Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-30
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Few Americans realize how much
their Government does for them. Read
ers of The Evening Star can draw on
all Government activities through our
free information service. The worlds
greatest libraries, laboratories and ex-
perimental stations are at their COM
mand. Ask any question Of fact and 1T
will be answered free by mail direct TO
you. Inclose 2-cent stamp for reply
postage and address The Evening Star
Information Bureau, Frederic j. HaSkin,
director, Washington, d. G.
O. What intercollegiate sports are
played at Notre Dame besides foot ball.
base ball and basket ball?--D. N.
A. Other Notre Dame sports are golf,
tennis. cross-c country and track. These
are intercollegiate. There is also intra-
mural and unofficial hockey, swimming.
hand ball, boxing, squash and lacrosse.
@. How much was last years rain
fall short of the average?-D. c.
A. The Weather Bureau says that
the Summer rainfall east of the Rocky
Mountains in 1880 was approximately
500, 900 600, 900 tons short of normal.
Six trillion five hundred billion tons is
the approximate normal rainfall for the
continental United States for one year.
@. Is the Chinese alphabet similar to
European alphabets?--N. P. F.
A. The Chinese alphabet is not SINH
lar to European alphabets. There is
undoubtedly a system of Chinese char
acters corresponding to an alphabet
which consists of three types of char
acters-pictograms kilograms and pho
nograms-all Of which are used. the
firSt-named referring to objects, the
second to symbols and the third to
sounds.
@. How long has olive oil been used
as a food?-T A.
A. It is one of the oldest foods. 1t
is mentioned in the Bible, and was ex-
tensively used in the early Greek civili-
cation.
@. Who operated the hotel What
Cheer House, built on a hull of an old
ship in San Francisco Bay?-E. j.
A. The San Francisco Chamber OF
Commerce says that this famous old
hotel provided rough comfort for miners
and ranchers. 1t was operated by Rob-
ert B. Woodward, who also later con-
Quoted the well known pleasure park
Woodwards Gardens. The What Cheer
| House was located at Sacramento and
| Leidesdorn streets in San Francisco. II
is reported that this hotel was the first
| In San Francisco to be run on the
European plan, and at one time it con-
tanned the only library in town, which
was frequented by Mark Twain and
Bret Harte.
| @. How thick would ice have to be to
support a railway train?-W. V. G.
| A. 1t has been shown that 18 inches
of ice is necessary to support an ordi-
nary railway train.
@. How long has Canada had mount
| ed police?-I. A. G.
| A. On May 3, 1873, a bill was intro
duced in the Canadian Federal Parlia-
ment dealing with the administration
of justice and the establishment of a
police force in the Northwest Terri
| tories. This bill was adopted by the
House of Commons on May 20, 1878
and the following September the actua
enrolment of the new force began tt
| take place.
@. What does the word "Comihtern'
| mean?-R. D. H.
A. It is an abbreviation of two words
| Communist international" and Is ap-
piled to the highest governing power ir
Russia.
@. What country produces the mos
| iodine?-W. N.
A. Chile is the largest producer. That