tories and states excep: these States
OF the Confederacy: Arkansas. Florida.
Georgia. Louisiana. Mississippi, North
Carolina. South Carolina and Texas.
h following statement appears in 4
pro-German pamphlet In Germany
hardly a fraction OF | per cent. Is found
while in Belgium nearly hal.
the population can neither read nor
write" What are the facts
II Il. GoErscHius.
In Belgium The census OF 1910 re-
ported that 1871 per cent. OF the popula-
ton excluding children less than s.
could not read or write in 1918. ga
per cent. OF the Young men called out
for military service were illiterate. In
Germany IN 1912 the proportion OF IL
llterates among the recruits was a
fraction OF | per cent.
Can some one among THE suns read
ers inform me where the lines. of wi lch
I give from memory. probably incor-
rectly. two s~tanzas. can be found?
Times were hard In frishtown.
Everything was going down
And Pat Malone WAS pushed for ready
lash
Insurance o. spent
Every shilling 20 a cent
And generally things had gone TO
smash.
Then his wife spoke up and said.
Now. dear Pat. II YOU were dead
This twenty thousand dollars We could
take.
So Pat lay down and tried
To make out he had died.
TIL he smelled the whiskey served up
at the wake.
The denouement comes on the way 10
the cemetery. where the corpse and the
driver OF the hearse come TO blows.
SESEx.
Your correspondent J. Herbert McEl-
ray will And answers 10 his queries in
relation to the Harlem landmarks IL he
will consult the Manual OF the Common
Council OF New York in the New York
Or Brooklyn Public Libraries. In the vol
ume for 1886 he will II pictures OF all
the forts he mentions except Fort
George and Fort Halght. In the 1861
volume Is a view OF Manhattanville
from Fort Halght. The 1853 volume
has a map showing the location OF all
the ~blockhouses. In the 1864 volume Is
an article-a very interesting one-by
one OF the city's old surveyors. describ-
ing the localities az they were IN 1907.
and in the 1865 volume is a map illus
trating the Battle OF Harlem, on which
Fort Haight is designated by name. II
stood on the south side OF ia5th street.
east OF Claremont avenue, about fifty
feet above the present street level. The
hill Uaq razR1 ahNilf fyNantN wars NON
when the fiat houses now on the site
were erected. W. I. J..
7 have a view OF New York city
drawn in 1872 and IA plan of the city
as IL was in 1913 what Is their value?
AuG. WisrNER.
II original copies, not reproductions.
OF ensravirgs printed at the dates given.
they should have value IL in GOOD con-
dition but the description is too in
definite. 1t should include all the let
tering and the dimensions OF the en-
graved space.
One hundred years ago and less Long
Island. y. Y, was known az the Island
Of Nassau. | am Informed that Long
Island is a m%isnomer, that the legal
name Is Nassau, no legislation having
ever changed it. Is this true?
Curious.
The Dutch called it I.ange Eylandt,
the Colonial Legislature changed the
name TO Island OF Nassau and popular
custom overruled the Legislature and
established the name Long Island.