Evening star., 1932-07-25
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

What do, you need to know? Is
there some point about your business
or personal life that puzzles you? Is
there something you want to know
without delay? Submit your question
to Frederic ]. Haskin, Director of our
Washington Information Bureau. He
Is employed to help you. Address your
inquiry to The Evening Star Informa-
tion Bureau. Frederic j. HaSkin, Di-
rector, Washington, d. c.. and incloSe
3 cents in coin or stamps for return
postage.
@. Who won the last interscholastic
! golf championship?-W H.
A. William Dear of the Hun School,
Princeton, N. j., is the new holder of
the interscholastic golf title.
@. How much money do all the boot
| leggers make in a year?-D. r. K.
A. Edward Dean Sullivan estimates
that in 1929 bootleggers netted over
81 900 900, 900 from the sale of intoxi-
eating beverages.
O. What is a gibbon?-M. B.
A. A gibbon is any of several apes
constituting the genus HylobateS. They
are the lowest of the anthropoid apes
and the smallest and most perfectly
arboreal in habits of that group. Their
arms are very long and they have dis
/ tinct ischial callosities, but no tail OF
| cheek pouches. They are found in
| Southeastern Asia and the East Indies
A number of species or. varieties are
known as the siamang, wou-wou and
| hoolock.
O. When was the first piano made?-
T. S.
A. The first pianoforte was made By
CriStofori Of Italy and exhibited in 1909
! At almost the same time a piano was
exhibited in Paris, and similar instru-
ment was claimed to have been con-
structed by the German, Schroeder.
Q. Why did not washington accept
from the French King the large carpet
made for the President?-P. D.
] A. Gifts from foreign powers coulS
not be accepted by the President
Washington, therefore, declined the
carpet. 1t was then sold to Judge Yates
of Lancaster, Pa. 1t is now in the west
parlor at Mount Vernon.
@. What is meant by the expression
Il hold no brief for him"?-G. H.
A. 1t means, in other words, Il dc
not attempt to defend him" 1t is taker
from legal phraseology. A lawyer pre-
pares brief defending the position oi
| his client.
@. When is Hogmanay?-D. S. N.
A. 1t is the last day of the year. Or
that day in Northern England anc
Scotland children go about singing
being rewarded with some gifts, usually
cakes. The word is also applied to the
entertainment of visitors or gifts made
to applicants.
Q. How long ago did Dante nve?-
H. N.
A. He was born in 1865 and died ir
1921.
@. Why do ocean-going vessels have
to be piloted out of New York Harbor?
H. S.
A. The bays have depth Of about &c
feet, while the larger steamships de.
mand 40 feet. Several channels have
! been dredged and cut open, anc
through these the ships are piloted.
@. what was a yellow-dog contract;
H. C. w.
A. 1t was contract sometimes en-.
forced between employers and employs
which the American Federation Of La
Dor denounced as unfair and working
great hardshfps to the laboring man
1t was an obligation which certain en-
ployers compelled their employees to sigr
when entering their employ. stating
that during the period of employment
they would never enter into any nego-
tiations or activities calculated to Upset
the present system of rates of remu-
neration. The contract was aimed t