The Washington herald., 1919-12-26
SPIRIT OF XMAS
REIGNS SUPREME
AT. WHITE HOUSE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

companied BY DR.. Cary T. Grayson.
drove to the Country Club in V!r-
ginia and distributed gifts In me
name of the President among chill
dren along the route.
The President as has been his Gus
tom since his Inauguration. gave to
each member of the White Hous"
force. including executive officers and
policemen. a Christmas turkey.
OF the Presidents executive fam
lily the Vice President is visItin d,
in indianapolis. Secretary of State
Lansing is with relatives at Water
town, n. Y. and Secretary OF the
Treasury Glass is at his old home
at Lynchburg. Va. Other members
of the Cabinet are attending to their
turkey and trimmings" right here
in Washington.
Reed. Soldiers Happy.
Wounded soldiers at Walter Reed
Hospital were happy when the day
ended-that is. in so far as eats"
and Christmas gifts could make
them. The mail from home" was
piled high and several entertain
ments were staged for their benefit.
They were aroused in the morning
by Red Cross nurses singing Christ
mas carols.
The Christmas spirit was brought
to thousands OF couldn't get home
girls" by the Community Service
yesterday at the various clubs
maintained by the organization
The Christmas, festivities included
circus and all kinds of side
shows put on by the Physical Rec
reation Department.
Today tho travelling theater will
give shows for the Riddles at
Neighborhood House and at Friend
ship House. and on Saturday the
schedule calls for stops at Bruen
Home and the tuberculosis Hospi-
tai.
Those unfortunates who spent the
Christmas Day behind the bars at the
District Jail were not forgotten by
Santa Claus. When $50 prisoners
awakened to the realization that
Christmas had arrived. they found
that which undoubtedly recalled
yividly their childhood days-a stock
ing crammed with nuts. candies, ap-
pies. oranges. smoking tobacco and
a new pair of socks:
Envy of Men Freed.
But that was not all. When din
ner time arrived 1t brought with It
regular Christmas dinner that
would have brought envy to the eyes
of other unfortunates who were re-
leased during the past week could
they have seen it. Roast turkey
of course-and fashioned dressing
with spiced gravy. cranberry sauce,
mashed potatoes, celery. bread. cof-
fee. milk. fruit. pudding and assert
ed cakes.
One thousand stockings were dis
trihuted among children at the Dis
trict Fairgrounds.
Even "Old Dobbin' was not for
gotten. An extra big feed of choice
corn and oats was passed out by
tn" Animal Rescue League.
The Jacob Jones Post of the Amer
lean Legion played Santa Claus to
the children of Brnen Home. dis
tributing a large truckload of par
GELS.
Even JaiIs Cheered.
One thousand socks and 10 work
bags were distributed to patients at
hospitals and inmates of the District
almsEOuse and Jail by volunteers at
Trinity Community House. Well-fn-
ed h""k"fS were sent to the families
OF prisoners at the District workhouse
anu rrformatoTS
Clothing. toys. candy and fruit We're
provided for another thousand chill
dren by workers of the Christ Child
Society.
The thermometer of prosperity-the
postoffice-belied any charges of hard
times" that might be made. by break
ing. all previous records in the ham
ding of day before Christmas mail
and parcel post packages.
The congestion and hustle at the
postoftice was in decided contrast TO
the scene presented at Union Station.
Few Travellers.
Soldiers and war. workers. who
crowded the station to capacity this
time last year. were not in evidence
yesterday. Only those whose business
could not wait were travelling yester-
day.
Instead of the long lines that last
year stood in front Of the baggage
windows pushing and hurrying to Sc
cure their checks, only a stray trav-
eler paused now and then to check his
valuables in leisurely and decidedly
bored manner.
The Christmas activities of the
Y. NJ. c. A. in Washington included
celebrations at Eagle Hut, Liberty
Hut and Walter Reed Hospital Hut.
The "Y" workers were hosts to a
large number OF service and ex-
service men at the three huts.