Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-04

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Storehouse OF all kinds OF knowledge
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ton Of fact you may ask will be an
SWered promptly in a personal letter tC
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your inquiry to The Evening Star In
formation Bureau. Frederic J. HaSkin
Director, Washington, D. c.
O. Are Jackie Cooper's parents actors?
C. T.
A. The American Magazine says that
his mother the former Mabel Leonard
was child actress At IL she was in
vaudeville and at Is was an accom-
/ plished pianist and accompanist. She
married Johnny Cooper, a vaudeville
actor, and formed a team with him
Johnny Cooper died six years ago.
@. How many Japanese live in Man
churia? How much Japanese capital is
invested there?-G. l.. S.
A. Manchuria has a total population
Of 100000, of which approximately
100000 are japanese. japanese CAPT.
tai invested in Manchuria over a to-
loA aACh Va oOOtOIO OHuuAC Uut
especially in the japanese concession of
Kwangtung. in the south, amounts to
approximately $75000O,00O.
@. Do railroads own or lease Pullman
carS?-L. E. D.
A. The Pullman Car Co. rents or
leases to individual railroads by An
agreement or contract with that par
tlcular railroad. The respective rights
and obligations of the Pullman Co. and
the railroads over whose lines its cars
operate are definitely fixed by contract.
The Pullman Co. has 1872 contracts with
as many different railways.
@. What is the proportionate strength
of the solid Souths delegations in fhe
Republican National Convention?-
W. F.
A. In the 1928 convention, the last
one, the solid South had 148 delegates
against 1,089 for the entire country
This is a ratio of the solid South to the
entire country of 1876. The ratio has
been gradually diminishing. In 1912 it
was I'll, 1916, 15.5; 1920, l4.s; 1924,
IA.
Q. What mixture Of grass is recon-
mended as tough, durable turf for an
airport?-A. S. H.
A. The United States Department of
Commerce recommends an evenly nro-
portioned mixture of the following
grasses: Canada blue grass, fancy Ken
lucky blue grass fancy red top, meadow
fescue, hard fescue, sheep fescue. red
rescue and Pacy's perennial rye grass
For the best results the exact mixture
should be determined by an experienced
landscape gardener after a careful ex-
animation of the soil. For the cheanest
runway surfaces of reasonably good
quallty. earth oiled with an asphaltic
base Oil is probably the solution.
Q. How many formulas does the Gov
eminent authorize for denatured alco-
hol?-E. G.
A. There is one formula for complete
~ denatured alcohol and SO formulas
for specially denatured alcohol. These
formulas are often changed.
@. Who first used shorthand?-I. G.
A. The origin of brief writing is
clouded in mystery. No authentic rec
ord exists establishing its practical use
much before the first century BIC. From
that period until about 300 AID. the
art hourished throughout the Roman
Empire. The secretary and librarian of
Cicero Marcus Tullius Trio, was the
pioneer of Roman shorthand The
chief use of shorthand in Roman times
was made by the leaders in the church
and by government officials. Church
dignitarieS who made conspicuous use of
shorthand were St. Augustine, Origen
st. Jerome. All the Roman emperors
employed shorthand secretaries. Several