Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-27

| @. Please give a short sketch Of Cy-
rus McCormick.-W. II. c.
A. Cyrus Hall Mccormick was born
at Walnut Grove, w. Va, on February
Is, 1909. His father was farmer who
had invented numerous labor saving de-
vices for farm work, but after repeated
efforts had failed in his attempts to
construct a successful grain-cutting ma
chine. When Cyrus was % years old he
took up the problem and finally was
successful in constructing a machine
employed in the late harvest of 1881
and patented in 1884. He died in 1884.
@. Can sounds such as a clap of
thunder or the purr of cat be meas
ured?-C. E. G.
A. The Bureau of Standards says the
frequency of vibration of any sound
having a definite pitch can be accurate
ly measured by means of a microphone
and an oscillograph. Many sounds. such
as a clap of thunder or the purring of
a cat will be complex sounds consisting
of mixtures of sound of different
pitches. Such sounds can be recorded
on the oscillograph and analysed into
their simple components whose frequen-
cies can be determined.
Q. When were patents first given as
protection to inventors?-B. j.
A. In very early times in England
the reigning prince considered himself
entitled to grant privileges of the ma
ture of monopolities to any one who
had gained his favor. These grants
became so numerous, oppressive and
unjust that during the reign of James
G603-1625) a statute was wrung from
the King declaring all grievous and in
convenient monopolies to be void. There
was a special exception from that
enactment of all letters, patents, grants
and privileges of the sole working or
making of any manner OF new manu-
features within the realm TO the true
and first inventor" Upon these words
hangs the whole law of letters and pat
entS for inventions.
@. What 10 names are borne by the
most people in America?-A. H
A. Drawing conclusions from the
enrolment during the war, the first 10
were Smith, Johnson, Brown, Williams.
Jones. Miller, Davis, Anderson, Wilson
and Moore.
O. Were there six or seven tribes OF
Indians who made their laws in the
Long House"?-R. D. S.
A. The Five Nations made laws in
the Long House: later the Six Nations.
The Five Nations were composed OF the
Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida. Onondaga
as a political body was Ongwanonsionni.
We are CT the extended lodge" The
T-~'rh new them as the Confederation
of the Five Nations. and after the ad-
. a OF the Tuscarora in l772 as the
Six Nations.
O. Did President Wilson MAKE a trip
to Europe during the World War;
A. E. H.
A. President Wilson did not visit
Europe previous to the signing of the
armisticc. He made two trips TO Europe
between the signing of the armistice and
the signing of the peace treaty in June,
1919 This treaty was not ratified by
the United States Senate. and a sep
arate peace was concluded July 2, 1921.
Q. How long have We had transcon-
tinental airnlail service?-N. B.
A. The first regular transcontinental
airmail trip was made September 8-11,
1920 from New York to San Francisco.
@. What is the German flag now?-
G. F.
A. The flag of the German Republic
is red. ble<S and gold tricolor Of bars
OF equal dimensions. The top stripe is
black. the middle is red and the bottom
gold.