Evening star., 1936-01-07
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.

BY Frederic j. HaskiB.
reader can get the dnsUer TO any
question of fact BY trrttino The Washing
ton Epening Star Information Bureau,
Frederic j. Hdskin, Director, Washing
ton, d. c. Please inclose stamp for reply.
O. Figuring on the time the fight
lasted what fighter was paid the most
for his efforts?-J. p. r.
A. The highest rate Of pay for fight
was given to Jack Dempsey in 1923 in
New York City when he fought Firpo.
The fight lasted 3 minutes SO seconds
and Dempsey was paid $470.000, or
about $4,000 per fight minute.
@. Are there more people in the
United States between the ages of 5S
and go than there were IS years ago?-
L. I. H.
A. In 1920 there were 3,549124 people
in this age group In 1880 there were
4,645,677. The next census will probably
record a further increase.
@. Please describe the Alice Freeman
Palmer Memorial at Wellesley College.
j. r.
A. This marble relief by Daniel Chester
French represents mature woman, the
college, sending forth with her benedic-
tion younger woman, the student. The
student bears lamp, lighted at the
altar in the foreground.
@. Is the Paris dreSSmaker. Elsa
Schiaparelli, a Frenchwoman?-B. c.
A. She was born in Italy
@. What is levitation?-C. C. S.
A. The word is defined as the phe-
nomenon or illusion Of maintaining or
moving heavy objects, as the human
body, in the air without support; also
the subjective illusion Of arising into or
moving through the air without support,
as in dreams. The art or science of Levi
tation goes back into the miStS of history.
The tradition is ancient and, even today,
widespread. In the puranas of Mother
India there is a precise Sankrit equiva-
lent for levitation. This is laghiman.
from laghu Qight). The Buddhist Suttas
describe similar power.
@. Where are the OZarks?-A. B.
A. The OZarks are group Of high hills
lying chiefly in Southern Missouri and
Northwestern Arkansas. These hills are
the remnants of a former plateau into
which valleys have been cut by streams.
Extensions of the hills run up into South
ern Illinois, Kansas and Oklahoma.
@. How long did it take Martin Luther
to translate the Bible into German?-
D. K.
A. He was occupied on this work from
1923 to 1882.
@. What did the late Hornell Hart con-
tribute to prison reform in this country?-
j. j.
A Among the reforms which Hart had
a large part in promoting were the in
PRODUCTION of parole and indeterminate
sentences for prisoners, the abolition Of
stripes and the curtailment of prison
labor contracts. His reports were made
the basis for fundamental reform in a
large number of penal and charitable in
Stitutions.
O. How many patents were issued by
the Patent ONCE in 1881, 1882, 1882
o. r. S.
A. In 1881 there were 551O3 patents
issued; in 1882 there were 56856, and in
1888 there were 51563.
O. Please give some information about
the Kurds-M. F. S.
A. The Kurds are people of Iranian
race who occupy Kurdistan, partly in
Asiatic Turkey and partly in Persia. They
are brave, freedom-loving people, not
inclined to industry. The nomad Kurds
live in tents of black skins. while the
settled communities use low houses with
fiat wooden roofs The Kurdish women
have more freedom than most Oriental
women. The girls are married, upon
payment of a dover. at 10 or IL years
of age The men shave their heads and
faces, leaving only moustache, though
old men wear full boards. In religion
they are mostly Mohammedans.
@. Is Manila warm the year around?-
P. L.
A. The mean temperature in January
is IT. Fahrenheit. and in June is 81.
@. Where in Virginia is the sheep
Shearing tree?-J. r.
A. The historical Sheep-shearing oak
is one of the most famous trees in
Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.
Estimated to be 300 years old. this tree
was the scene of the shearings on the
Arlington plantation of valuable flock
of imported merino sheep owned by
George Washington Parke Gusts.
@. How are asbestos shingles made?-
j. A. p.
A. They are made in two ways. IN
the first process cement and asbestos are
mixed with just enough water TO give a
dry consistency. The proportions are
not known except to those making the
material. The damp material is then
pressed in hydraulic presses to the thick
ness and size desired. In the other
process the cement and asbestos are
mixed with very large excess of water.
The mixture is then run over screens
and a thin sheet formed just as in the
making of a sheet of ordinary paper.
These sheets are then placed one upon
another and compressed to form the de-
sired size and thickness.
@. When did this Government require
the Ironclad Oath?-L. H. N.
A. This was an oath of very stringent
character required of Federal officehold-
ers by act of Congress in 1852 1t was
designed to exclude from Office any pos
sible enemy of the Union. After the
close of the Civil War this oath was
required in the 'reconStructed' States.
The act was repealed in 1871.