Evening star., 1946-08-06
BY THE HASKIN sERYICE.

@. How much money is wagered
on horse racing in a year?-T. T. S.
A. In 1s45 over $4,000, 900 persons
wagered approximately 81 500 OOO,-
600 on horse races. Revenues in
taxes in the States permitting pari-
mutuel betting amounted to $70,-
100000, with New York leading.
@. How far in advance can
weather be predicted?-E. E. H.
A. The United States Weather
Bureau and the Army Air Weather
Service make forecasts for six days
IN advance. Experiments are under
way for 30-day predictions.
@. What American holds the
greatest number of honorary de-
grees?-T. B. E.
A. Herbert Hoover reputedly has
the most, the number being so.
@. What was the shortest boxing
contest in history?-P. r. S.
A. The shortest fight on record
took place on May IL, 1910, when
Willard Dean knocked out Claude
Allen in II seconds at Corpus
Christi. Tex.
Q. Why is the design found on
old Paisley shawls called palm
leaf?-N. T. G.
A. The palms of Persia and of
India, where the original Cashmere
shawls were made, are of the type
that is known as the royal palm, the
dropping leaf of which can easily be
conceived as forming the basis for
the leaf so customarily used in the
beautiful India shawls of which the
Paisley shawl is copy.
Q. How and where do comets
originate?-D. @.
A. Their origin is still mystery:
although there are many theories to
explain the sudden appearance of
these heavenly bodies. Today the
general consensus is that probably
all comets belong to the solar system
though many of them move in such
long orbits that the time between
their periodic returns is reckoned by
thousands of years.
@. How long has it been the Gus
tom to transmit orders aboard
naval vessel by means of the boat
swain's pipe?-L. L. r.
A. The custom comes to us from
the British Navy, where it. was in
use as early as the 18th century. On
modern warships the sound of the
pipe is carried over the ship by
means of a loud-speaker system.
@. Is a man considered to be a
deserter if he has been AWOL from
the Army for Is days?-D. Y.
A. Under current Army regula-
tions no absentee is recorded as a
deserter except upon actual convic-
ton of being a deserter by a court
martial. An absentee may or NAV
not be ordered to stand trial for de-
sertion.
@. Can an unmarried veteran
get a loan to build a home under
the provisions of the GI bill?-L. H.
A. The law specifies that a loan
for house must be used for pur-
chasing residential property or con-
structing dwelling to be used as
the veterans home. A single veteran
who wishes to construct home for
his own use should be able to obtain
loan for that purpose.
@. Will the family of deceased
soldier be expected to pay part OF
the expense of bringing his remains
home from Europe?-J. A. B.
A. All expense incurred in bring
ing the bodies of deceased soldiers
back to the United States will be
borne by the United States Govern
ment.
@. We are planning to set up a
bronze plaque bearing the names of
the men who served in World War
II, and would like to know If the
list OF names should be restricted to
those who served until vi day,
|even though the end of the war has
not been officially f1xed?-M. j. v.
A. September 2, 1945, has been
| designated officially as vi day and
is considered the end of actual hos
tilities.
III ..il