Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-11
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

There is no other agency In the world
that can answer as many legitimate
questions as ot1r free Information Blu
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 and
other educational enterprises 1t is in q
position TO pass on to you authoritative
information Of the highest order. Sub
NIT your queries to the staff of experts
whose services are put at your free dis
posal. There is no charge except
cents in coin or stamps for return post
age. Address The Evening Star In
formation Bureau, Frederic ]. Haskfn
director, Washington, D. c.
@. OF what nationality is Frances
Alda?-A. w.
A. Nine. Frances Aida is a native OF
New Zealand. She left that country
grandparents IN Australia, San Fran
cisco and Chicago.
O. Has cotton ever been used in road
construction?-H. E.
A. AS an experiment, 500 feet Of road
were built near Gonzales, Tex, with I'M
bleached canvas as a binder. After Is
months of heavy traffic the pavement
showed no signs of wear. If the mate
rial stands up well for three years, 1t 4
said that the State will adopt this form
of road construction.
@. What Is the inscription on the
Houden statue of Washington In Rich
mond?-J. H. r.
A. It is as follows: 1.-THE General
Assembly Of the Commonwealth Of Viz
GINA have caused this Statue to be
erected as a monument Of affection anc
gratitude to George Washington who
uniting in the endowmentS of the Herr
the virtues of the Patriot and exertine
both in establishing the Liberties Of his
Country has rendered his name dear tc
his Fellow Citizens and given the world
an mortal example of true Glory. Done
in the year of Christ one thousand and
seven hundred and eighty-eigf1t and In
the year Of the Commonwealth the
twelfth"
@. Our class would like a good def
milton Of povcrty.-M. @.
A. The following definition is that OF
DR.. Robert w. Kelso. sociologist: "Pov-
erty is that condition of living in which
the individual whether from lack OF
means or the failure to apply them,
consistently fails to maintain himself
and those properly dependent upon him
at plane of living high enough to in
sure continuous bodily and mental 1T
ness to carry on permanently In his
occupation and locality. and which al
lows him and them TO live and function
in their community with decency and
self-respect."
@. What is the seating capacity Of
the Municipal Auditorium In New Or
leans?-R. L.
A. The new s2.5oo,ooo auditorium
will seat over 10000.
@. Who discovered coffee?-J. B. r
A. The early history of coffee as q
beverage is traditional. There are many
stories as to who first discovered the
food value Of coffee. One Is that Leon
hard Rauwolf. a German physician, was
the first to make coffee known in Eu-
rope in an account of his travels, pub
lished in 1873. In some parts of Eu-
rope the discovery is credited to the in
mates of a monastery in Arabia who
had discovered that their goats after
browsing upon the coffee berries were
decidedly lively. Prompted by curiosity
they decided to taste the berries to find
out If they would be affected in the
same way. They tried chewing the
berries and boiling the berries, but thu
result was not satisfactory. They then
roasted the berries and found out that
it gave them a delightful flavor. Pill
grtmS to whom the monks gave shelter
and food were pleased with the new
beverage and spread its fame. The
French have preserved the following
picturesque version of the legend: A
young goatherd. Kaldi, noticed one day
that his goats, whose department, I'D to
that time, had been irreproachable, were
abandoning themselves to the most ex-
travagant pranctngs. Kaldi attributed
this gayety to certain fruit or berries
He picked and ate the berries and be-
came the happiest herder in Arabia.