Evening star., 1939-12-24
Christmas
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for the bed-ridden. Mrs. Roosevelt
set a strenuous pace yesterday for
welfare workers. whether sprofes-
slonals or volunteers, by making a
round of benefit parties which kept
her going from morning to night.
Special Services in Churches.
Special services with Christmas
music will be held In many churches
throughout Washington today. The
President and his family plan to
attend the II am. services at St.
Thomas Episcopal Church. Tomor-
row the President and his family
will attend special services at the
Covenant-First Presbyterian Church.
For years it has been the custom
in Washington to look to the White
House to set the pace for Christ
mas celebration. The home of the
Chief Executive will be gay this year
with shouts of childish laughter and
squeals of glee.
The White House reception hall
Is decorated in red and green of
poinsettias and evergreens. A large,
formal tree has been set up in the
east room and a smaller one in the
Presidents apartment upstairs.
Franklin Roosevelt, Sd, II months,
arrived for the White House Christ
mas celebration as first of the
grandchildren, but by now he has
been Joined by three others, Curtis
(Buzzie) Boettiger, 8; Eleanor ISIS
tie) Boettiger, IL, and John Roose-
velt ,Boettiger. 8 months, The
Presidents children attending the
family reunion are Mrs. John Boet-
tiger and her husband, and Frank
lin. jr., and John Roosevelt, with
their wives.
Presidents Mother Here.
The matriarch at the White House
celebration is Mrs. Sara Delano
Roosevelt, SO, the Presidents mother.
Mrs. Roosevelt is in town for the
occasion. The guests at the White
House include Mrs. j. r. Roosevelt,
the Presidents sister in-law, and
Maj. Harry Hooker of New York
City, his former law partner.
Another child who will have her
Christmas at the White House is
Diana Hopkins, 5, daughter of the
Secretary Of Commerce, Harry Hop
kins. Besides Mr.. Hopkins, four
other cabinet officers will remain in
the city-Secretary of State Hull,
Secretary Of War Woodring. Sec
retary of the Interior Ickes and
Secretary of Agriculture Wallace.
After family dinner at the
White House tonight, the younger
members will hang their stockings
on a mentel in the east hall and
gather about the President to hear
him read Dickens "Christmas
Carol"-a traditional Christmas eve
custom with the Roosevelts.
The children will open their gifts
on Christmas morning when the
President and Mrs. Roosevelt are
ready to watch them tear into a
mound Of brightly wrapped packages
about the Presidents tree in his
upstairs quarters.
The White House family will sit
down to their Christmas dinner at
pm, with the President carving
the turkey.
Greets 1,5o0 Children.
The wife of the Nations Chief
Executive began her Christmas tour
yesterday at the Capitol Theater,
where she was greeted by more than
$500 children, guests of the Central
Union Mission.
She met Santa Claus, in the per-
son of Homer Rodeheaver, New
York song leader and evangelist;
Mrs. Jean Bennett, superintendent
of the mission, and Mrs. William
H. Ramsay, president of the Wom-
ems Guild.
After greeting the children and
a Columbia Broadcasting System
radio audience, Mrs. Roosevelt re-
entered her automobile and hurried
to the Wilson Theater, in Arlington
County, Va, to look in on the an
nual party for underprivileged chill
dren, sponsored by the Arlington
Kiwanis Club.
Next, Mrs. Roosevelt returned to
the White House for q press con-
ference, telling reporters about the
four grandchildren who will be with
her for the holiday.
Early in the afternoon she arrived
at the Thomson School, Twelfth and
l. streets NV, to greet the needy
guests Of the Volunteers Of America.
She reflected on the permanency
Of Christs influence, despite fire.
quent strife In the world, and pre-
sented the first basket of food to
an 84-year-old woman.
Col. Charles Booth, national secre-
tary Of the Volunteers, thanked Mrs.
Roosevelt for coming.
Visited Salvation Army.
There followed on Mrs. Roosevelt's
program a trip to the Salvation
Army hall, 606 E street NV, where
she handed out the first Of TOO food
baskets to be distributed.
Bishop James Z. Freeman and
Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox, commander
Of the District National Guard, also
attended.
Later, Mrs. Roosevelt joined the
President in the White House to
extend the seasons greetings TO
White House employees and present
them gifts.
Shortly after pm, she partici-
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