Evening star., 1939-06-10
Poughkeepsie
Ready to Greet
King Tonight
BY MIRIAM OTTENBERG,
Star Stan Correspondent.

HYDE PARK, N. Y, June 10
This usually placid section of coun-
try is in dither.
President Roosevelt arrived this
morning. Vassar College is having
its daisy chain this afternoon and
before evening the British royal
party will swing through the gates
of Mrs. James Roosevelt's rambling
estate.
But even that doesn't account for
the display of bunting on nearby
Poughkeepsie's main street The
Poughkeepsie regatta is next Sat-
urday and the natives aren't for
getting it--even for British royalty
Poughkeepsie's only concession to
the arrival of the distinguished Wis
itors are few British flags mingled
with the college banners and Stars
and Stripes entWined on every lamp
post and strung across the streets.
Only Main Street Decorated.
The village of Hyde Park, through
which the visitors will drive on their
way to church tomorrow morning.
has thriftily decked only its main
street with mixture of British and
American flags looped from tree to
tree.
Poughkeepsie readers, informed by
their local press that their city is the
only one outside New York whose
whole area will be traversed by the
motoring monarchs. are apparently
saving up their enthusiasm for to-
night. Only a few of them were on
hand this morning to wave at the
President and they grumbled in dis
appointment when he rode from the
station to his mothers estate in a
closed car.
Although the ride through
Poughkeepsie will only be a matter
OF minutes, the State Department
is taking no chances. Soldiers have
been assigned to the roof tops along
the route, steel cables have been
set up along the curb lines to hold
the expected 200 900 spectators in
check and traffic is being re-routed
with the same flrmneSS that had
Washington motorists sweating yes
terday.
Promptly at II am, Poughkeep-
sieans rushed to their windows in
answer to the scream of siren and
the rumble of trucks. Uniformed
National Guardsmen. up from New
York 1000 strong. had started roll
ing into town to swell the local
forces.
No Decoration in Church.
The only place that still retained
its peace was the President s
church. the Protestant Episcopal
st. James Church, where the King
will kneel in worship tomorrow
morning. Sun streamed through
the stained glass window. a memo
rial for the Presidents father. near
which the King will sit Not a
| hint OF decoration. not even a Brit
lsh flag, has been added to the
simple decor of the old church.
The church only holds 200 persons
so only the more faithful have been
issued cards of admittance for the
service. Other parishioners will be
allowed to stand on the lawn. They
won't hear the service-but thev
could do that any time. They will
get a glimpse of the King and
Queen.
Their majesties will sit in front
pews on the gospel side of the
church. Although the Roosevelt
family usually takes it's place in the
third row, this time they, too. will
sit in the front row.
The King and Queen won't find
the wooden benches too hard Faded
red cushions have been added for
comfort.
Tomorrow Holiday for Sexton.
Only the sexton was in the church
this morning. Tomorrow. usually
his busiest day. will be virtually a
holiday. He figures all the vestry-
men will be on hand to usher in the
visitors and pass the collection plate
He's not even sure he will get to
ring the bell. summoning the wor-
shippers to the old church.
The rector of the church, the
Rev. Frank R. Wilson, stood with
Mrs. James Roosevelt on the porch
of her home this morning to greet
the presidential party He was
there. apparently. to confer with
(See HYDE PARK, Page A-12)