Evening star., 1936-02-24
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
By Frederic J. Haskin.

reader can get the answer to anu
question OF fact By ,oriting The Euening
Star Information Bureau, Frederick J.
Hasktn, Director, Washington, d. C.
Please inciose stamp for reply.
@. What is the meaning of slalom with
reference to sports?-E. R.
A. Slalom is Norwegian dialect word
meaning zigzag. 1t is now applied to
that form of skiing.
@. What States got the first checks
from the Federal Government to help
in giving old-age assistance?-S. M.
A. Inc firSt checks were sent on Feb
ruary 13, 1896, to Iowa, Alabama and
Delaware.
@. Which country uses the most soap
per capitalize United States, England e,
or France?-F. S.
A. Annual soap consumption per
capita is: United States, 25la pounds;
England, 1919 pounds: France, TIA
pounds.
@. What do the initials c. l. F. stand
for?-E. H.
A. This expression is used in quoting
prices, particularly in the export trade,
to indicate that the price includes the
cost of the goods plus insurance and
freight.
@. Was Tweed, one-time boss of New
York City, sent to prison for graft?-
F.. D.
A. Tweed was tried for completely in
robbery and fraud, but the jury dis
agreed in the first trial In the second,
Tweed was found guilty and sentenced
to II years imprisonment and to pay
fine of S12,750, but both penalties we're
set aside by the Court of Appeals after
he had served one year. Tweed was later
imprisoned in civil action by the State,
and died in jail.
@. Was pepper once considered very
valuable?-J. M.
A. In the Middle Ages pepper was
priced above all spices. The most i'm
portant early English guild was the
Pepperers Guild. At that time the spice
was so valuable it frequently took the
place of money. Soldiers took it as
part of their bounty. People received
rewards in pepper. often paid their rent
waited in suspense to hear how much
pepper they had been bequeathed.
@. How many motion picture houses
are there in the World?-E. L.
A. In 1884 there were 110,9l0 motion
picture houses, 70907 of which was
equipped with sound.
@. Is temperance taught in the public
schools?-J. r.
A. All States but one, in which the
subjects of the curriculum are left to
the superintendent of public instruction,
have laws requiring teaching of the
effects of alcohol and narcotics on their
users.
@. Why is there a blue ribbon across
the breast of George Washington in some
of his portraits?-H. w. r.
A. The origin of this emblem is found
in Washington's own general orders,
dated July IA, IT'S. In these he said that
the commander in chief should wear
blue ribbon, the majors and brigadiers
pink ribbon, and the aids green rib
bon. The purpose was to prevent mis-
takes in rank, due to soldiers not know
ing their officers by sight.
@. Can people cross Bering Strait on
the ice?-J. j. NJ.
A. At it's narroWest point Bering Strait
is about Sc miles wide. The strait is
never frozen from shore to shore. The
only instances of persons having crossed
afoot are when men have been carried
away by accident on ice foes. Eskimo
and Tchuktchi have occasionally been
swept away and landed on the opposite
shore. Such occurrences are rare.
Q. How many craters are there on the
moon?-J. L. G.
A. More than $4,000 craters on the
moon are indicated in maps and many
others may be seen with the present-day
telescopes. They range in size from $50
miles in diameter and of greater area
than the State of Maryland, down to
about a tenth of mile across. They
are depressions, the floor usually lower
than the surrounding plain and are
roughly circular in shape. Many con-
tain high mountains rising from the
floors and many large craters have
smaller ones superposed upon their
floors or walls. This pertains only to
the side of the moon visible from the
earth.
O. Please give some information about
Sycamore Hill.-R. F.
A. Sycamore Hill, the country estate
and residence of Theodore Roosevelt. Is
situated near the town of oyster Bay, on
the northern shore of Long Island, about
80 miles northeast of New York City.
The substantial unostentatious house
stands on high ground, commanding a
splendid view Following Mr.. Roosevelt's
death it became the residence OF his son
Theodore Youngs Memorial Cemetery,
which contains the grave of the former
President, is also situated at Oyster Bay.
O. When was Montgomery Ward & Co.
established?-H. NJ
A. In 1872 Aaron Montgomery Ward,
with his brother-in-law, G. R. Thorne.
established the mail order house OF
Montgomery Ward g. CO.
@. Was Robert Fulton Of steamboat
fame also an artist?-E. N. D.
A. From 1882 to 1786 he engaged with II
success in landscape and portrait paint
ing in Philadelphia.
O. When is the dog derby held In
Canada?-M. c.
rrba To International nop Sled