Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-29
Huskin's Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Hdsktn.

oH EJCuCJ u =. duShHs
reader can get the unsUer to am
question OF fact By tDritino The EUe.
ming Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. HdsEin, director, Washington,
D. C. Please tnclose stamp for reply.
@. Why are train butchers so calleds
B. D. H.
A. Dispensers of sandwiches, soft
drinks, souvenirs and candy were given
this title in the early days when country
people riding on the trains believed that
the statesmen tried to cheat or butcher
them.
@. How much money does the Amer
lean Society Of Composers, Authors and
Publishers collect In radio royalties?-
J. D. G.
A. In 1889 broadcasters paid s4,3Oo,-
600 in royalties to this organization.
@. What is Hitler's birth date?-E H.
A. Adolf Hitler was born on April 20,
1889.
@. Has the number of espionage cases
handled by the Department of Justice
increased since the war?-L. K. j.
A. N the fiscal year 1888, $50 espio-
mage matters were handled by the Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation, while in
1899 total of 1861 such matters were
received for investigation. During the
fiscal year 1910 a total of 1886 ma
tional defense matters were received
which required investigative activity.
@. Please give the area and popula-
ton of Labrador. r. r.
A. Labrador has an area of 10000
square miles and population of AIS.
Eight hundred of its inhabitants are
Eskimos and the rest are fishermen Of
British descent.
@. Are there any Stradivarius violins
in the Library of Congress at Washing
ton, D. CA. D.
A. The Library of Congress has on de-
post five Stradivarius violins which were
given to the United States Government
by Mrs. Matthew John Whittall.
@. What poem did Francis Scott Key
write while at the home of Gov. Gayle
of Alabama?-J. T.
A. Two poems were written by Key
while he was visiting at the Gayle home.
One was entitled ITO Miss -" and
the other Lines Written in Sarah
Gayle's Album"
@. How many motor vehicles are
owned by the Federal and State gov
ernmentS?-K c. H.
A. Of the 81 ,009 $40 motor vehicles reg
istered in the United States, the Fed
eral Government owns 121 270, and of.
fetal State. county and municipal sgen-
cies Including the District of Columbia)
own 273,5l3, a total of 1894, 789 vehicles.
@. Why is the word punch applied to
a beverage?-J. B. S.
A. Punch is derived from the Persian
word punz, meaning FIVE. The drink was
originally made with five ingredients, ar
rack, lime juice, sugar, spice and rose
water.
@. Who was the author called Pansy?
C. H.W.
A. ."Pansy" was the pseudonym Of a
well-known writer, Isabella (Macdonald)
Alden, who was born in 1841 and died
in 1880.
O. What is clog alrnanac?-E. r. B.
A. This was square piece of wood,
brass or bone about eight inches long,
which might be either hung in room
or fitted into walking stick. 1t was
perpetual almanac, showing the Sum-
days and other fixed festivals. It was
introduced into England by the Danes.
c. Why do so many Baltimore houses
have conspicuous white steps?-L. c. r.
A. 1t is due to the fact that marble
was cheap in the early days, because
there were a number of quarries near
the city. The fashion was started and
has continued to grow. In the poorer
sections where white marble cannot he
used, wooden steps are painted white to
give the same effect.