Evening star., 1925-11-25
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.
Q. How long has soap been used?-

Q. How long has soap been used?-
w. c. A.
A. The use of soap dates back to
antiquity. soap factory was found
by the excavators of the ancient City
| OF Pompeii. Historical records of Italy
and Spain show that it was in com
mon use in these countries in the
eighth century. 1t was employed by
tfe French in the twelfth century
and in England a little later.
q. What does "hoot mon" mean?-
D. E. G.
A. Hoot is Scotch interjection ex-
pressive of dissatisfaction, and may
be regarded as equivalent to the Eng
lish tut or pooh. Mon means man.
Q. What is being done in the
United States to decrease illiteracy?-
c. S. M.
A. Since this country is led by sew
eral others in the per cent of literacy
actlVe steps have been taken to de-
crease the number Of illiterates before
the next census is taken. The Ma
uonaI Illlteracy Conference was con-
Quoted in Washington, D. c., from
January IL to January IA, 1924. Every
State In the Union was represented in
the attendance of several hundred
members Of the following organiza-
uons: National Education Association,
! General Federation OF Women's
Clubs, American Legion and the
United States Bureau of Education.
Q. How much money do we as a
Nauon spend year on candy
A. We eat almost 5000 900 900 worth
OF FACTORY made confectionery in a
M
worth and import S150,000 to $3.50, 900
worth
Q. Do all the big ball parks have
grass diamonds?-E. B.
A. All of the major league ball
parks have grass diamonds.
Q. How many troops are now sta
toned in the Philippines?-J. B.
A. On June 80, 1925, the troops
stationed there were 4,6O1 Regular
Army and 6,683 Philippine Scouts.
Q. Was the drought in the late
Summer and early Fall caused by
heat from automobiles?-J. T. c.
A. The Weather Bureau says that
such a theory seems untenable. If
10000 pounds of gasoline We're
burned hourly in the United States
under most favorable conditions imag
inable-not actual-the air would be
warmed only one degree Fahrenheit
in little over six years. Then the
burning Of gasoline produces water
Roughly, every gallon Of gasoline
burned means the creation thereby
from the gasoline and oxygen of the
air, of a gallon of water, which is
added to the atmosphere and thus in
creases the absolute humidity.
@. Why are certain words through
out the King James version of the
Bible italicized?-J. H. j.
A Italics in printing the Bible are
used in cases where 1t was necessary
to insert additional words to make the
translation from the original manu-
script Ineligible to the readers of
the English text.
@. What causes blue stain on lum-
ber?-W. c. Q.
A The Forest Products Laboratory
says that blue stain on lumber indi-
Gates that the lumber has not been
properly dried 1t is caused by fungi,
small plants whose spores or seeds
are carried through the air by wind
or rain 1t does not interfere with
paint, but does with staining, var
nishing or oiling, depending upon the
use to which the treated lumber is to
be put. 1t is found in the sapwood,
not in the heartwood.
O. I have been told that children
in Czechoslovakia attend school on
Saturdays Is this truce. NJ
A. The school year in Czecho-