Evening star., 1941-11-29
Special Precautions
Slated This Year as
President Lights Tree
Rope Barrier to Keep
Crowd Within Grounds
Farther From Portico

Forther From Portico
Special precautions will be taken
this year at the tree-hghting cere-
monies at the White House when
President Roosevelt delivers his an
nual Christmas Eve message, those
IN charge Of the event disclosed yes
terday in announcing that arrange
ments are just about complete.
Capt. Mark H. Raspberry of the
United States Park Police, reported
to the National Community Christ
mas Tree executive meeting at the
Taft House Inn that not more than
10000 persons would be able to get
into the mansion grounds because
the crowds will be held further away
from the south portico than here
totore during public gatherings
there
He explained that a rope will be
stretched from east TO west $50 feet
south of the portico and that Spe-
clal patrols will be assigned to
see that unauthorized persons do
not cross it. He added that in addi-
ton to Secret Service. Park and
Metropolitan police. 25 plain-clothes
detectives will circulate in the crowd
TO watch for persons who may not
be there Just for the ceremonies
Carol Singing Planned.
Mrs. w. L. Kline. reporting for the
Washington Council OF Church
Women. said Mrs Roosevelt will
visit one of the alley tree celebra-
tons. The time and place were not
revealed. Through the council. she
said, any woman could send in 9
request for a certain one OF the
200 alleys and courts here which
her church would like to decorate
Besides preparing a tree. she sug-
eested having church groups pre-
pare decorations for hanging in VIM
dows and in doorWays and admon-
iShed that in sending gifts the old
as we'll as the young should be re-
membered.
The formal program at the White
House has been tentatively set to
begin at 4:30 pm. The Marine Band
will play for 27 minutes. after which
there will be three minutes OF carol
singing by the assembly. President
Roosevelt is to appear on the por-
tico At Is pm.
President to Broadcast.
rol1ou-i,,o i,,trOJrctOr,, rny,oarkc hI.
Commissioner Guy Mason, one Boy
Scout and one Girl Scout will greet
the President and Mrs. Roosevelt.
The actual tree lighting is sched-
uled for $40 pm. by the President,
who then will broadcast his Christ
mas greeting. On conclusion of this
the assembly again will sing carols
led by a large choral group, which
will be followed by cornet solo,
"Cantiuue De Noel" Following the
benediCtion, singing Of the Star
Spangled Banner will conclude the
program at $50 pm.
John S. Bartlett, chairman of the
Tree Decorating Committee, said
the 25-foot high oriental spruce will
remain lighted daily from pm. to
10 pm. until after New Years Day.
Besides a variety OF Colored lights
and tWinkling stars, the tree will be
decorated with green, red, white and
blue balls.
Miss Sibyl Baker. chairman OF the
Executive Committee. announced
Ovid Butler, of the American For
estry Association, and Edward Kelly,
National Capital Parks. had been
designated vice chalrmen. while
Commissioner Mason is chairman of
the National Committee, assisted by
Newton B. Drury. National Park
Service head, as vice chairman.
National Group Listed.
Serving on the national group are
DR.. Frank w. Ballou, public school
superintendent: James B. Burns,
American Federation of Govern
ment Employees; Mr.. Butler. Senator
Capper, Republican, Of Kansas; Milo
F. Christensen. acting co-ordinator
of recreation; the Most Rev. Joseph
NJ. Corrigan. rector of Catholic Uni
versity. and Frederick A. Delano,
chairman, National Capital Park
and Planning Commission.
DR.. Paul F. Douglass, president,
American University: Mrs. Henry
Grattan Doyle, president, Board of
Education; Walter Fiske, national
president. Junior Board of Com
merce; Secretary of Interior Ickes.
DR.. Mordecai johnson. president,
Howard University: Commissioner
Charles w. Kutz, Gen. George C.
Marshall. Army Chief of staff; DR..
Cloyd Heck Marvin president
George Washington University.
Senator McCarran, Democrat. of
Nevada; Eugene Meyer, publisher,
Washington Post; A. G. Neal. Poto-
mac Electric Power Co; Theodore
w. Moves, editor, The Evening Star;
the Very Rev. Arthur A. OLeary,
S. j, president, Georgetown Uni>
versity: John O'Rourke, editor,
Washington Daily News; Mus.
Eleanor Patterson. publisher, Wash
ington Times-Herald.
Representative Randolph. Demo-
erat, of West Virginia: C. Melvin
Sharpe. Board of Education; Ad-
miral Harold R. Stark, Chief of Ma
val Operations; Luther c. Steward
sr., National Federation of Federal
Employees; Mrs. John L. White