Evening star., 1931-12-23
HOOVER CHILDREN
HOSTS At PARTY
Two Hundred Guests Will
Bring Toys to Be Distrib.
uted to Poor.

Peggy Ann and Herbert Hoover, Sd,
the Presidents grandchildren, whose ar
rival here for the holidays has SO en-
| livened the White House, will act as
hosts this afternoon at Christmas par
ty to be attended by more than zoe
small children.
1t is the biggest social task in the
careers of the two children, whose COM
bined years total nine.
These happy youngsters can hardly
wait for O'Clock, the time set for the
beginning Of their party. Their excite
| ment, however, did not prevent them
from being on hand 10 breakfast with
their grandfather, after which they &C
companied him on his walk from the
White House TO the executive offices.
The chlldren'S party will b. held in
! the east room, but it is expected that
before it is all over the youngsters will
have taken in virtually all of The White
House. All sorts of games and enter
tainment have been planned, and there
is to be Santa Claus who will receive
the presents the young guests have been
asked to bring with Them. These will
'
ed among the needy.
| President Goes Shopping.
! 1t is evident that President Hoover
reliSheS the grandfather role in which
he has so happily found himself with
/ the arrival of the children yesterday.
Yielding to this spirit, Mr. Hoover
temporarily put aside everything re-
sembllng business and went Christmas
! shopping yesterday afternoon. He
wanted to select personally some toys
| for Peggy Ann and Herbert, 3D. who
is effectionately called Peter. They had
confided in him lots of things they want
| Santa Claus to bring them. and he had
some ideas of his own in this connec-
| ton.
Forewarning no one outside of the
White House, the President entered
| upon this expedition Immediately after
| luncheon. His first intention was to
go alone, at least with only his Secret
| Service guard, but on second thought
he suggested that some of the family
| accompany him in case he forgot some
thing Consequently he had the as
Sistance of Herbert, jr., and Allan, his
two sons, and Peggy, Herbert, jr.'s wife
When the shopping party returned
to the White House, more than an hour
afterWard, the President had enjoyed
all the thrills that go with eleventh.
hour buying during rush period rub
bing shoulders with holiday shopping
crowds lingering all sorts of children's
| toys and games, and finally in Juggling
home quantity of bundles
Toys Were First Purchase.
On this expedition the President jos
tied through the crowds of four stores
including a 5-and-10-cent store. AS
might be expected, the President abroad
in this democratic fashion created con-
siderable excitement among the clerks
and those shoppers who recognized him
For the most part, though, he was un-
recognized More than one excited and
intent bundle-laden shopper rubbed
against him without being aware of
who he was.
At the first stop the President led
the little group directly to the toy de-
partment 1t probably will be long
time before Miss Rose Newton, extra
on the President there, RECEIVERS from
the experience.
She said afterward Mr. Hoover acted
just like any other male shopper and
made her feel perfectly at ease, but
just the same she couldn't help feeling
nervous. The President bought two
pairs of roller skates and toy air.
plane from her
While strolling about the toy de-
partment, the President encountered
Herman Brandtz, who plays the role
of Santa Claus at the department
store, and who has been making the
children of Washington happy for gen.
erationS. The President shook hands
with the man. who informed him that
he remembered Abraham Lincoln.
Allan Acts as Banker.
The presidential party then went to
three other stores, including the five
and-ten. His purchases at these stores
included a miniature electric stove. a
cooking set. a child's kitchen cleaning
set, several dolls. half dozen games.
paints and crayons. musical top, half
g dozen figures of reindeer. dogs and
other animals, picture books and min
iature war tank
Allan Hoover served as the bank on
this expedition and it was he who paid
for the articles as they were selected.