Evening star., 1939-11-29
Hoskin's Answers
To Readers Questions
By Frederic J. HdSktn.

~ FTeder1c J. H1Sktn.
A reader can get the ansDer to any
question of fact by priting The Eue-
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. HaSktn. director, Washtngton,
D. c. Please tnclose stamp for reply.
q. How many members has the oldest
fraternity in the United States?-
L. K. G.
A. Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776
at the College of William and Mary, has
membership Of $4,000.
@. Why are the tires of Admiral
Byrds snow cruiser smooth instead Of
having treads2-C. Ed.
A. The tires have no non-skid tread.
as the eight square feet of ground con-
tact give sufficient traction The sur.
face in the Antarctic over which these
large-size, low-pressure tires will operate
is not glare ice or melting snow, but hard,
fine, crystal snow, like sand.
Q. Who first practiced artificial
breeding Of animals7-J. E. B.
A. The first experiments in artificial
breeding were made by Dr. William
Harvey in England during the 18th
century.
@. What Is the weekly motion pic
ture attendance in the United States?-
F.. c.
A. The average weekly attendance of
film theaters in 1888 was 8500o,0O0
Q. Please give the amount Of con-
crete that has been used In building the
Grand Coulee Dams. T. B.
A. A total Of 100000 cubic yards Of
concrete have now been placed in the
DAM. Specifications call for approxi-
mately 25ooo,0o0 cubic yards more to
finish the mammoth structure.
Q. Why was Earl Browder, the Com
munist leader, imprisoned during the
World War?-A. B.
A. Earl Browder was arrested In
Olathe Kans., in 1917 after expressing
his opposition to the selective Army
draft. He was sentenced to q year in
jail for refusing to register Later he
was indicted for conspiracy to resist the
operation OF the draft law, and was
sentenced to two years in the Federal
Prison at Leavenworth
@. What was the name of the play in
which Rudy Vallee portrayed a World
War veteran and Ann Harding the
woman who saved him from suicide?-
r. D.
A. The play, which was broadcast
on Rudy Vallee's program, was entitled
Until Tomorrow by Milton Geiaer.
@. Who is the patron saint of
gardens or fowers?-M B.. j.
A. st. Dorothea, who was martyred
under Diocletian.
O. Is it true that there is one car
for every 10 people in New York?-C. K.
A. In 1898 there was one passenger
car for every 104 persons.
Q. When one pays s375 for book at
the store can you tell me how this price
is divided among the dealer, the publish
er and the author?-B. X
A. The average division of the selling
price of $3.75 would be about as follows:
Dealers share, $780, making and mar
keting, sl3l; authors royalty, 80 cents
leaving profit of 81 cents to the pub
Usher. If the sales of such book pass
10000 copies the profit to the publisher
and the author would be slightly in
creased, but the dealers share would re-
main the same.
O. Who wrote the popular song, Sun
rise Serenade?"-H. w. j.
A. frankie Carle composed the music
of Sunrise Serenade" and Jack Law
renee wrote the words.
O. How long has the word realtor been
used?-M. Z.
A. In 1916 the National Association Of
Real Estate Boards adopted as its official
membership designation the coined term
realtor.
@. If the President-elect should die,
who would become President at the be-
ginning of the term for which he was
elected?-L. G. D.
A. The 10th amendment provides that
In this case the Vice President-elect
shall become President.
@. Who were the Three Fates?-M.
TB.
A. They were Clotho, who spun the
thread of life; Lachesis, who traced the
fate Of man, and Atropos, who cut. the
thread of life with the shears of destiny.
@. Please give list OF some famous
men who were known as fathers OF some
historic event or phase of endeavor-
L. G.
A. partial list is as follows Father
of English History, the Venerable Bede;
Father OF Medicine. Hippocrates; Father
of His Country, George Washington;
Father of English Pottery, Josiah Wedg-
wood; Father of History, Herodotus:
Father of Comedy, Aristophanes; Father
of Angling, Izaak Walton; Father of
Epic Poetry Homer; Father of the Faith
full, Abraham: Father of Greek Tragedy.
Aeschylus.
@. Are all antelopes small?-F. K. R.
A. They vary in size from the pygmy
duikerbok gazelles, only a foot tall. to
huge ox-like species, such as the eland,
which sometimes attain a weight of $500
pounds.