Evening star., 1933-10-27
ANSWERS. TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

This great service is maintained by
The Evening Star for the benefit Of its
readers who may use 1t every day with
out cost to themselves. All they have
to do is ask for any information de-
sired and they will receive prompt an
swers by mail. Questions must be
clearly written and stated as briefly as
possible. Enclose three-cent stamp for
return postage. Do not use postcards.
Address The Evening Star Information
Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director,
Washington, D. c.
@. Please give biography of
Charles Laughton, the English actor
who played in THE Sign of the
Cross. T. r.
A. Mr.. Laughton was born in Scar
borough, Yorkshire, July 1, 1899 After
leaving Stonyhurst College, he worked
at Claridge's, learning the hotel busi-
ness. He was cashier at the time he
left for war and after the armistice
studied at the Royal Academy of Dra-
matte Art, winning gold medal. His
first stage appearance was in 1925 in
"The Government Inspector" Since
then some of his best performances
have been in pillars of Society" The
Cherry orchard" "LiliOm," "Medea,"
"On the Spot" and "The Fatal Ahbi."
His film debut was in Devil and the
played are The Old Dark House
1.-THE Sign Of the Cross" Island Of
Lost Souls" IF I Had Million" and
"The Private Life of Henry the VIII
@. How tall is the Presidents son
who is freshman at Harvard?-A. j.
A. Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr., is 6
feet 4 inches in height.
@. When was anthracite first used
in Pennsylyania?-J.L L. B.
A. Pennsylvania anthracite was first
used commercially in 1912 when it was
successfully burned in heating fur
mace by the Fairmont Nail g. Iron
Works, near Philadelphia. 1t was first
used in blast furnace by the Lehigh
Crane Iron Co., in 1888. 1t was first
burned in an open CRATE by Judge Pell
in Wilkes Barre, Pa, about 1900.
@. How many parts are there in a
bicycle?-E. G..
A. AS far as we know, there is no
general figure, but one popular bicycle
is said by its manufacturer to have
1,206 parts.
@. Who was the first American
cartoonist?-F. F. F.
A. Benjamin Franklin is considered
to be the first American cartoonist.
His drawings appeared in his Pennsyl-
vania Gazette before the Revolutionary
War What is believed to be the
earliest comic strip is that known as
THE Yellow Kid" by Richard Out
cault, which was published in the New
York World in the nineties Other
early comics were James SwinnertonS
Little Bears and Tigers in the San
Francisco Examiner in 1892.
@. Is nudism increasing in this
country?-W. T. N.
A. A Nation wide survey conducted
by the Nudist Magazine. official organ
Of the International Nudist Conference,
shows that American nudists have in
creased from 2,l00 to 10000 during
the last ten months.
@. How many officers of the Army
are on the retired list?-F. r.
A. We are advised by the War De-
partment that there were 2.807 Off
GERS on the retired list as Of September
80, 1888.
@. What is the Schiff Memorial for
Boy Scouts?-C. C. ].
A. The Schiff Memorial Reservation
is an estate of 500 acres at Mendham,
N. j.. the gift of the late Mrs Jacob
H. Schiff, mother of Mortimer L.
Schiff, to the Boy Scouts of America
as memorial to her son who was one
of the founders of the organization.
The property, consisting OF hilly wood
land. lake and picturesque, ivy-clad
buildings. was once the estate of the
late Richard H. Williams 1t is to
be administered by the National Boy
Scout Council as training center for
Boy Scout leaders and as means of
developing the various features Of
scouting.
@. What is the weight of the bronze
doors at the entrance of the new