Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Christmas Tree
Preparations
Well Underway
Decorating to Begin
Tomorrow; Plans Of
Ceremony Ready

Decoration of the Nations Christ
mas tree in the center of the Ellipse,
south of the White House, will be-
gin tomorrow morning, the Christ
mas Tree Executive Committee an
nounced yesterday.
Following the decorating 24-hour
guard will be established at the
tree until the lighting ceremonies
on Christmas eve, when President
Roosevelt will make his annual radio
talk to the Nation.
Mrs. Roosevelt, it was announced,
will attend an alley tree lighting
ceremony at Government Court. of
Twentieth street between L and M
streets, at 5 pm. Saturday. Mrs.
Frank c. LinZel, president of the
Woman's Council of the Federation
of Churches, sponsors of the alley
Christmas trees, said the Rev. Vir-
gil M. Cosby, pastor of the River
Road Presbyterian Church, will pre-
size. The tree will be one of 60
set up in alleys by churches.
Plans for Ceremony Finished.
Meanwhile, committee heads re-
ported that plans for the lighting
ceremony at the Ellipse were COM
plete. At the meeting at Wesley
Hall yesterday, J. S. Bartlett, man.
aging director of the Electrical In.
stitute of Washington, said the tree
decorations would not be removed
until Tuesday.
A living cedar tree, nearly 40 feet
high already has been planted in the
center of the Ellipse and some of
the seating facilities have been
erected. Seats for 800 of the gen.
eral public will be provided.
Public parking in the vicinity OF
the Ellipse on Christmas Eve will
be permitted on Fifteenth and Sew
enteenth streets, on c, D and E
streets west of Seventeenth street
and on E street east of Fifteenth
street. The public also may park
on the south side of Constitution
avenue at the Ellipse. The north
side Of the avenue, however, is to
be reserved for the Marine Band.
Cars. provided with windshield
stickers by the Christmas Tree Ex-
ecutive Committee will find parking
facilities on both sides of the west
Ellipse road. These automobiles
may enter the Ellipse off Constitu-
ton avenue at Sixteenth or Seven
tenth streets. Exit will be by Ex-
ecutive avenue after the Presidents
party has departed, or by the FL
hpse road entering Seventeenth
street at E street.
Will Use West Gate.
The President and his party will
leave and enter the White House
grounds by the west gate, traversing
West Executive avenue and the
east Ellipse road. Traffic and park
Ing will be prohibited on the east
Elllpse road until President Roose-
welt has returned to the White
House. Traffic on East Executive
avenue will run except when the
ASoANSAit 40 VII lllc IOdQ.
President Roosevelt's talk will be
broadcast at Sill pm. over a
Nationwide hook-up of radio sta
lions. Eighteen persons are ex-
pected to be in the White House
group seated at the Presidents
stand, which will seat 40 persons
Three hundred chairs will be placed
in an adjacent stand.
Representative Jennings RAN
doiph of West Virginia, chairman
OF the House District Committee
and chairman of the National Christ
mas Tree Committee, will speak
prior to President Roosevelt's talk
at the Ellipse. The Most Rev. Pat
rick j. Mccormick. D. D., will give
the invocation and the Rev. John
w. Rustin will deliver the bene-
diction.
A concert by the Marine Band
will be held at the Ellipse from 4 30
to 5 pm. Following the Presidents
address. the Federal Playhouse
Chorus. directed by Lynn L. Gill
chrest, will sing five Christmas
carols.
Twelve officers from school cadet
corps and contingents from the
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will act
as an honor guard to the President.
Greetings to the President and Mrs.
Roosevelt will be extended by Bow
Scout John Browning of Troop S
and Girl Scout Irene Clay of Troop