Evening star., 1938-05-23
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

A reader can get the dnsUer to any
question OF fact by writtno The Ere-
ming Star Information Bureau, Frederic
J. Hasktn, Director, Washington, D. C..
Please inclose stamp for replv
@. What parts Of the United States are
free from ragweed?-M. G.
A. As general rule 1t may be stated
that the Western part of the United
States. the Southern tip Of Florida, and
Northern part Of New England are prac-
tically free from ragweed pollen. In
dividuals who are unusually sensitive
might have slight symptoms in some of
these areas, the only completely free
neighborhoods being the Pacific North
west.
@. Please give the names of some
"a radio 70 personalities who are Catholics
A. A partial list is as follows: Msgr.
Fulton J. Sheen, Father Charles E.
Coughlin, Maj. Edward Bowes. Bing
Crosby, John B. Kennedy, Fred Allen,
Portland Hoffa, Lanny Ross, Jessica
Dragonette, Don and James Ameche and
Morton Downey.
@. Is syphilis known by any other
name?-E. F. s.
A. Syphilis Is also known as the pox,
syph, lues, and by many other names.
@. Please give some particulars about
the Chicago f1re.-M. D.
A. The great fire of Chicago October,
1871, broke out in barn on DeKoven
street The flames could not be con-
trolled because they were famed by a
gale, consequently the fire ragged for
two days over an area Of 2,l00 acres.
Seventeen thousand four hundred and
fifty buildings were destroyed, causing
200 deaths and rendering more than
10000 homeless. Property to the value
of $50, 900 900 was destroyed.
@. What comic strip character ran for
Congress?-W. H. G.
A. In the election of 1924, Andy Gump
ran for Congress and was even unof1-
cially nominated for President.
@. Which of the universal languages
is the most widely used?-H. w. G.
A. Esperanto at present is the most
universally used. 1t is said to have
5O0,0 900 adherents.
@. Where is the oldest copy Of the
"Rubaiyat," by Omar Khayyam?-W.
A. B.
A. The oldest known manuscript,
which is in the Bodleian Library, oxford,
Is dated from Shiraz, All. 865 CAD.
1460).
@. Who was Mayor La Guardia's
father?-E. R.
A. His father, Achilles La Guardia. of
italian origin, was United States band-
master.
@. How many pairs of shoes are made
in the United States?-A. H. w.
A. The estimated output for 1887 was
$50, 100000 pairs.
@. What is sillabub?-P. c.
A. 1t is dish made by mixing wine
or cider with milk, forming soft curd;
also sweetened cream, favored with wine
and beaten to a stiff broth. A sponge
cake with wine and whipped cream is
also so called.
@. Where was Selfridge, the founder
Of the largest department store in Eng
land, born?-R. B.
A. Harry Gordon Selfridge was born
at Ripon, Wis, on January II, 1864
@. How long has sugar cane been
known?-C. L. G.
A. Perhaps the first authoritative
mention of sugar cane is in the records of
the expedition of Alexander the Great
down the Indus River in 325 BIC. Near
chus, an admiral in this expedition,
mentions honey bearing reeds and Dios-
corides, who lived during the time of
Nero, wrote: There is a sort of hard
honey which is called saccharum (sugar)
found upon canes in India. 1t Is grainy
like salt and brittle between the teeth,
but of sweet taste withal.
@. What is the meaning of the initials
v. A. D. as used in an English novel;
M. A. M.
A. The letters v. A. D. stand for VOL
untary Aid Detachment The founder
of the English v. A. D. force is Dame
Katharine Furse. On the outbreak of
the World War in 1914, Furse realized
the inadequacy of the number of nurses
to deal with the situation and in Sep
tember Of that year she went to France
with number of assistants who formed
the nucleus of the " A. D. force. She
returned to England in 1915 and the
v. A. D. work was then officially recog-
nized as a department of the Red Cross
organization.
@. What are the Ten Commandments
of the NaZiS?-A. L. P.
A. Some Of the commandments which
ernment in place of the Ten Command
wants of rb,,rch orc follouc.