Evening star., 1943-08-30
Hoskin's Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Haskin.


reader can get the uns,per to any
question OF fact BY writino The Epe-
ming Star Information Bureau. Fred
eric J. Haskin, director, WASHINGTON.
d. c, Please inclose stamp for return
postage.
Q. How many words should q dog b
taught to understand?-v. L. p.
A. The average pet dog can be taught
vocabulary Of go words to which he
responds readily.
=. Is there any country in Europe
that never has had q war?-J. r, B.
A. Andorra has been continuously at
peace since its establishment. 1t is a
miniature republic in a valley of the
Pyrenees, under the joint protection of
France and Spain.
Q. How old was Schubert when he
died?-T. E. M.
A. The Austrian composer died in
1923 when only 81 years of age. In
that brief time he had written over
800 songs, 20 piano pieces, masses and
other compositions. Almost penniless
throughout his lifetime, at death his
estate was officially appraised at $40.
q. Which Is the oldest OF the present
european royal houses2-L. E.,G.
A. The House of Savoy Is the Oldest
reigning European dynasty, now repre-
sented by the royal family of italy. The
line was founded by Humbert the White.
handed who lived about 1000 to 1856.
q. Was the name Shangri-La known
before James Hilton used it In Lost
Horizon?"-C. N. N.
A. One writer claims that the name Of
Shan G'ri La, as 1t should be written
Is as old as the hills. In Tibeto- Chinese
vernacular 1t has existed in Tangut and
Szechuan Province, China, as the desig-
nation OF a secret mountain trail leading
from the vicinity of Batang, Tibet. to
Lhasa, the capital, since A. d. TAO. at
least.
Q. Where is st. Mark buried?-C IF
A. st. Marks Church In Venice was
ouls In the ninth century, as q shrine
Tor the saints bones said to have been
brought from Alexandria in s2s,
@. How many sets of plans were sub
mltted in response to the advertisement
asking for bids on the Capitol of thu
United States?-J. F. B.
A. Fourteen sets of plans were s,,b.
mltted in response to this advertisement
the contract finally being let to DR.
William Thornton. young doctor living
In the Virgin Islands.
g. What causes the sun to draw water,
e. L. H.
A. The sun shining through openings
IN the clouds illuminates the tiny mar.
tlcles of dust in the air and the con.
verging of the light beams Is merely the
result of perspective.
~. HOW does glider take OFF,. PR
A glider Is pulled into the air bv
an airplane in motion, by an automo-
bile, or, If equipped with gondoJax for
hoatlng, by q motor boat. A strictly
american development, demonstrated bv
tne Alrborne Command of the Army and
the Al-American Aviation Corporation
iase year, Is the pickup method OF
iaunchlng glders. BY this method the
towing plane swoops down and snatches
the loaded glider from the ground bv
hooking the towrope to the special
pickup device.
dc he
OF David?-M. G. H.
A. The site of the Tomb of David has
been shown near a mosque outside the
walls OF Jerusalem. Since the twelfth
century learned travellers, however.
nave placed the Tomb Of David IN
various other places within and without
the walls.
Q. Has the German government con-
flscated the property of Germans who
came to the United States and became
citizenship E.
A. In ordinary times there Is no law
that citizens of Germany becoming citi.
zens of another country would lose their
property In Germany. The Nazis have
introduced procedure depriving GER
tain persons leaving Germany of citt-
zenship and all of their assets. Ths
property of these people is contiscated.
This procedure has been applied par
tlcularly to political refugees and Jews
Q. What is the correct designation Of
the National Legislature, Congress or
the Congress?-B D. B,
A. In the Constitution, the term "ths
Congress" is always used (Article
sections and 8; Article 2, section 2: Goth
amendment).
Q. What salaries are paid to the MEM
bers of the National War Labor Board7
L. B. Y.
A. The salary of members is $4,000 a
year, or, if working per diem, s25 a day.
Q. How is the Australian ballot con-
ducted?-A. F.
A. The Australian ballot Is the term
generally used for secret ballot provided
and having its genuineness guaranteed
by the state. 1t was first used in this
country in a municipal election in Louis
vile, KY, in 1888. Many kinds of booths
are used for balloting. Generally they
are simply stalls made by wooden parti-
tlons and may have curtain.
G.sek TL.. r..