Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-11
Huskin's Answers
To Questions
BIZ Frederic J. HdSkin.

reader can get the dnsUer to any
question OF fact by iDrittng The Etc.
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Haskin, director, Washington,
D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. Please tell me if crow can learn to
speak,. M. c.
A. The Department of Agriculture
says that the only practical way by which
a bird may be encouraged to talk is to
confine i: in a quiet room, and upon
entering the room speak one word BY
repeating this practice the bird will learn
the word, and the vocabulary can he
increased gradually.
@. Has the space of hairs breadth
ever been defined?-M. @.
A. In measurement, hairbreadth Is
considered to be the forty-eighth part Of
an inch.
@. Please tell me If tulip bulbs which
have been in the ground since last fall
should be transplanted.-D. M. S.
A. The Bureau of Plant Industry says
that it is best not to disturb tulips bulbs
now. Wait until after the next Towering
period ends.
O. What is the origin of veto?-R. c.
A. 1t comes from. the Roman practice
of comforting the same power upon two
magistrates either of whom could Mega
tive the action of the other by pronounce
ing the word veto, which in Latin
means forbid.
O. Was the song. Should I Forget
You" written in honor of Will Rogers?-
CIR.
A. The song. IF I Should Forget You"
was not dedicated to Will Rogers, but
since his death has frequently been used
in this connection.
O. Could you tell me the significance
of the term Swing room" familiar to
railway mail clerks?-M. M. c.
A. Swing is the period of time within
the days work when employees are temp
orarily off duty. The swing room is the
room where employees may spend their
time while swinging. This is made neces-
sary by the regulation that employees
not or duty shall not have access to the
workroom.
O. Can you tell me the name OF the
admiral who threatened to sweep the
British off the seas?-C. F. NJ.
A. Admiral Tromp, who died in 1853,
is said to have sailed up the English
Channel with broom at the masthead
of his ship to show that he intended to
sweep the seas. The incident supposedly
occurred during the English and Dutch
war which arose out of colonial rivalry
between the two nations.
@. What is the source of the quotation:
IAN indestructible Union of indestruct.
! ible State" Pc. H
A. The words were used by Salmon P.
Chase when in 1868 the United States
Supreme Court pronounced the Union an
indestructible Union of indestructible
States and the Act of Secession void.
This occurred in the case of Texas Us.
White.
O. I recently saw a reference 70
bleached mahogany. and am anXiou- to
obtain information about it'll. G. H.
A. Mahogany can be bleached with
bleaching powder such as a saturated
solution of oxalic acid in water. After
the wood is treated the excess LIQUID
should be rinsed off in clean water. This
bleaching process may be used with any
type of wood in order to preserve the
natural grain.
@. I should like to have an account Of
President Tafts wedding anniversary
celebrated in the White House,. H.
A. The party celebrating the Tafts'
silver wedding anniversary was held on
June 10, 1911, in the garden of the White
House. 1t was an evening party and
every tree and bush held tiny, colored
lights. Lanterns were strung every
where. The fountain played under
colored lights and two searchlights were
fixed on the flag over the White House.
The President and Mrs. Taft received
their guests under a large tree about
midway between the second portico and
the fountain.