Evening star., 1933-01-11
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC }. HASKIN.

Washington is the worlds greatest
storehouse Of all kinds Of knowledge.
You can draw on It free of charge
through our bureau here. Any question
OF fact you may ask will be answered
promptly in personal letter to YOU
be careful to write clearly, give your
iuil name and address and inclose 8
cents for reply postage. Do not use
post cards. Send your inquiry to The
Evening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic ]. Haskin, Director, Washing
ton, d. C.
Q. How many States in this country
require an automobile driver to take
out drivers hcense?-M. M.
A. Twenty-four States and the DtS
trict OF Columbia require drivers
license.
M B.
A. The first mention Of skating
either as form OF sport or as means
Of locomotion, over frozen rivers and
lakes, i5 in connection with an injury
! sustained through fall on ice by ST.
Liedwi Of Scheidam, Holland, in 1882,
nov called the patron saint of skat-
ing" However, relics unearthed in the
SAANuo d4oLAlIb VI H.
dicate the existence of a crude form Of
| skates, with bone for the blade, prior
to the twelfth century.
@. How many enlisted men In the
Navy passed the entrance examination
for the Naval Academy last year?-E. s.
A. Fourteen.
@. How many kinds of forest trees
are growing in this country. w. T.
A There are at the present time 862
species, 228 varieties and 81 hybrids Of
trees grown In this country, making a
total Of LIT different types.
@. How is a Japanese house fur
nisned?-M. F. R.
A. Japan at First Hand says that
the walls are bare, and inside the
framework Of pale yellowish fine
grained hinoki wood the large panels
are covered with heavy paper in mono
ehrome-hke our cartridge wall paper
generally of gray tint, oftenest light,
occasionally dark. In the principal
room there is an alcove or recess, called
raised above that Of the room. It is
divided into two parts by a pillar of
fine dark wood, and the recess in the
right generally holds a japanese cabi-
net Of finely fashioned wood, inlaid
perhaps with mother-of-pearl and sup
porting a sif,gle art object. 1t may be
a bronze statuette or a marvelously
carved box in the familiar red lacquer.
In the recess to the left hangs a noun
tain scene or sea picture and at its
loot. stands a vase, with oftenest a sin
gle flower, sometimes with two or three
sprays, but always in artistic balance,
tn the oprrl1 81 he
vese and the flower are the pride Of the
lady Of the house"
@. Was Rudolph Friml born in the
United States?-T. D.
A. He was born at Prague December
z, 1881. He came to this country be-
fore he was 20 as accompanist to Ku-
belik and came with him again in
1906. At this time he decided to make
America his home.
@. Had q balloon ascension been at
tempted before the memorable occasion
when Jean Pierre Blanchard made a
successful ascension in 1885. w.
"A. The first attempted ascent was
that OF Joseph Decker, an Englishman.
His balloon was burned during imitation
in New York August IA, 1889.
VI. Wnat is the purpose OF La Societe
des 40 Hommes ct Chevaux?-
w r. w.
A. A condensed statement of its pur-
pose is: For God and country; to up
hold and defend the Constitution of
the United States of America and
the American Legion; to be loyal
members of the American Legion
and at all times strive to pro-
mote its principles and its welfare"
Any white male member of the Ameri-
can Legion who has been member for
one year and has rendered to the Amer