Evening star., 1937-10-06

White House long ago adopted that
designation for the resting place for
such gifts.
These gifts received in large guam
titles almost daily at the White House,
are widely varied in nature Most of
them are what might be described as
handmade" or home made" articles
of handicraft which some ardent ad-
mirer in some remote section of the
country has sent, generally with an
admiring note, to either the President
or his wife.
Return Valuable Gifts.
Mr.. and Mrs. Roosevelt, like most
of their predecessors in the executive
mansion, have followed a strict policy
of returning all presents of any real
intrinsic value. But, also like the
prior occupants, Mr.. and Mrs. Roose-
welt have been happy to accept the
many little and inexpensive remem-
brances and tokens of appreciation
rendered them. They both make it a
strict rule to acknowledge personally
all gifts they feel they cah keep.
That, in itself, is something Of
task when it is remembered the Chief
Executive has many more pressing de-
mands on his time. But, the real task
is to find a place to put these gifts
that are received.
The White House is a commodlous
place in so far as homes go, but there
is limit to everything. The room
originally assigned as the resting place
for miscellaneous gifts during the
early days of the Roosevelt admins
tration has long since been found in
adequate. Another room in the White
House is now catching the overflow.
Two Other chambers Of Horrors"
In the Presidents old home at Hyde
Park, N. Y, where he spends many
week ends during the year, there also
is chamber of horrors" The same
is true of the Presidents little white
cottage at the foot of Pine Mountain
at Warm Springs, Ga.
The name for these rooms is under
stood to have been prompted by the
grotesqueness of many of the good
will gifts. The President never uses
the term, but he has long since become
aware of what is meant when he
turns over a present to subordinate
for safe-keeping and the latter bows
out, saying, Il will put it in the
chamber of horrors, sir"
1t is almost unbelievable what
people really send to tie President and
Mrs: Roosevelt. There is no mistak-
ing the fact that some of the articles
have required great skill and deft
fingers and many months Of labor to
execute. Most Of the presents might
we'll come under the classification
of Junk" even though they are not
treated as such in the presidential
household.
To enumerate the many kinds Of
gifts would be like quoting from the
pages of q mail-order house catalogue.
In the matter OF numbers, handmade
neckties head the list. They come in
all colors and styles, some embroidered
and some knitted, many Of them with
the Presidents initials, some Of them
displaying a prominent "R" and some
few Of them bearing the Presidents
likeness or what the sender intended
as q likeness.
Apparel and Paintings.
All sorts of wearing apparel are
included in the list, socks and hand
kerchiefs being the most common.
Then there are the many penknives,
wood-carvings, wrought-iron work,
water-color paintings and oil paint
ings, pictures in pastel or crayon,
more frequently in pen and ink. As
might be expected, most of these works
of art are intended to be likeness
Of the President. There are the
fountain pens, pencils, stickpins, cuff
links and shirt studs.
Following publication of a story .
year or so ago about the President
appearing at . banquet In evening
clothes and wearing dark shirt studs