Evening star., 1938-04-12
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.


Star Information Bureau, Frederic J.
Haskin, Director, Washington, d. C.
Please fnclose stamp for reply
@. Who is the most prolific living
writer?-W. II. G.
A. Probably there is no one who has
a greater output than Frederick Faust,
who has written under 13 pen names,
the best known Of which Is Max Brand.
In 20 years he has published approxi-
mately 25,000,000 words. His books are
translated into many languages.
@. What percentage OF the people In
Pennsylvania are on relief?-K. M.
A. Latest statistics show that nearly
IS per cent of men, women and children
are living on State and Federal relief.
@. Are gorillas susceptible to the dis
eases of man?-E. G.
A. Gorillas have many OF mans dis
eases, such as pneumonia, ricketts, and
colitis.
@. How many colleges have courses in
marriage?-J. L. K.
A. More than 200 colleges offer courses
in preparation for marriage and home
making.
@. Where is the enormous oak tree
that is used in so many movie love
scenes. the latest being Jezebel?-W. L.
A. The tree was at Hollywood and be-
longed to the Warner Brothers studio
Recently it was destroyed by wind and 1t
required 90 sticks of dynamite to re-
move the remains.
O. When was the first radio set ad-
vertised?-J w. H.
A. The first radio set advertisement
on record appeared in the January 49,
1906, issue of Scientific American.
@. How long does it take to build a
battleship in peacetime?-T. j. G.
A. The Navy Department says that
the average length of time required to
build a battleship during peacetime is
-four years.
@. What were the odds against Jack
Dempsey in his title bouth with Jess Will
lard?-J. F. S.
A. Willard was favorite over Dempsey
at the ringside in Toledo, with odds rang
ing from 8-5 to 81.
Q. Please give the amount Of money
to be spent on the Grand Coulee Damp
F. H. M.
A. The amount spent at Grand Coulee
up to December, 1887, was $4,000 0oO.
The contract for additional construction
awarded January g. 1893, vas s34,442,-
240. The final estimated cost of the dam
and the Columbia Basin irrigation prof.
ect is s4oo ,ooo
@. Who is known as the Snow Baby?-
W. H. j.
A. Marie Peary Stafford daughter of
Admiral Peary. is so called because she
was born in Greenland, farther north
than any other white person in the world
She is the author of a number of books
and articles on living conditions and
exploration in the Arctic.
@. What were Abraham Lincoln's rules
for living?-K. j.
A. Do not worry; eat three square
meals day; say your prayers; be courte-
Gus to your creditors; keep your digestion
good; steer clear of biliousness; exercise;
go SLOW and go easy. Maybe there are
other things that your special case re-
quires to make YOU happy. But, my
friend. these, l reckon, will give you a
good lift.
@. What is a dope story?-W. M.
A. In newspaper parlance. it is story,
usually written under by-lne, that de-
scribes situation and gives opinions of
others as we'll as of the writer concerning
the situation. Many political articles are
ctN ~ L.
alton of fact.
O. Who is the Patron Saint OF Catho-
lie writers?-C. L. S.
A. The Patron Saint of the Catholic
press and Catholic writer's is St. Francis
de Sales.
@. What is duff as applied to forests?-
V.C.
A. Duff is the layer Of dead vegetation
on the forest floor.
O. How long have poisons been recog-
nized?-H w. G.
A. Poisoning the Public" by Russell
c. Erb says: The art of poisoning was
known to primitive man. He dipped his
arrows and his spearheads into toxic
plant Juices and serpent venoms for the
purpose of insuring the fatality of
wounds produced by such weapons. The
first god to whom posons were sacred
was worShipped by the Sumerians as
early as 4500 BIC. The Egyptian priest
hood was acquainted with the poisonous
characteristics of hydrocyanic acid, hy-
oscyamus, aconite and hemlock. Legal
significance was early attached to poisons
as means OF state execution. BY such
means was Socrates removed from public
life. being condemned to drink the poison
hemlock
@. What is the biggest piece of en-
broidery in the world?-E. L. H.
A. 1t is probably the Bayeux Tapestry.
which is literally an embroidery, and is
231 feet long and 20 inches wide. Tradi-
ton says that it was the work of Queen
Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror;
and her maids. 1t depicts scenes of the
Norman Conquest of England and Will
liam the Conqueror's victory at Hastings.
The tapestry is housed in a special build
ing near the Gothic Cathedral of Bayeux.
France. The embroidery is on a back
ground of coarse linen and has preserved
its tints of dark and light blue, red.
green, gray, beige and brown. In 1887
1888 persons visited this historic tap
estry.