Evening star., 1933-12-26
Snow Adds Picturesqueness
to Holiday, Rejecting Bet.
ter Times in D. C.
SEVERAL THOUSANDS
GIVEN FOOD AND SHELTER
Hospitals and Welfare Institutions
Have Big Fetes, Church Services
Extensive and Arrests Few.

Washingtonians were unanimous In
chalking up this Christmas as one of
the happiest and perhaps the most sue
cessful since the depression started. At
least none of the youngsters ventured
to dispute the post-Christmas claim to-
day as the sight of flying snow was all
that was needed to round out perfect
holiday
Looking back over the past few years
of the depression, when funds and
morale were at the lowest. Washing
tonianS felt general satisfaction that
the spirit of Christmas was distributed
in generous measure yesterday to all
who depended upon others for their
share in the joys of the day. With the
first sign of snow and cold the cityS
missions and welfare agencies opened
wide their doors again to shelter sew
erai thousand homeless men and boys
who had received a hearty welcome,
food and comfort on Christmas day.
Police Court CHEEKY.
Even at the Police Court officials ad-
mitted that the Christmas week end
was one of peace and good will on earth
The number of arrests for drunkenness
-ll9-WaS just six higher than last
year
The brunt of another day of relief fell
early this morning upon the workers at
the Salvation Army, the Central Union
Mission Gospel Mission, Volunteers OF
America and other agencies. who were
pretty nearly eaten out of house and
home Yesterday. At all these relief sta
tionS during the day extra efforts were
made to give men shelter from the snow
and cold
While no official statement was issued
the number afforded relief yesterday by
the various welfare agencies Of the city
perhaps euualed any record in previous
years Turkey dinners were served to
approximately 1900 men and boys by
the Volunteers OF America and long
lines formed all day at the door of the
Penny Restaurant Oliver l.. Harr was
host to about 900.
The Central Union Mission had
double celebration. The 40 little boys
and girls in the missions Emergency
Home for Children had the pleasure of
entertaining their parents at a real
Christmas party prepared by Mrs. John
S. Bennett. superintendent Of the home.
There was turkey for dinner candy
and Christmas toys. In the mems de-
partment roast pork dinners were served
to about 600 transientS. The Gospel
Mission and Salvation Army kept open
house during the day and more than
a thousand others were given comfort
and food at these two hospitable
agencies.
Cheerfulness in Hospitals.
Christmas in the hospitals of the
city was marked by cheerfulneSS dis
played by patients as we'll as staff
members. The usual routine was re-
taxed and patients made merry with
presents. At some of the hospitals
large Christmas trees were provided for
those patients who could leave their
rooms.
Visitors from the Washington Fedora
ton of Churches and music clubs
cheered the thousands of hospital pa
tients with old-fashioned Christmas
music and carols At sibley Hospital
the Federation of Churches. Soldiers
Hospital were given presents bv the
Grey Ladies and the Jewish Welfare
Association. Greetings to all the pa
tients we're extended by Surg. Gen.
Robert u Patterson of the Army.
Children's Hospital was the scene of
many merry frolics before Christmas
treats. while at Georgetown, George
Washington and Providence Hospitals
nurses sang carols and gifts were passed
about in generous quantities. Nor were
the hundreds of patients at Emergency,
Casualty, Mount Alto and st. Elizabeth S
Hospitals forgotten by friends and music
clubs.
Services at Churches.
Practically every Protestant and Cath
olc church in Washington had its spe-
cial Christmas service during the day
or on Christmas eve. Congregations as
sembled for union services in different
sections of the city
Washington's fire fighters gave thanks
for day of comparative quiet and rest.
Only "a fire alarms aroused them from
their chairs and beds and one of these
was a false alarm. Only once was a
fire reported that might have been at
tributed directly to the holiday celebra-
ton. That was at the National Boys
Reformatory. where the dining room
ceiling caught fire. None of the 80 fires
in the city was serious.