Evening star., 1933-12-30
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Stop q minute and think about this
fact. You can ask our Information Bu-
| reau any question of fact and get the
answer back in a personal letter. 1t is
great educational idea introduced into
the lives Of the rlost intelligent people
| in the World-American newspaper
readers. 1t is a part Of that best pur-
| pose of a newspaper-service. There is
no charge except 2 cents in coin or
| stamps for return postage. Do not use
| post cards. Get the habit OF asking
questions. Address your letters to The
Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic j. Haskin, Director, Washing
| ton, D. G.
@. Please tell something about Rus
| sia's new Ambassador to this country
R. S.
A. Alexander Troyanovsky was born
| in 1882 in Tula, Russia He attended
the military academy there and the
University of Kiev. From his youth he
was against the existing Czarist rule,
and was exiled TO Siberia In 1909. He
escaped in 1910 and went to Paris. where
he remained until 1917. He then re-
| turned to Russia and has been active in
the new government. He is married
and has two children.
Q. How many cities use the short
ballot?-H P.
ing under the manager form Of govern
ment have the short ballots. The total
of cities employing it would, therefore,
be about $50.
Q. Is it true that Walcott, Iowa, has
neither a church nor a jail?-P. G.
A. This is true. 1t has not had a
church for more than fifty years. The
old Jail has been converted into a ma
chine shed to house the towns equip
ment. The new city hall houses the fire
truck and the old cell from the Jail is
in one corner. The acting postmaster
says that to his knowledge not single
inhabitant of the town has been COM
mitted to Jail for any felony or crime.
The cell is used for lodging transients
or others who have no means for secur-
ing shelter for a short time. The town
has population of about 400.
O. How much of a small yeast cake
| is Water?-P. w
A. One well known brand is IS per
cent moisture, 2 per cent starch, and SO
per cent pure yeast.
@ What was the original name OF
Columbus ship, the Santa Marian
G. A.
A The old, weather-beaten ship
given to Columbus by the town of Palos
was first called La Gallega. She was
II feet 3 inches long, her beam was 25
feet 8 inches; the depth of her hold was
II feet 5 inches.
O. Was Edgar Allen Poe ever SOL
dier?-T. D.
A. He enlisted as a private in the
United States Army at the age of 18,
served two years and was honorably dis
charged. He entered West Point in 1890,
but was dismissed from the Academy at
the end of six months.
O. Are guinea pigs fit to eat?-E.
VI.
A. They are 1t is difficult to ac-
count for the somewhat prevalent notion
that no rodents are fit for human food
Because of such prejudices, some people
will not eat rabbits or squirrels, and
probably many others are kept from
eating such excellent game as muSkrats
and prairie dogs. While guinea pigs are
seldom eaten in the United States, their
near relationship to rabbits and the fact
| that they are wholly vegetarian in habit
should reaSSure any one who may enter
! tain doubts about their fitness for the
table. All the species of wild CAVES are
accounted good game in South America.
Rock CAVES, especially. are much hunted
in parts of Brazil Probably the small
size Of the domestic species is the chief
cause for its neglect as a food animal,
yet there are other highly esteemed
game animals that furnish less meat
than a guinea pig.
O. What is the name Of the post