Dana Kline, age 11, of Lititz, Pa., for her question:

WHERE DID THE UNCLE SAM NICKNAME ORIGINATE?

A contractor named Elbert Anderson was furnishing some supplies for the United States Army during the War of 1812. On the barrels and boxes were stamped his initials E.A., and U.S. for the United States. "What do the initials mean?''someone asked. " Elbert Anderson and Uncle Sam,'' was the answer, the Sam coming from an old gentleman named Samuel Wilson who was one of the local inspectors of Army supplies. This is one theory of how we obtained the name.

Another theory: The letters U.S. appeared on all Army uniforms. Someone jokingly said the initials stood for Uncle Sam.

In any case, the nickname and symbol of the United States is now a man named Uncle Sam who dresses in a tall hat and wears red, white and blue clothing. Cartoonists love him.