Evening star., 1938-11-24
Special Rites
Held as D. {.
Gives Thanks
Hundreds of Needy
Are Remembered
At Dinners

From cabinet officer to the needy,
Washington today celebrates the
Thanksgiving feast tradition started
by the Pilgrims more than 300 years
ago and the turkey becomes the
national bird for the day.
Despite the cold weather and the
freeze predicted for tonight, many
other Washingtonians began out t-of-
town tricks by every means of trans
portatlon. Among those who left
the Capital for the holiday were
Secretary of the Treasury Morgen-
thau, Secretary of Labor Perkins and
Postmaster General Farley.
Secretary of War Woodring and
Attorney General Cummings planned
a celebration here and invited guests
for dinner tonight. Secretary Of
Interior Ickes and Mrs. Ickes were
going to have their turkey at mid
day dinner with relatives and close
friends.
Hulls Go to Church.
Getting ready to attend the Pam
American Conference in Lima, Peru,
Secretary of State and Mrs. Hull
planned to go to church and then
have dinner in their hotel apart
ment, while Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wallace and Secretary of Com
merce Roper enjoyed the company
of children.
Cerratary IF Now, onJ Nrc Cruor
son planned no special celebration.
Thanksgiving at the White House
was quiet affair with the President
away, but there was a turkey for
Miss Elizabeth Henderson, 16-year-
old cousin of Mrs. Roosevelt, at
tending school here, and a few Of
her school friends.
Meanwhile special services were
scheduled in churches throughout
the city and preparations were being
made to provide dinners for the
needy, and even the lonely.
Union Mission Dinner.
Hundreds of hungry men were ex-
pected to be guests of the churches
Of Washington at a dinner at the
Central Union Mission to be offered
between noon and 3 pm. A tradi-
ton of more than a half century
was marked with the 1888 observance
of the custom at the mission today,
and with the distribution of 200 bas-
kets of food to needy families yes.
terday.
Arranged in three sizes, accord
ing to needs OF the family, the bas-
kets were distributed under the SUI
pervision of E. H. De Groot, jr., and
Mr.. Jean Bennett, superintendent Of
the mission.
The staff of the Children's Emer-
gency Home of the mission prepared
turkey, ice cream and all the rest
of the trimmings for the children in
the home. Through mission selec-
tionS, 100 men were treated to q
turkey and mince pie dinner, with
apple pie repeats on the dessert, as
the guests of Mr.. and Mrs. John
Jenner at their K street cafeteria
regular occurrence for the last
five years.
Dinners for 1000 Needy.
At All Pennsylvania avenue the
Volunteers of America were distrib-
uting dinners to more than 1000
needy persons, beginning at II am.
Officials said families would be
served together to make the at
mosphere as homelike as possible.
None will be turned away, officials
said, as long as they can sit at
table.
Meals were being served to more
than 400 needy at the Gospel Mis-
sion, 214 John Marshall place NV,
beginning at noon, but "all who
come" will be welcome, it was said.
The mission also provided dinners
in the homes of ITS families.
More than 200 needy children ate
full turkey dinner at Gadsbys
Tavern in Alexandria, Va, given by
the Salvation Army and business
men of Alexandria and Washington.
The dinner is an annual affair under
the direction of Capt. w. H. Fulton,
Alexandria corps officer for the Sal
vation Army.
Lonely visitors to the city were
to have an opportunity to celebrate
with traditional dinner. An an
nual Thanksgiving Dutch treat din
ner was scheduled to be held at
the Shoreham Hotel at 7 o'clock
tonight. Open to the public, the
dinner has been sponsored for the
last five years by DR.. Grace A.
Thompson.
Robert Fechner, Civilian Conserva-
ton Corps director, planned to eat
his Thanksgiving dinner at the
c. c. c. camp at Wilderness, Va,
with members of the camp, who
are among the 100000 men of the
(See THANKSGIVING page A-41