Evening star., 1938-05-20
ANSWERST TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

BY FREDERIC J. HASxlN.
A reader can get the onsuer to any
question OF fact by uriting The Epe-
ming Star Information Bureau, Frederic
J. Hasktn. Director. Washington. D. C.
Please anclose stamp for reply.
@. Did the late DR.. William Alanson
White believe In euthanasia?-C. H. w.
A. In his book. William Alanson
White the Autobiography Of Purpose"
the noted psychiatrist says: II be-
lieve that the physician should never
abandon his role Of trying to salvage
human life and health. It can be seen
thus that I do not believe in euthan-
ASIA
@. Who wore the first silk hose7-
L. H.
A. Henry the Eighth Of England wore
the first knitted silk stockings. His first
pair came from Spain. Queen Elizabeth
Of England wore the first pair Of silk
stockings knitted on the machine in
vented by the Rev. William Lee.
@. Does the Golden Rule appear in
any writings besides the Bible?-H. K.
A. The so-called Silver Rule Of Con-
fucius is negative statement of the
same: What you do not like when done
to yourself, do not do to others" 1t
has been said that he gave the rule only
in a negative form to give force to
positive statement.
@. How old is the Crop Reporting
Service of the United States Department
of Agriculture?-A. F.
A. The Crop Reporting Service was
inaugurated in May. 1863, by Isaac
Newton, first commissioner of agrl-
culture. appointed by President Lincoln
in 1862. Commissioner Newton was
master farmer of his day and an expert
menter with many now standard crops.
@. Why is 1t considered unlucky to
spill salt?-C. N.
A. The ancient Greeks and Romans
used salt in their sacrifices, and II it
were spilled this was considered an i'll
omen. 1t is this same superstition that
caused Leonardo da Vinci in the Last
Supper" to place before Judas 1scariot
an overturned salt cellar.
@. How big is the largest parachutse
&C. H. M.
A. The largest parachute ever made
was 80 feet in diameter and contained
1000 yards of pure silk.
@. Is there a real Beale street for
which w. c. Handy named his "Beale
Street Blues?"-R. S. D.
A. Beale street in Memphis, Tenn. is
where the composer wrote and first
played the blues. Handy Park for
Negroes on that street is named in
his honor.
@. What is Sophie fuckers real name?
F. w. C.
A. The real name of the actress is
Sophie Abuza.
@. Are there any town criers In the
United States?-C. H. Y.
A. Amos Emanuel Kubik. the official
town crier of Provincetown. Mass. is
the only one in the United States
On his daily rounds he wears Pilgrim
costume with wide-brimmed black hat
and brogans with large buckles. He
calls out items Of local news. the tides,
time and weather, and official and
commercial announcements. These are
prepared for him by civic organization
known as the Town Criers of Province
town. The town. crier tradition has
survived in Provincetown for almost
200 years.
@. On what occasion did former Gov.
AL Smith say Hello. old potato to
President Roosevelt?-V. A. v.
A. The expression was used by Alfred
E. Smith at the Democratic State Con-
vention at which Gov. Herbert H.
Lehman YVES nominated.
@. Please give the names Of some
books that have won the Atlantic
Monthly Press Prize for non-fiction.-
K r. M.
A. Grandmother Browns Hundred
Years." by Harriet c. Brown. won the
prize in 1929; Forty Miners" by Prof.
Archer Butler Hubert d93D; Poor
Splendid Wings: The Rossettis and Their
Circle" by Frances Winwar 0933) and
"Old Jules" by Mari Sandoz 1885.
@. Did Thurston send a message to
a group of spiritualists on the ami
versary of his death?-C. j. H.
A. The magician had promised that
if there were life after death, he would
return and shatter a glass case con-
tanning figure of Rameses II. On the
anniversary of his death. number of
spiritualists surrounded the glass case
and waited in vain for the message.
@. How long have the healing proper
ties of the waters at Hot Springs, Ark,
been known?-R. NJ E. ,
A. Tradition says that their curative
properties were known to the Indians
long before the Spanish explorations;
that they warred for them, finally max
ing an agreement whereby all tribes
had access to the springs. They were
probably known to De Soto and were
visited about 1900 by French hunters
and by members Of the Lewis and Clark
expedition in 1928. In 1882 Congress
created reservation to prevent ex-
ploitation Of the waters for private
gain. but litigation ensued which vas
not ended until Supreme Court &C.
cision in 1876. '
pared to results in other Americ"'!