Evening star., 1943-09-17
Hoskin's Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Haskin

the Information Bureau SIGNED onfy
fo'th initials, asking that the nm
stoers appear in the newspaper. The
space Is limited and ,ooud NOT nc-
commodnte fraction of such re-
guests. Besides, many OF these oues-
t'ons are too personal to be of GEN.
erdt interest. Send your Questions
10 Ihe EDentng Star, Information
Bureau, Frederic J. Hnskin. Director
Washington. D. c. Inclose stamp for
return postage.
Q. What Is the approximate increase
in population since the last census7-
M. E. A.
A. In recent years marriage rates and
the number of births broke all previous
records. and on this basis 1t is estimated
that by the spring of ls4a the total
population Of the United States was
greater by five million than in 1910.
Q. What Is the American equivalent
OF the English rank subaltern?--R. z, I.
A. Lieutenant. In the British Arny
subaltern ranks Immediately below. a
captain.
@. Please give the names of some
famous doctors who became noyelists,-
D. E. G.
A. Such list would include Conan
Doyle, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Tchekhoy.
s. Weir Mitchell, w. Somerset Vaughan.
Francis Brett Young and A. ]. Cronin.
=. What is widows walkp"-F. K.
A. Along the coast, especially in New
England. in the days of the sailing ships.
many OF the houses were built with a
balcony near the roof line, which wives
OF men missing at sea were apt to walk
while they watched for message from
the missing ship. From this custom
originated the phrase "the widows walk"
q. Are there any Trappist monasteries
IN the United States?-P. r. B.
A. There are three. These monks
Eave taken a VOW of silence and never
speak except to chant their services.
@. How fast does a homine pigeon
traVel?-H. B. N.
A. A homing pigeon can fly at the
rate OF a mile minute, and cover TOO
miles In day without rest.
Q. What is the cause of the sinking
OF the east coast of England?-M. s.
A. According to Prof. A. M. Low.
England is said to be fitting toward the
North Sea. In some parts of the coun-
try the sea has advanced as much as a
foot in a year.
@. Do many inventions originate In
Japan?-R. r.
A. Contrary to popular opinion that
the Japanese are purely copyists, is the
fact that about hundred thousand an
rlications year are filed with the Inn
perial Patent Bureau.
Q. What was the location of the sa-
loon that inspired the famous poem.
The Face on the Barroom Floor9r-
c. N. T.
A. The inspiration for the poem is
SAID 10 have come to the author, Hugh
Antoine Darcy, in Joe Schmidt's bar
room at Fourth avenue and Fourteenth
street. New York City.
y. How many States now have laws
requiring premarital examinations?-
G. L. G.
A. Thirty States require examination
OF both bride and bridegroom, including
a blood test for syphilis. Three States re-
qulre examination of the bridegroom
only. Only IL grant marriage licenses
without regard to venereaI infection.
@. Were there ever IL amendments
IN the Bill of Rights?-E. M. B.
A. 1t is said that when the first
amendments to the Constitution were
submitted there were IL, but only 10
were adopted. The two rejected ones
related to the apportionment of Repre-
sentatives in Congress and the compen-
sation of Congressman.
Q. How old is the Belasco Theater in
washington, D. C.?-E. j. C.
A. The Belasco Theater was formerly
called the Lafayette Square Opera House.
1t opened on September 30, 1895. Prior
to that time the site was occupied by the
Rodgers House.
q. Where is the river that reverses
its direction of fow?-M M.
A. The National Geographic Society
says that the Cassiquiare Canal some
times runs in one direction and some
times in the opposite. This is natural
waterway which, varying with the rain,
flows now into the Orinoco Basin, now
in that of the Amazon. At the food
tide of the Amazon it flows into the
Orinoco, while at the flood tide of the
Orinoco it flows into the Amazon.
@. Please give description of the
burial of George Washington-E. H. L.
A. -Four white-robed clergymen led
the procession to the grave, followed by
the generals riderless horse led by
faithful attendant. There followed an
escort of officers and Masons; then the
coffin with eight pallbearers, officers of
the Revolution; then prominent Masons:
foot and horse guards from Alexandria
brought up the rear. There was a brief
ceremony at the tomb where the Rev.
Mr.. Davies performed the Masonic rite,