Evening star., 1933-12-25
PRESIDENT HANDS
I G|F rs TO SERVANTS
Children Among White House
Party Guests-Executive's
Mother Participates.
by the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt, aided by his
family, played Santa Claus to White
House policemen, chauffeurs, servants
and all their families yesterday at one
of the most remarkable Christmas par
ties ever seen in the Executive Mansion.
For nigh onto 80 years" some of the
guests have been giving service around
the Executive Mansion and they said
they never had seen anything like this
party of theirs.
stretched hands of children, of police
men, tiny wagons, dolls, horses and
autos.
His aristocratic mother, Mrs. James
Roosevelt. of Hyde Park, beamed as she
worked at top speed handing out pres
ents. The Presidents wife, his daugh-
ter, Anna, and the grandchildren, Sistie
and Buzzie Dali, helped spread the
Christmas cheer, the two children help
ing, when chance offered, in the pack
age dispensation.
Adults Also Remembered
Adults, as well as children, were re-
membered with something to make
them happier al Yuletide Dick Jervls,
head of the White House Secret Service
and police force, led the 48 snappy
looking White House police, their wives
and children, about l25 in all, up the
grand stairway. They remained mere
than half an hour. The chauffeurS
came soon afterward.
First time a policeman's kind ever
had a Christmas tree in the White
House and got a present from the hand
Of the President of the United Statesl"
said JerviS.
Not only did the President hand out
gifts, but he asked interested questions
about the families Of the men who serve
him each day.
They we're picked policemen, carefully
chosen chauffeurs-men of heavy re-
sponsibilities and proud records. whose
first duty in life is guarding the Presi-
dent of the United States and his family
and they grinned their pleasure at being
received as personalities as well as
wearerS of the uniforms.
Capt. Dalrymple of the White House
police has been there more than 80
years, eyeing all who step within the
executive omces. all who come to formal
receptions. Lieut.. Larry Seaman was
an old timer too-and all the rest were
seasoned men.
Among the dozen chauffeurs. who see
that every car in the White House
garage Is polished every night-a shin
ing sight-were Francis Robinson. who
has driven six Presidents, and Monte
Schneider, who now drives nobody but
President Roosevelt.
Schneider was the Presidents old
chauffeur before he came to Washing
ton. once during the campaign. when
Monte's wife was sick, the President
detoured the whole campaign cavalcade
to pay her a visit at her home.
Chauffeur Brings Family.
Chauffeur Boots" Miller chuckled as
his family Of five children trooped past
the first family. He was also handed a
gift for the baby at home.
Even more intimate than the police
and chauffeurs' party was the servants
party. McDufie, the Presidents valet
for many years, was there. His wife is
among the maids Ida Allen. chief
cook. who like Mac" also came down
from New York with the Roosevelts,
was another guest. The four doormen,
known to all White House callers the
buffers who serve the state dinners,
the maids, the cooks and the cleaners
each came to be greeted by the Presi-
dent and his wife.
There was touch of pathos. Miss
ing was Mary Foster, Mrs. Roosevelt's
personal maid, who helped her wrap
Christmas packages yearly and who had
been working on this years holiday
gifts when she became fatally i'll. Mary
left gay presents behind her for this
Christmas eve. In Mary'S place at the
White House has come Mabel Haley,
who worked for Mrs. Roosevelt during
the World War when Franklin RooSe-
welt was Assistant Secretary of the Navy.