Evening star., 1941-11-13
Great Fanfare Opens
Hecht Co. Addition;
Thousands Attend
Sole Of $4,000 Defense
Bond to Head Of Firm
A Feature of Evening

Floodlighted as if for a Hollywood
premiere. a new Hecht Co. building
was thrown open 10 the public last
night. and was so quickly thronged
that marines had to force open
way for Mrs. Henry A. Wallace. wife
of the Vice President. when she
hustled in to sell $4,000 Defense
savings bond.
Led to a platform in the fur sec
ton. Mrs Wallace and a group of
prominent friends were greeted by
Alexander Hecht, president OF the
firm. who produced a check; Mrs
Wallace flourished a bond; the two
papers changed hands.
Il cherish its possession as an
emblem of our democratic life" Mr..
Hecht said of his new bond. 1t
represents to me personal share in
the defense and security of our
country"
Alexander Hecht knows something
of success under democratic lte. He
was one of four brothers who opened
a little store on Seventh street III
1896. The institution he now heads
has Just built its 7-story, structural
steel building extension as part of a
S2000000 improvement program.
The store now reaches from F
through to E street. between Seventh
and Sixth streets NV.
Store Lively Place.
Also on the platform. speaking not
word but nodding at a crowd
which reached many thousands be-
fore the evening was over. stood
his brother. Moses Hecht. president
of the Hecht Corp. of Maryland. of
which the Washington firm Is
member. Two other brothers are
no longer living.
The store was a lively place last
night. Abe Lyman and his Cali
fornians were making music on the
third floor. and youngsters were
jumping on their fathers shoulders
to get a view from the outer fringe
of the crowd Only two youthful
couples could find space TO lltterbug.
They were dancing to the tune OF
an echo in storage space behind
zip-in-l lined misses coats. Mr.. Ly-
man was beSieged by autograph
seekers: was rescued by fire guards.
In the push some one upset hre
eXtinguiSheI. 1t Squlrted LADIES
stockings.
On the floor above. another shift
ing group heard Phil Lampkln and
his Shoreham Orchestra. 1t was on
thesfourth floor that Russian crown
Jewels. said to be valued at $500 900
and guarded by two stalWart de-
tectives, were on display These in
rluded the royal opera glasses. ornate
necklaces. brooches. cloaks. lorgn-
ettes-and the imperial Russian
Easter egg.
Stain Doll Displayed.
To strike a balance. Stain was
included among the hundreds OF
dolls on display elsewhere IN the
building. The miniature figure OF
the Russian leader was handsomely
mustached booted and garbed IN
brown uniform.
Crowds also were entertained by
MANY other exhibits. including copies
of Egyptian manicurlng instruments,
a collection of toothbrusheS dating
from 1866 corsets since ITO, l7th
century perfume containers. a /
foot electric robot and his mechan-
ical dog. and a $3.50 lace brasslere-
a replica of one made for British
royalty"
Four representatives of the Treas
ury Department were at oooth
dispensing Defense stamps and
bonds First man in the bond line
was Sol Cohen, PALS Minnesota ave-
nue. Sc. who bought a slO0 GER
tificate.
Dulcan Is Host.
Circulating as host was Charles
q. Dulcan. ST. vice president and
general manager of the store. The
list of patronesses included Mrs.
Nellie Tayloe Ross, director OF the
mint: Nine. Maria Martins. vile OF
the Brazilian Ambassador; Mrs. ).
Borden Hartman. Mrs. Sumner
Welles. Mrs. Edmund Startling. Mrs
A. Mitchell Palmer, Mrs. Emil Hurla,
Mrs. Lionel Atwell. Mrs Paul V. Nc
Mutt Mrs. Warren Lee PierSon, Mrs.
John Caswell. Mrs. Jouett Shouse
Mrs. Warren Delano Robbins Mrs.
Edward Stettinius. jr.: Mrs. Frank
! C. Walker. Mrs. Blair BanlSter and
Mrs. Lawrence Wood Robert.
Earlier yesterday the Board OF
Directors of the firm held a recep-
ton for visiting manufacturers in
the Willard Hotel. Radio broadcasts
were heard later over Stations WRC
and WWDC.