Evening star., 1928-08-03

stop q minute ana bIlLk ABOUT Jils
fact: You can ask our information
bureau any question Of fact and get
the answer back in personal letter
It Is a great educational idea intro
duced into the lives Of the most intelli-
gent people in the world-American
newspaper readers. 1t is a part Of that
best purpose of a Wspaper-serVice
There Is no charge except 2 cents in
c or stamps for return postage Get
the habit of asking questions Address
your letter to The Evening Star Infor-
nation Bureau, Frederic j. Haskin,
director. Washington, d. C.
O. What is the greatest distance that
golf ball has been driven?-W. E. Fl.
A. A drive of 470 yards, made by
March 81, 1925, is the record distance
for golf drive.
@. What countries have benefited
the most by the building of the Panama
Canal?--A. j. l..
A. The increasing service of the
Panama Canal TO foreign trade is indi-
Gated by the increasing volume of cargo
passing through it since its opening
| The sources and destination of the cargo
| indicate that the trade regions TO which
| the canal is of most benefit are the
east coast Of the United States, the
west coast of South America, Europe
the west coast Of the United States, the
Far East and Australasia
@. What kind OF tracer bullets were
used by airplanes during the Worlc
War?--F w. M.
A. The Army Ordnance Department
says that practically all of the tracer
bullets employed during the World Wal
for aircraft and anti-aircraft work were
used in machine guns. In every shot
there were about four regular bullets
and one tracer. Every nation has de-
yeloped its own tracer ammunition.
@. What colors are used in the plait
Of the Campbell clan?-J. NJ. G.
y. Dark blue, green with yellow and
red bars, we're the colors used in the
Scottish plaids of the Campbell clan
There were different patterns, however
for the Clan Campbell OF Argyle
Breadalbane, CaWdor and LoudoWn.
O. How are safety matches made?-
r. F. r.
A. The composition Of the head OF
an ordinary match consists Of phos-
phorus and inter, or phosphorus, sui
phur and chlorate OF potash mixed with
melted gum or glue and colored with
vermilion, umber, SCOT or other colorlne
material The safety match differs
from the ordinary match in having the
phosphorus omitted from the compost
tion applied to the match stick, anc
combined instead with sand to form a
friction surface on the match box
where the matches, which usually have
chlorate of potash in their heads, are
rubbed in order to be lighted.
@. In measuring mileage from city
TO city what point Is taken?-O. F.
A. The American Automobile Asso-
citation SAYS that there is no one place
I'm each city used for measuring the
correct distance. Generally. whatever
point is considered the center of town
would be used. For instance. in small
towns a courthouse. in some large
cities, such as Washington. d. C., there
is a zero milestone. in New York City
Times Square or City Hall.
O. Do our diplomats receive the
same immunity abroad that we accord
foreign diplomats in this country?-M
l.. S.
A. United States representatives tC
foreign countries have the same privi-
leges as foreign diplomatic agents have
in the United States.
O. What is the derivation OF the
word "newS"?--L. r.
A. The word news" is from the
Middle English "newes," which is a
translation Of the French 'nouvelles,
which means news. The old etymology
that the word consisted Of the initial
letters OF the four directions of the
compassionate. east, west and south
is now regarded as absurd.
@. Does light weigh snything?-L
E r.
A. 1t has no weight. 1t is merely a
form of radiant energy, or vibration II
the ether.
@. What can be put on plaster OF
paris cast TO harden the Surface?-
F. w.
A. 1t may be painted with water
glass.
@. Can the Great Lakes be called
seas?-~D. F. F.
A. According TO a decision of the
Supreme Court. handed down in 1898
the Great Lakes have every character
istic of seas.
@. Have many policemen been killed
In Chicago?-J. A. c.
A. The Chicago Crime Commission
says: From 1919 to June 80, 1928, in