Evening star., 1940-02-21
Huskin's Answers
To Readers Questions
By frederic J. Hdskin,


A reader cdm get the sns,per to any
Questton OF fact BY tDrtttn1 The Ere.
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred.
eric J. Hdsktn, director, Washington,
d. c. Please tncloss stamp for reply.
9. Who wrote the Beer Barrel Porka"s
J.P.
A. The words and music Of the Beer
Barrel Polka" are by Jaromir vetvoda.
Metronome Magazine says that 1t was
first published in Czecho- Slovakia, where
1t was u big hit"
@. How many coin machines are used
In the United States?-T. T. r.
A. 1t is estimated that there are 5000.
600 coin machines in operation through.
out the country.
@. In what country is 1t considered 0
crime to reach above q persons head?-
NJ L. H.
A. In the Fiji Islands the human head
is held to be sacred and it is an insult to
reach above the head of another person.
Women in consequence crawl on their
hands and knees when men are at leisure
inside house. Persons who have been
insulted are likely to commit suicide to
eradicate the shame.
@. Has any new species of bird been
discovered in the United States in recent
years?-J. P. B.
A. According to the Smithsonian Insti.
tuition, the first new species of bird to bs
discovered in the continental United
States in 81 years has just been found
ginia by Karl w. Haller, ornithologist Of
Bethany College. The bird belongs to the
family of wood warblers and is small with
a yellowish olive patch on the back, Q
trace of brown on the sides and hanks,
q tinge of raw sienna on the throat, and
q little white on the tail The last new
bird found was the Cape Sable seaside
from the southern tip of Florida in 1919.
@. Is there air between the water and
the ice on lakes and rivers?-L. S.
A. The Weather Bureau says: "Ice,
when formed on lakes or rivers, is in con.
tact with the water. 1t is entirely pos
sible, however, that after a lake or river
has been frozen over, the water level may
fall. II the ice is strong enough to re-
main in place without support. there may
then be an air space between the ice and
the water. Ordinarily however. this
would not occur on any very large
body of water because the ice
would crack and collapse as the support
is removed from beneath. The size of an
ice sheet which could remain self-sup-
ported would depend, of course, upon the
thickness and character Of the ice and
the shape Of the body Of water"
@. In what States is savings bank life
insurance sold?-C. G. D.
A. This type of insurance Is sold only
in the States of Massachusetts and New
York.
@. Was Katharine Cornell ever In Q
play with Lowell Sherman?-R K. B.
A. Miss Cornell appeared with Lowell
Sherman in Sidney Howards adapta-
ton of Casanova"
Q. How much does q new stamp cost,
M. E. r.
A. The cost of . new stamp varies
from $500 to $500. Bi-colored stamps
are more expensive to issue than stamps
Of one color.
Q. What is the correct form to use In
announcing the adoption Of . baby?-
C.P.
A. Emily Posts Etiquette suggests
the following: "Mr and Mrs. Nuhome
have the happiness to announce the
adoption Of Mary, aged months"
Q. How large are the kidneys?-M.
B. T.
A. In an adult they are usually from
to S inches long, about az inches wide
and about inch thick. Each kidney
weighs from 1 to s ounces.
Q. Please give the origin Of the word
pornography.-S. A.
A. The word is deriYed from the Greek
porne, meaning harlot, and graphe,
writing
@. Please give some information about
Harry Snodgrass, the piano player who
broadcast from prison-V. H.
A. Harry Snodgrass, known as the
king of the Ivories," made frequent
broadcasts during his imprisonment of
three years in the Missouri State prison.
He was released on January 1e, 1925,
and continued to be popular radio en-
tertainer until his death several years
later.
@. Does the United States export any
shoes to Puerto Rico?-R. 7. c.
A. In 1889 Puerto Rico bought $780,
900 pairs of leather shoes from manu-.
facturers in the United States.
Q. Please give the name of the first
all-talking picture-E r.
A. The first all-talking picture was
Warner Brothers "The Lights Of New
York" 1t was hrst shown at the
Strand Theater in New York City on
July IS, 1928.
Q. Why are pancakes eaten on shrovs
Tuesday?-S. L.
A. This custom originated in Eng
land, where it probably developed from
the economy Of making use of the eggs
and fat which had accumulated during
the 40 dayS of Lent in which thev v,ara