Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-23
CAPITAL GREETS
SANTA WITH SONG
Hundreds of Churches and
Sunday Schools Render
Christmas Carols.

| Washington was in the midst today of
the greatest singing Christmas" OBJ
servance the National Capital has ever
known.
Begun in hundreds of churches and
sunday school halls early yesterday, the
| rolling chorus of carols will continue
throughout the day and night at
numerous Christmas celebrations,
eliminating tomorrow evening in the
picturesque open air services about the
1929 national community Christmas
tree In which thousands will Join.
| As a signal for the final rush of
Christmas preparations, a large proper
ton OF Washington's population will be
released at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon
from Federal and District Government
buildings, happy in their rejoicing over
the extra holiday extended to them. Not
until Thursday morning will the depart
ments reopen.
Capitol Building Deserted.
Although the Capitol Building was
practically deserted today, Congress
having voted itself a Christmas present
OF two-week vacation, that EQUALLY
famous building at the other end Of
FennSylVania avenue, the White House,
Was pushing with Christmas activity
PRESIDENT and Mrs. Hoover, like so
many other parents in Washington, are
getting ready for a merry but simple
family observance. Their son Allan
welcomed back from Harvard. will be
their principal reason for rejoicing. al
though the patter of grandchildren's
Ieet Is not to be heard in the White
Rouse this Christmas. Herbert Hoover.
Jr. and his family are spending Christ
mas In their distant Pasadena home.
In anticipation of q day of rest and
enjoyment, President Hoover has called
on the usual Tuesday press conference
Omclally, Washington will be a dull and
probably eventless Capital tomorrow.
President Greets War Veterans.
While the President Is naturally busy
with many matters of public interest
which cannot be put of, he found time
TO dispatch a message to the disabled
veterans OF the World War In the hos
pitfalls OF the country to assure them
that their Nation in its holiday season
had not forgotten those who fought for
1t in a time of need.
Mrs. Hoover paused in the midst of
Christmas tree trimming and household
preparations this morning to lend her
presence and encouragement to the
faithful workers Of the Central Union
Mission whose Christmas party at the
Fox Theater the First Lady" attended.
She took delight in the greetings ac-
corded her by the 1000 or more under
privileged children who were the for
tunate guests Of the mission, and Joined
with superintendent and Mrs. John s.
Bennett in passing out the first gifts Of
"kiddy bags" to eager. outstretched
hands
In preparation for the ceremonious
lighting of the 1929 national COM
munity Christmas tree, troops Of Girl
Scouts at o'clock this afternoon vol
unteered their aid in trimming the
giant spruce, located south Of the
Treasury IN Sherman Square. The
ceremonies around the tree tomorrow
evening. symbolizing all the living
Christmas trees of the Nation, will
serve as Washingtons official obServ-
ance of the holiday.
Announcement was made TODAY that
the carol singing, in which President
and Mrs. Hoover will participate, will
be broadcast over coast-to-coast net
work OF the National BroadcaSting Co.
system.
Tree Trimmers Are Chosen.
Girls chosen to trim the tree this
afternoon are from nine troops of Girl
Scouts In the city, as follows: Troop 8.
Lillian King, Dorothy Reynolds: Troop;
IL, Mary Catherine McGinn, Lulu
Lewis; Troop Is, Betty Becker; Troop
81, Mildren johnson, Lillian Halves,
Katherine Miller, Pauline Miller, Mar
garet Muehlhaus, Elizabeth Roach:
Troop 65, Agnes Rosalie; Troop "a,
Shirley Thompson; Troop Al, Peggy
Lucas Frances Shields, Barbara MouI-
ton. and Troop 81, Carol zens, Eileen
Killman.
Plans for the celebration of Christ
mas day call for community singing
throughout the city on q scale greater
than ever known before in Washington.
Groups Of singers will 60 from house to
house in many neighborhoods and at
all the theaters this evening there will
be singing Of carols. Through the CO.
operation Of the local musicians union,
there also will be q carol program in
all theaters, hotels and cafes on Christ
mas eve.
The music committee for the Ma
tional Community Christmas tree cell
ebration, Of which Mrs. Joseph M. Stod-
dard Is chairman, requests that Junior
High School students and all carol
singers attending the lighting Of the
tree enter the Enclosure in Sherman
Square from the north end. It also is
requested that parents see that the
young carolers are warmly clad and
wear overshoes in case the ground
should be damp tomorrow evening.
Carol Programs Planned.
Girl Reserves OF the Y. w. C. A. will
sing carol programs under direction of
Miss Lucy Street, at 1890 O'Clock to-
morrow afternoon. in the Federal
American National Bank. At 4:3O
| O'Clock tomorrow there will be a Christ
mas program at the American Associa-
| ton Of University Women, with the
Tuesday Evening Club giving a recital
OF carols. Neighborhood House Boy
scouts VIII sing carols in the streets in
connection with the Christmas Eve OBJ
servance in Southwest Washington.
When President Hoover touches the
button to light the tree at sos o'clock
tomorrow evening, a fare will be the
signal for other community celebra-
tons throughout the city to commence.
AT Chevy Chase Circle, however, the
program will begin at Sis o'clock, with
all civic and public organizations of
mat community united in q program.
Other celebrations tomorrow evening
will be held in Petworth, at Sherman
Circle, in Columbia Heights, Wesley
| Heights. Cleveland Park and by the
| Friendship Citizens Associations.
| Girl Reserves will take part in the
usual Christmas eve celebration at
| Childrens Hospital, Noel House and
the various orphanages and other pub
| lie institutions Of the city.
AT Saks & Co.'S store Christmas
morning 100 boys will be provided with
overcoats as gift from the store,
custom started years ago by Isaac Cans.
Washington's various missions also are
making preparations for the distribu-
ton Of free dinners and baskets Of
food to poor families throughout the
city.
Mrs. Hoover TO Give Basket.