Evening star., 1933-03-06
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

This y . special department devoted
solely to the handling Of queries. This
paper puts ut your disposal the services
Of an extensive organization In WASH
ington to serve you In any capacity that
relates to Information. This service Is
free. Failure to make use of It deprives
you Of benefits to which you are en-
titled. Your obligation Is only three
cents in coin or stamps inclosed with
your inquiry for direct reply. Do not
use post cards. Address The Evening
Star Information Bureau, Frederic j.
Haskin, Director, Washington. D. G.
@. How many people in the United
States are homeless At the present
time?-M. T.
A. The National Committee on Care
Of Transient and Homeless says that ap-
proximately ESQ, 900 people are without
homes or are wandering about the
country.
@. Before prohibition did the United
States Government take the entire out
put Of . distillery and hold It until Of
proper age for use2-T. H.
A. The Government concerned itself
only with supervision Of storage and
sale for the collection Of the revenue.
Q. What is the salary of the President
Of the Irish Free Stated. 8. M.
A. He receives an annual salary Of
$500 pounds sterling.
Q. When were gases nrst used in
warfare?-T. v.
A. The earliest recorded use Of suf-
locating gases in military operations
was at the siege of the cities of Plataea
and Belium in the war between the
Athentans and the Spartans, about 43l
BIC. Here sulphur was burned and the
fumes were employed to harass the
enemy.
@. What has become Of st. Gaudens'
Summer home at Cornish N. H.?-L. b.
A. st. GaudenS died In 1907. His
studies at Cornish have been converted
into Memorial Museums which are open
to the public during Summer months.
Until the death Of Mrs. st. Gaudens, In
1926, she maintained the Cornish estate
as q public memorial to her husband; !;
since then 500, 900 has been raised for
. maintenance fund by people contrib
uting from IS cents to $4,000. This
enabled the trustees to obtain title to
tie property under the will of Mrs. St.
Gaudens. In May, 1927, the st. Gau-
denS homestead estate was accepted
for the State Of New Hampshire by the
trustees Of the st. Gaudens Memorial.
@. Is the word carlton given an Eng
lish pronunciation?-W. A.
A. 1t may be. 1t is pronGa.Sed -
spelled karilon.
Q. How much metal money has been
min at hA r. for n$vyC
L. r. S.
A. The total amount coined at the
mints since organization to the close Of
business December 81, 1881, was S6,013.-
973. .286.26. The total number of pieces
coined was 11,619,s07,55l.
@. Why Is the diamond usually Sc
lected for the stone In An engage
ment ring?-N. w.
A. Its beauty, costliness and dura =
bility are some of the reasons. but
there are other stones which would fill
these requirements In the Middle
Ages the belief was current that the
diamond was q peacemaker between
husband and wife.
@. How long has Mendels law Of
plant breeding been known?-C. H.
A. The scientific breeding of plants
through the production Of hybrids has
as its basis Mendels law. first pub
lished in 1855. but passed unnoticed
until about 1901.
@. What Is peach blow waree-
8. A. G.
A. Peach blow ware Is the most
valuable Of Chinese pottery. It be-
longs to the Chinese potteries which
are transmutation glazes embracing .
type Of fame color. These glazes Diff
fer from red to . delicate pink, which
is peach blow. Peach blow products
have realized prize amounts In sales