Evening star., 1934-01-31
PRESIDENT THANKS !
NATION FOR G|FTS'
Celebrates Happiest Birth
day, Marked by 5000
Parties, Greetings.

President Roosevelt looked back to- |
day on what he described as the hap |
piest birthday anniversary he had ever
known-a birthday anniversary marked
by quarter of million greetings, |
six thousand parties and a presidential
address to the Nation.
For him there was mixed in both
the memories of what proved rollick-
ing party with his "buddies of 1920"
and greater still, in his Cwn words. the
pleasure of tribute through me to
the stricken ones of our great national
family"
The greetings, by mail and wire,
came from the far corners of the
Nation and the world, extending to the
President the happiest of birthdays on
the SD anniversary. The parties had
the dual purpose of celebration and
creating a fund for the treatment of
infantile paralysis victims. The Pres
idential broadcast was message of
thanks to the well-wishers and donors
to the Warm Springs Foundation Fund.
Study Piled With Gifts.
Aside from the greetings, the White
House study also was piled high with
gifts. Cakes were in abundance, from
p 25O-pounder down.
The birthday balls ranged from gay
and brilliant spectacle at the Snoreham
Hotel, attended by approximately $500
persons TO a little Gathering
an Illinois hamlet. The proceeds from
all these affairs went to the Warm
Springs Foundation, which the PreSl-
dent himself formed after he had be-
gun at the Georgia spa his fight back
to health. The Negroes of the South
watched the white folks enthusiasm
and held their own Roosevelt parties
Added to the money pouring into the
fund from the proceeds of the birthday
parties were individual contributions,
one of them gift of $4,000.
The United States Senate sent its
formal greetings to the President,
adopting resolution offered by SEN
ator Robinson of Arkansas, the Demo-
cratic leader. The House also took
similar action.
The great central hall on the second
floor of the White House was the scene
of the Presidents own birthday party.
Gathered with him were those who
have met with him yearly since his un-
successful drive for the vice presidency
in 1920.
Stunts" were staged for the small
group that took part. Mrs. Roosevelt
and several feminine members of the
White House staff looked in for a
while, but later the celebration was
made stag" party.
1t was from this private party that
the President excused himself to ad-
dress to the Nation his thanks for more
than 250,000 messages of happy birth
day" and for the national campaign
to aid stricken children that he saw
blossoning from the 5000 birthday balls
throughout the country.
Gives Thanks for Help.
Into a microphone the President gave
thanks for the contributions to the
gospel for the care and cure of Grip
pied children in every part of this
kindly land"
Il thank you, but 1 lack the words
10 tell you,' he said, how deeply I
appreciate what you have done.
This, to me, is the happiest birthday 1
have ever known"
Throughout the day the White House
had hummed with activity. In loaded
r1ail trucks, by mixers, marathon run
rcrs and from visiting delegations, The
messages OF greetings arrived in an
:uundating pile. Two messenger boys
were required to carry a telegram
Agned by 10000 citizens of Alabama.
White House attaches said the quarter
of million letters and kilograms broke
even the Executive Mansion record for
mail, set last Christmas.
Mrs Roosevelt and her daughter, Mrs.
Anna Dali, left the private White House
party half hour before midnight to
attend Washingtons happy birthday
BALI at the Shoreham. There, the First
Lady lighted the candles on 14-foot
high cake, after listening to her hus-
bands broadcast of thanks from the
White House
Mrs. Wilson Present.
In the group that encircled the cake
were many notables, among them Mrs.
Woodrow Wilson, widow of the war
President, gowned in black.
Mrs. RooSevelt's entrance was spec
tacular. The orchestra struck up that
old campaign song Happy Days Are
mere again. anu tIIell s"uiS n.y. Viie
schoolday lyric, Happy Birthday to
YOU" and ended with the national
anthem.
The damned Hobbies of the Shore
ham cheered and applauded vocifer-
ously as Mrs. Roosevelt and her party
made their way through an aisle
cleared for them by Brig. Gen. William
E. Horton, chairman of the Floor Com
uittee.
With Mrs. Roosevelt in the party
which proceeded down the steps into
the main ball room, where she had the
central table, was her daughter, her
friends, Nancy Cook and Marion Dick
erman; her secretary, Mrs. Melvina
THOMPSON Schneider; the Presidents
secretary, Miss Margaret LELAND, and
Mrs. John r. Williams, veteran spon