Evening star., 1922-12-25
President Sets Example by
Dining Quietly With Mrs.
Harding at White House.
NO PUBLIC FUNCTIONS
TO CALL OUT CITIZENS
Chief Executive Sends Greetings to
Disabled Soldiers-Hospitals and
Institutions Remembered.

An OlO-IaSnloneO, quiet CHrlstHldu
was observed today by the President
and Mrs. Harding at the White House.
| and by the nearly 100. 900 other fami-
lies in the National Capital.
Everywhere throughout the city
the genuine spirit Of Christmas pre-
vailed. From the stately rooms Of the
! Executive Mansion to the lowliest
home in town the best sentiments OF
Christmastide filled the hearts of all.
| The capital gave itself over today to
the celebration of Christmas in thu
| home.
There was no public display. With
in doors today. beneath countless
glittering trees. large and small. tha
| message of the Christ-child filled the
hearts of all. as the children and
| their elders gathered for the annual
celebration.
Cabinet Members at Home.
Members of the cabinet and other
high officials of the government spent
| the morning at home with their chill
dren.
1t was not until later. after the
day had frightened and the children
! wanted to beat their drums on the
| streets. that all Washington came
outdoors, and then the streets and
parks began to fill up.
President Harding declared that
disabled war veterans are entitled
| to the utmost assurance that a CRATE
full people stands willing and anxi-
| Gus to do. and will continue to do.
everything possible for them, in
| Christmas message. Sending the
greeting to the Disabled American
Veterans. the President said:
1T is deemed especially fitting that
at the Christmas season the gratitude
of the nation should be extended to
the sick, disabled and manned men
of the country's military service.
| These men are beyond all others the
most sorely tried victims Of the arm
ed service in which they and their
comrades upheld the national security
and vindicated the national honor
Obligation to Veterans.
Our obligation has prompted the
nation to a very considerable dealing
with them, which, it is hoped has been,
in some measure at least. commensu-
rate with the debt owing to them. For
such misfortunes as have come to
thousands of them there can be no
compensations. no adequate requital;
but they are entitled to the utmost
assurance that a grateful people STANDS
willing and anxious to do. and VIII
continue to do everything possible for
them.
That the coming year may bring
them in fullest measure restored
fortune, health and prosperity is the
earnest wish Of the entire nation"
Gen. Pershing, in a Christmas mes
sa ge today, said that the courage and
fortftude of disabled war veterans
would ever be an inspiration to the
nation. which could never be unmindful
of their great sacrifice.
"On this Christmas day i wish to
extend to all of you my warmest
greetings and most cordial good
the national offices here Of the Dis.
abled American Veterans. None OF
US can ever be unmindful Of the great
sacrifices you have made in the serv-
ice of your country, although few
can realize what you have suffered.
Your courage and your fortitude will
ever be an inspiration to us. For tho
coming year, as always, you have my
most earnest thought for your vel
fare and happiness. May it bring its
full measure of health and fortune.
but above everything may it find you
ever brave and resolute in living up
to the highest standards of your war
service.
Weeks Sends Message.
Greetings to the Army were sent by
Secretary Weeks and Maj. Gen. Har-
bord. deputy chief of staff. You are
the guardians and preservers of that
peace and good will which we rever-
ence at this season." said Secretary
Weeks. None deserves to greater
degree the benefits of the pace W
now enjoy, the security of which you
guarantee by your personal service
to the nation"
The government departments closed
until tomorrow and Congress until
Wednesday. Christmas reigned su-
preme throughout the National Cap
ital
At the Washington city post Office,
however. work went on as usual.
thousands of parcels being delivered
during the day. while in the morn
ing the entire staff of letter carriers
made one trip to the residences of
the capital.
Each carrier was loaded down like
a veritable Santa Claus. bearing not
only his share of the letter mail that
came into the city early today, but
also his share of the mail that arrived
yesterday, when there was no deliv-
cry.
Mail Carriers Remembered.
4uS gray -SOdtcu ihcSoSH6 Va GAR
ia Claus were greeted with whoops
and cheers of children as they came
along the streets, and hundreds Of
Christmas presents were given to the
faithful deliverers of the city's mail.
Letter carriers fingered at homes
today, paying no particular attention
this one day to the letter boxes and
door slots at the various home they
served. In the meantime parcel post
trucks were busy delivering thou
sands of late parcels. On many
streets parcels were laid out In rows
and delivered by the workers from
the central piles. The fair weather
proved q big aid.
At the Walter Reed and other hos
pitfalls, at the various missions, settle
ment houses, community houses and
orphan asylums of the city Christmas
was in full swing. A menu fit to place
before the proverbial king was served
at the main mess at Walter Reed
Hospital today. Nobody except the
mess sergeant knows how many
thousand pounds of turkey. potatoes.
how many stalks Of celery. how many
million cigarettes and other things
went to the making of that big feed.
Nobody cares much. either, for 1t was
too good a mess to analyze. But ffs