Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-21

There is no other agency in the world
that can answer as many legitimate
questions as our free Information ou-
reau in Washington, D. G. This highly
organized institution has been built up
and is under the personal direction OF
Frederic j. Haskin. BY keeping In con-
slant touch with Federal bureaus ana
other educational enterprises 1t Is in
a position to pass on to you authorlta-
tive information of the highest order
Submit your queries to the staff OF
experts whose services are put at your
free disposal. There is no charge eX-
cept two cents in coin or stamps Tor
return postage. Address The Evening
star, Information Bureau, Frederic j..
Haskin, director, Washington, D. G.
@. What caused the peculiar echo in
the Bryd broadcast?-G. M.
A. The sound was caused, according
to w, A. r. Brown, National Broad
casting Co. engineer, by what might
almost be termed a "feed-back" The
Australian station in the 20,000-mile
hook-up was receiving from both the
Schenectady and New Zealand ends of
the leg and rebroadcaSting each to the
other. This pickup in the Australian
studios was responsible for echo effect"
heard. In other words, a voice in the
General Electric studio was picked up
in Australia for application and re-
broadcast to the New Zealand studios,
and a portion of it could not be pre-
vented from travelling back over the
route by which it had reached Australia.
@. DO the United States and France
use the same flags on ships which they
use on Shore?-T. j.
A. The Stars and Stripes OF the United
States are used on men-of-War and
ships of the merchant marine. France
also uses but one flag, the tri-color.
@. Does the arrangement of flowers
have special significance in Japan?-
T. Al. G.
A. It does. Flower masters teach
flower arranging, and a course is In
Guided in the curriculum of nearly all
girls schools in Japan.
@. How far from the earth is the
planet which has just been discovered?
A. It is estimated at 3,72o,OoO,OoC
miles.
O. Is there Federal law which pro-
hibits the issuing of check for less
than $1?-E. F. L.
A. It is not against the law to write
check for less than 81 if the check
is intended to pay a debt and not fol
section 1888, reads: mo person shall
make, issue, circulate or pay out any
note, check, memorandum, token OF
other obligation for less sum than one
dollar intended to circulate as money
or to be received or used in lieu of law
full money of the United States; ano
every person so offending shall be finec
not more than five hundred dollars OF
imprisoned not more than six months
or both, at the discretion of the court.
@. What is the percentage of il.
literacy in the Philippines?-M. j. D
A. According to the last report il
was 81 per cent.
Q. Who invented dice?-A. H. E.
A. Dice were probably evolved from
knuckle bones, but it is almost i'm
| possible to trace clearly the develop
ment of dice as distinguished from
knuckle bones on account of the con
fusion Of the two games by the ancien
| writer's. Both were played in time
antecedent to those of which we posses!
any written records. Sophocles in /;
| fragment ascribed their invention t.
Palamedes, a Greek. He taught thei
use to his countrymen during the sieg'
of Troy. Herodotus relates that thu
Lydians, during period of famine, il
the days of King Atys, invented dice
knuckle bones, and practically all othe
games except chess. Dice have beer
used throughout the Orient from tint
immemorial and have been found IL
tombs and mauSoleums of ancient
Egypt, classic Greece, and the Fal
East.
@. Is 1t really believed that the
Magyar civilization is a survival of thu
| old Atlantis?-K. F. H.
A. The Bureau of American Ethnol,