Evening star., 1940-06-13
Answers
To Questions
BIZ Frederic J. Hnskin.

By FredeTtc J. H1Sktn. c
A reader can get the answer to any
question of fact by lDriting The EUe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Huskin, director, Washington,
D. c. Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. What is a rolling road?-K. j. 8.
A. In Maryland and Virginia in early
days, narrow roads were cut through
the forests down which hogsheads OF
tobacco, fitted with axles could be drawn
or rolled from inland plantations to
the river. In some case the hogsheads
were simply rolled by man pow~
@. Is the Soviet Union as densely
populated as the rest of the world?--
E. B.
A. According to the last population
count the Soviet Union numbers no.
100000 souls. The territory OF the Sow
let Union covers about one-seventh Of
the earth and the population is about
one-twelfth of the estimated population
Of the world, so 1t is less dense.
@. How many songs has Irving Ber-
lin compoSed?-D. E.
A. Mr.. Berlin has written over 900
songs.
@. Who originated the idea OF world
court for the settlement of interna-
tional differences?-E. P. C.
A. The idea was suggested in 1905 by
a Frenchman, Pierre Dubois.
O. What Is coal spragger?-E. S.
A. coal spragger is prop setter
who sets short wooden props in a slant
ing position under the upper or over
head section of bed of coal to hold
that section up while the lower Sec
ton is being mined; or wedges heavy
slantlng props against the coal to pre-
vent it from flying when broken down
by blasting The props are known as
sprays.
@. For whom was Rudyard Kipling
named?-E. S. B.
A. The writer was named after Rud-
yard Lake in Staffordshire, where his
parents first met.
@. Was there ever a time, say go
years ago, when aliens could become
citizens without taking out naturaliza-
ton papers?-B. A. H.
A. The first Congress Of the United
States in 1870 enacted naturalization
legislation. Except in cases of chill
dren or in some periods wives, naturali-
zation papers have always been neces-
sary to acquire citizenship. Naturali-
zation, however, is not compulsory.
@. When was football first played at
night?-P. N.
A. The first game of football played
at night was between a Cherokee In
dian team and the Southwest Teachers
College of Missouri in October, 1904.
Electric arc lights were installed in the
center and at either end of the field.
O. What is the oldest broadcasting
station in the United States?-H. T. R.
A 1t Is Station KDKA of Pittsburgh.
O. Why does the seal on the face OF
our currency have the inscription Gin
Latin) seal of the Treasury of North
America" instead of United States?-
F. w. R.
A. The seal was advised by commit
tee appointed by the Continental Con-
gress in l77s before there was United
States of America. The design Of the
seal of the Treasury Department is
therefore really older than the National
Government.
@. What is the origin of the word
eavesdrcp?-S. C.
A. The earlier form was eavesdr1p.
An old Saxon law forbade man to
build house closer than two feet from
another's property, so that water from
the caves would not drop on his neigh
bors land. Thus a person who ap-
proaches close to another to overhear
what he says came to be known as an
eavesdropper.
O. Who invented the steam automo-
bile?-R. H.
A. Henry Alonzo House invented the
steam automobile in 1866. The car was
driven In Bridgeport, Conn, and sur-
rounding towns for several months.
@. How old is the Japanese nation7-
M. A. A.
A. The establishment of the Japanese
Empire is traditionally placed at date
as remote as $50 BIC, when the myth
cal Jimnu, popularity believed to be a
direct offspring of the gods, became the
first emperor.
@. Can you give some illustration OF
the great size of the State of Texas?-
c. H.
A. 1t is farther from Texline, on the
Northern border of Texas, to Browns
vile in the southernmost part of the
State than it is from Chicago to the
Atlantic Ocean. To prove this put
string on the map of Texas between
the points named above to get the ex-
act distance. Then place one end of
this string on Chicago and the other
end will swing clear into the Atlantic.
@. Was there poem "All Quiet Along
the Potomac" or is that just an ex-
pression?-J. F. F.
A. "All Quiet Along the Potomac" was
frequent heading for war news dur
ing Civil War times, but there was
popular poem, THE Picket Guard" by
Mrs. Ethelinda Eliot Beers, published
in Harpers Weekly November 30, 1861,