Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-23

A reader can get the nns,Der to any
question OF fact by 1Urtttng The EUe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Haskin, director, Washington,
D. c. Please tnclose stamp for reply.
@. When were the first Christmas
cards made in the United States?-L. F.
A. They were made in 1874 by Louis
Prang. Their vogue had been growing
in England for about 80 years.
@. Is it true that giraffe has no vocal
cords?-B. r. C.
A. The giraffe has vocal cords, al
though they are not as highly developed
as in some other mammals, but the animal
occasionally makes sounds when in great
pain or otherwise in particular distress
The fact that 1t has seldom or never had
occasion in captivity to cry out has led
to the popular supposition that it is
voiceless.
@. When did King Edward make his
abdication addresses. L. c.
A. Former King Edward VIII broad
cast his abdication speech at 10 o'clock
London time on December II, 1886.
@. How many monthly magazines are
in circulation?-B. M.
A. There are 1896 monthly magazines
published in the United States.
@. Who fired the first shot in the
American Army in the World Warp.
r. j.
A. The War Department says that &C
cording to the best information avail
able, the first shot fired by the United
States Army was fired at the enemy by
an American-manned gun during the
World War at sos am. on October %,
1917, near Barthlemont les Bouzemont,
France, by Battery c, 9Th Field Artillery,
list Division. Sergt. Alex Arch of South
Bend, Ind, was in command of the gun
crew that fired the shot.
@. Who is the most popular literary
character of the present day?-G. B.
A. 1t is said to be Tarzan, created by
Edgar Rice Burroughs These books
have been translated into every Euro
pean language, produced in motion pic
lures and in comic supplements, and
have attained sale of over 250O0.O0o
copies.
@. How tall is Alfred E. Smith,
M. J. M
A. He is feet Z inches tall.
O. What is double talk and who
started it?-R. H. S.
A. Double talk is actually nothing but
nonsense spoken in very rapid syllables.
spaced and infected similar to real
speech. Clifford Navarro of Hollywood
inaugurated the fad.
@. What are the trade winds ard
where are they encountered?-J. A.C.
A. The trade winds are steady winds
at the earth's surface, blowing continu-
ally in the same course toward the
Equator from an easterly direction.
They are produced as the result of the
rotation Of the earth and the movement
OF air toward the equatorial regions
Owing to the high temperature, the air
at the Equator is heated and rises. This
produces the steady currents of air blow
4A46 lO"o30 VIC LQudLOI. Lie III duc NlIlQ3
are chiefly limited to two belts in the
tropical and subtropical regions, one on
each side of the Equator.
@. Who is Mrs Roosevelt's house
keeper?-C. R.
A. Mrs. Henrietta Nesbit is housekeer,
at the White House
@. Did the Terra Gotta train wre =.
occur at Christmas time?-L. M
A. The wreck, which was on the Bait
more & Ohio Railroad at Terra Gotta
D. c., was on December 80, 1906.
Q. What are the smallest nations in
the world?-R. S. A.
A. The three smallest in area are
Monaco, with an area of less than 8
square miles; San Marine, SO square
miles in area, and Liechtenstein, 65
square miles in area
@. Please give the limerick which
President Wilson often quoted-E. B.
A. 1t is as follows LAS a beauty I'm
not great star. Others are handsomer
far; But my FACET don't mind 1t. Be-
cause I'm behind it; It's the folks out
in front that l jar"
G. When did the steamship Portland
sink?-W. T. w.
A. The steamer Portland sailed from
Boston at 7 pm. Saturday, November
26, 1898, and sank that same night off
Cape Cod