Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-26

by Garnerin In Paris In 1897. The
first descent from an airplarie was made
In 1912 by Capt. Berry. at st. Louis. Mo.
A medium sized and weight parachute
was used. This parachute was folded
and shipped into a conical cylinder
which was tied underneath the front
end of the skid on BenoEt puSher
biplane, piloted by Tony Janus. AS
far as We have been able to ascertain,
Lieut.. Macready was the first man TO
make an emergency parachute iumo
from an airp'ane.
@. What does "ss." mean as used In
oaths?-A. G. r.
A. The abbreviation "ss." represents
the Latin word "scilicet." meaning
namely" or Ito wit" The word Is q
contraction of the Latin, "scire licet,"
meaning ut is permitted to know"
@. Can rain fan from a clear
Sky?-G.. G.
A. The Weather Bureau says 1t does
not know of the occurrence of this
phenomenon in the sense of true rain.
Drops of water, sometimes reported as
rain, occasionally fall from trees as a
result Of accumulated dew, and from
one or two species Of trees as a result
of water exuded through the leaves
and also from certain trees-the syca-
more. for instance-due to the sapping
of the limbs by kind of insect. But.
of course, none Of these things is true
rain.
O. What is meant by sterilization
fund" in the McNary- Haugen bill?-
B. E. r.
A. The McNary-Haugen bill aims to
stabilize farm prices through the con-
troll of the surplus but onlitS all ref
erence to price levels and price stand
ards. Under its provisions a separate
sterilization fund" is provided for each
of five mmodities-cotton. wheat,
corn, rice and hogs. These sterilization
funds are to be obtained by levies on
the marketed units" of each COM
modify and will be employed in remov-
ing or Withholding or disposing of the
surplus by co-operatives, or, If there are
no co-operatives available. by individ-
uals engaged in processing such COM
modities. No public funds are to be
used directly in effecting such control,
but loans to be repaid with interest
would be made from a revolving fund
of $3.50, 000,0 to the several commodity
sterilization funds In anticipation OF
the collection of the equalization fees
imposed upon each marketed unit.
@. Do any indian tribes live in the
Glacier National Park?-J. S. L.
A. There are no Indians living In
this park. However, the Blackfeet In
dian reservation runs up to the park.
@. What are the latest political
statistics regarding the number of
voters in the United StateS?-C. E. H
T6ara orc CT nAI xr,n,aAo,a e,1d
29,774,712 men eligible to vote.
Women represent 49.1 per cent of the
total voting strength of the nation.
A. Z I. y What was the Kings T0u'n'-
A. In medieval times a king who
had been consecrated in his corona
ton was said to possess the power to
heal such diseases as scrofula and
other skin affections by touching the
sufferer.
@. How many millions are there
in a billion?-C. F. A.
A. The word billion is variously in
| terpreted in different countries. In
| America and France, billion Is one
thousand million. while in England and
Germany it is million million.
O. What Is meant by the numbers IN
measurements of caliber of shells, such
as 5000, 30-40, tc.?-J M. N.
A. The numbers applied to guns
such as 5000 designate the caliber and
the type of the gun The first 80. for
instance, represents the diameter of the
gun barrel, which in this case would be
30 hundredths, or three-tenths. of an
inch; the second number represents the
velocity of the ammunition, in the
above case, 80 feet per second.
@. From where does altar of roses
come?-M. B.
A. Bulgaria produces IS per cent Of
the worlds supply of altar of roses.
There are in Bulgaria $4,000 rose gar
dens. The sale of the buds furnishes
livelihood for 100000 persons. The
buds are shipped to distilleries. About
1000 buds yield pound of altar, which
sells in the United States for $3.50.