Evening star., 1933-02-14

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the inquirer. Address The Evening
Star Information Bureau. Frederic ].
Haskin, Director, Washington, D. G.
@. In contract bridge, II a person
bids six clubs and makes 1t, can he
score a small slam If he has not an
nounced that he is bidding a small
slam?-J. D.
A. A contract Of six Is a small slam
contract. and the declarer scores the
bonus for it II he fulfills his contract.
@. Where did william Howard Taft
take the oath Of ofice as President
Of the United States?-S. M.
A. Owing to the inclement weather,
the oath Of Office was administered
in the Senate at the Capitol. Chief
Justice Fuller officiating.
@. What Is the average size Of the
stones composing the Great Pyramid?
H. C.
A. About 40 cubic feet.
@. Was Blanche K. Bruce an edu-
Gated colored man?-G. w. S.
A. He was born slave in Virginia,
Is41. He was educated by his masters
son and after the Civil War became a
teacher, later graduating from Oberlin
College, Ohio. He became a planter
In Mississippi, and was named as Rep
resentative of his State in the United
States Senate from 1875 to 1881. He
was appointed by President Garfield
register Of the Treasury. 1881, and was
recorder Of deeds Of the District of
Columbia, 1891 to 1893. He was again
register of the Treasury in 1897 and
served until his death In 1898.
@. What is the derivation Of the
expression "scot free"?-R. T.
A. Scot is from the Old English
"sceot," meaning a payment or reckon
ing. The word also formerly Ngnffied a
form Of tax.
Q. How did Pythagoras prove his
theorem?-C. L. L.
A. The method used by Pythagoras
in solving what Is known as the Py-
thagorean theorem has long been q
method of conjecture. Pythagoras left
no mathematical treatises and the
sources of information on the subject
are scanty. The proof most generally
used today Is the one originated by
Euclid.
@. How many divisions are there
in the Patent Office examining apph-
cations for patents?-L. P. B.
A. The Patent once contains IS
divisions each provided with a chief
examiner and several assistants.
@. What kind of beer had the high
eat alcoholic content?-A. T. w.
A. The first drawing Of beer. which
was called book beer, was the strongest
beer. This was about Z per cent al
coholic content; 6 per cent beer was
considered q strong beer, while the
ordinary draught beer was not more
than per cent.
@. Were the duties levied in the
frst tariff act considered duties for
revenue or for protection?-A. T.
A. The duties were very low and
1t has been generally considered that
they were levied for revenue, but II
Is now generally considered that these
were protective in intention and spirit
SPECIFIC duties were levied ON certain
commodities such as hemp, cordage
and manufactures of iron and glass,
and q general ad valorem duty OF ;
per cent was placed on all goods not
otherwise enumerated, with higher
duties ranging from is per cent ad
vaJorena or certain luxuries. AN