Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-08-29
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

BY FREDERIC }. HASKIN.
A reader can get the ansDer to any
question of fact by ,Drittno The Euentng
Star Information Bureau. Frederic J.
Haskin, Director, Washington. D. c.
Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. How many illiterates are there in
Spain?-N. K.
A. In 1920 the last census reporting
illiteracy in Spain showed 7,206,000
illiterates, or 43s per cent.
@. Please give some facts about the
Eye In the Sky device that Is used to
decide close finishes in races.-V. s.
A. Harry I. Days clever machine was
first used at Santa Anita two years ago.
It has also been used at the Maria
gansett. Arlington. and Washington Park
tracks. 1t is movie type machine that
takes 1855 pictures per second. Five men
are required to operate it, and 1t costs
the track a rental fee of $500 per day.
It's value lies in the fact that when the
pictures are posted they stop all argu-
ments about close finishes.
@. Does honey always have the same
fiavor?-N. T.
A. Since honey takes its flavor from
flowers, it varies with the kind Of nectar
that the bees gather.
Q. In what year were the last silent
feature films made?-J. G.
A. There were five silent pictures made
in 1890 Virtually none has been made
since then.
@. Are there any windowlesS office
buildings in the United States?-H. w.
A. The first structure of this type has
been completed in Hershey. Pa, and
work on the second one will begin In
Chicago about September !. Such build
ings will have conditioned air all the
year round, and will have artificial
lighting which is supposed to be an i'm
provement over natural light.
Q. How does the per capita consump-
ton Of wine in this country compare
with that of France?-O. N.
A. In France, 1t Is about so gallons per
capita. while in the United States it Is
less than one gallon.
@. Why are people not permitted to
take snapshots of the Liberty Bell?-
E. A. H.
A. Rules and regulations at indie
pendence Hall are such that no photo
graphs are allowed to be taken in the
interior of the buildings by visitors.
Such instructions were issued many
years ago when it was often found that
these pictures were used for undesirable
publicity purposes, and now only under
special conditions. through executive
authority. are photographs allowed.
@. What is the life of the current
dollar bill?-T. E. J.
A. The average life of dollar bill is
less than six months. Some, reposing
in bank vaults or private receptacles
and not in active use, will last years;
others, passing from hand to hand sew
eral times day are soon worn out and
are returned to the Treasury.
@. When were gold pen points first
made in the United States?-O. T. F.
A. Gold was first used in the making
of pen points in this country in thu
year 1885.
@. When was the year without
Summer?-B. w.
A. The famous year Of low tempera-
lures during the Summer, known g.
the year without Summer, was 1916.
@. When will the G. A. R. encamp-
ment be held?-M. p.
A. It will be held from September
2o.25 in washington, D. c.
@. What is codeine2-W. 6.
A. This is one Of the alkaloids found
in opium 1t is a white, crystalline sub
stance very similar to morphine.
@. Please give the birth dates of TIL
New Dealers, Tugwell, Moley, Frank
furter, Berie and Eastman.-A. H. S.
A. Rexford G. Tugwell. born July 10.
1891: Raymond Moley, born September
q, 1886; Felix Frankfurter, born No
vember IS. 1882; A. A. Berle. born Janu-
airy 20. 1895: Joseph B. Eastman. June
26, 1882.
Q. What, years are covered by "Pepys'
Diary ?-E. K.
A. 1t extends over the years 1850 to
1860.
Q. What is meant by the word Elzevir'
A. H.
A. This was the name Of Q celebrated
family Of printers at Amsterdam, Leyden
and other places in Holland, whose
beautiful editions were published chiefly
between the years 1888 and 1880. 1t
is said that the Elzevirs generally en-
ployed women to correct the press under
the conviction that they would be less
likely than men to introduce alterations
into the text. They printed in all about
1000 books, rare editions of which are
highly valued by collectors.
@. What was the first light opera by
Romberg which was produced?-E. D.
A. 1t was "The Midnight Girl" pro-
duced In 1918.
@. What became of the life-termers
in Colorado who permitted themselves
bacilli?-C. B. w.
A. These men were promised their
freedom If they would submit to the test.
The test proved successful and the men
were paroled for Outstanding service to
humanity"
G. Was there once q post once IN
Arizona called American Flag?-B. M.
A. The post ONCE called American
Flag was established December o. 1880.