Evening star., 1928-05-11

The answers to questions printed
here each day are specimens picked
from the mass of inquiries handled hy
our great information bureau main
tanned In Washington. ID. G. This VAL
liable service Is for the free use of the
public. Ask any question Of fact you
may want to know and you will get
an immediate reply. Write plainly. in
close cents In stamps for return post
age. and address the Evening Star In
formation Bureau. Frederic J. Haskin,
Director. Washington. d. c.
O. Who are the highest salaried OF
all newspaper men?--M. N.
A. Writing In Mirrors Of the Year
Uo27-2s), Robert Sherwood says: Ger
tainly the comic artists are the highest
salaried of all newspaper men-the
highest by many hundreds OF thousands
of dollars -
@. Are textile workers classed ss
skilled or unskilled labor?-S. A. w.
A. They are skilled.
@. Why do we have traffic rules?-
II. b.
A. The modern traffic problem arose
in the latter part OF the past century
and is a by-product Of the phenomenal
growth OF metropolitan districts. Motor
ization of traffic has added greatly 10
street capacity II has brought with
IL a problem OF the most serious char
acter-that of street hazards. II has
become necessary to regulate the trafic
by issuing definite rules.
O. Please explain food lights. beacon
lights, routing bescons and boundary
lights used in the air mail services. l..
A. In preparing for night flying ell
of these four classes of equipment are
used. The food lights are used at
regular fields to give the pilot as near
ly as possible the same illumination of
the field at night as Is available in
daylight. This Is accomplished by a
powerful unit. In addition to the large
field light. all buildings on the field are
flood lighted by smaller units. The
beacon lights are placed on 53-foot
towers and serve to guide the pilot and
show him the location Of regular and
emergency landing fields. A revolving
projection type of beacon is used. The
drum revolves with frequency which
gives a flash every 10 seconds. The
routing beacons are of two classes. elec-
trio and gas. The electric rotates six
times a minute. and the gas beacons
fash so times a minute. Both assist
in keeping the pilot on his course. The
boundaries OF all regular and emergency
fields are outlined with white electric
lights placed $50 to 800 feet apart.
@. How many church members we're
gained last year?-A. L.
A. Rev. H. K Carroll, LII. D., SAYS
that the churches OF the United States
gained 5f3,723 members, over and above
all losses during 1927.
@. How high is the Panama Canal?
Which Is its highest end?-D. w. G.
A. The Atlantic and Pacific ends OF
the Panama Canal are at sea level. The
highest elevation of the canal is as feet
above mean tide. The mean level OF
the Pacific at the isthmus has been
found TO be about eight inches higher
than the mean level of the Atlantic. In
the month OF February the levels are
the same. but throughout the rest Of
the year. on account Of current. tidal
and wind influences. the mean level OF
the Pacific ranges above that of the
Atlantic. 1t is as much as one foot
higher In October.
q. Who was the first pupil OF Ben
jamin West?-R. r.
A. A Philadelphisn, Matthew Pratt.
He was a relative OF Mrs. West.
@. Is there much demand for new
vegetables such as broccoli and esca-
role?--G. z.
A. Recipes OF broccoli. escarole. anise
and chicory showed q 500 per cent In
crease at New York In 1927. as COM
pared with 1929.
q. what kind of trees are planted
along the Champs Elysees in Paris?--
B. ]. 3
A. This famous thoroushfare Is lined
with chestnut trees
@. How long has 1t been against the
Law 10 smoke opium In China?--w. s.
A. II has been legally vice since
1905.
Q. What Is the derivation OF the
word robot?-G. II. T.
A. Robot Is q coined word invented
oy karel Capek for his play. "R. u. r."
The term describes mechanical auto
mata. which are manufactured BY the
millions to attend to the worlds labor
and warfare.