Evening star., 1940-08-08
Hoskin's S Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. HdSkin.

By Frederic J. Haskin. {
A reader can get the ansper to any
question OF fact By tcrittng The EDe--
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Hdskin, director, Washington,
Z D. c. Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. Was George Washington present
at the laying Of the cornerstone of the
White House in 1792?-L. G.
A. The records show that he was In
Philadelphia at that time.
@. Can elephants swim7-L J.
A. The elephant, In spite Of Its ap-
parent clumsiness, is a thoroughly con.
fident swimmer and likes the water.
Q. How many people suffer from
trichinosis?-T L.
A. The United States Public Health
Service estimates that 21,00o,0 900 Amer
leans are affected by this disease which
IL caused by wormlike parasites In under
cooked pork products.
Q. What is the highest automobile
road in the East?-K. W.. F.
A. 1t is said to be the new highway
to the top of Mount Mitchell in North
Carolina, which ascends 1884 feet.
@. Please explain the meaning Of the
term diplomatic immunity."-R A. S.
A. Diplomatic immunity means free
dom from arrest, taxation, payment Of
customs charges, and submission to po.
lice regulations, usually accorded to
diplomatic agents, their families and
servants.
@. What are grunions?-R. H. N.
b. A. They are small fish resembling
medium sized sardines and related to
smelts. They lay their eggs in the sand
along the coast of Southern California
where they are found in abundance.
Here grunion hunting is a favorite
sport and they are caught in flour sacks
after they have been washed ashore.
Formerly they were captured with me-
chanical devices such as metal screens,
but a State law now forbids catching
this fish with anything but human
hands and feet.
@. Who discovered that f1eas could be
trained?-S. H.
A. Training feas is the hobby of
Prof J. c. Ruhl of New York Fleas can
be Hai0d to dance, draw chariots, throw
object2 many times their own weight,
etc. The first trained fleas were exhibited
by ofsRuhl's grandfather in 1921.
Q. Are there any national cemeteries
on Long Island?-H. M. B.
A. There j. only one, the Long Island
National Cemetery at Farmingdale.
@. Is there any estimate of the total
amount of money earned by students
who are working their way through
college?-J. K. L.
A. Clarence E. Lovejoy, of Columbia
University, says that half of the men and
one-fifts of the women enrolled in the
Nations colleges are self-supporting in
whole o. part. He estimates their total
earnings at s32,5oo,ooo year.
@. Who is the Old Timer on Station
WRC?-T. c.
A. This program is broadcast by Lee
Everett. ...
@. Does the Government maintain a
home for women who served as nurses
in the World War?-G. F. B.
A. The Veterans Administration has
three homes which have special domi-
ciliary quarters for women: Bay Pines,
Fla; Dayton, Ohio, and Los Angeles.
Calf.
@. What States grow the most
pecans?-J. D. M.
A. The six leading pecan States are
Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Alabama.
@. Please give the origin of the ex-
preston Eat, drink, and be merry
H. p
A. Soul, thou hast much goods laid
up for many years; take thine ease, eat,
drink and be merry" Luke, xii1e.
Then commended mirth, because q
man hath no better thing under the sun,
than to eat, and to drink, and to be
merry" Ecclesiastes, Wills.
@. In what year was the act passed
by which the Government paid farmers
to kill their hogs?-E. NIX.
A. The Agricultural Adjustment Act
under which the emergency hog control
program was instituted was approved
May II, 1888.
Q. How old is the organization known
as the Kings Daughters?-R. M. M.
A. The International Organization of
the Kings Daughters and Sons was or
ganized in New York City in 1880, by a e
group of undenominational women. At
first only women were admitted, but
later boys and men. The insignia is q
Maltese cross of silver with the letters
I.H.N. Qn His Name, the motto of the
organization)
@. Please give the age and birthplace
Of Judge Robert p. Patterson, the new
Assistant Secretary of War.-K. T. w.
A. Judge Patterson is 40 years old
and Is native of Glens Falls, N. Y.
@. Where is the largest sodium vapcr
lighting system in the world?-L. M. N.
A. 1t is that which is being installed
in New York City consisting of 1900
lights spaced along the SO miles of the
Belt Parkway in Brooklyn and Queens.
The AGENCY