Evening star., 1941-12-25
Capital Pauses
War Work 10
karkChristn1as
Winston Churchill
And President Talk
At Tree-Lighting

At Tree-Liehtine
Washington, the center of the
world effort to crush the Axis,
paused today to celebrate Christ
mas,
President Roosevelt and Prime
Minister Churchill OF Great Britain,
who are conferring here. gave their
blessing to the Christmas celebra-
ton last night in the course Of cere-
monies attendant on lighting Of
the Nations community Christmas
tree.
Both appeared on the south
portico OF the White House to speak
to crowd of some 10000 Washing
tonians gathered on the lawn. Mr..
Churchill appealed to the Nation
to observe Christmas for the young
ones" Mr.. Roosevelt suggested that
Christmas trees lighted throughout
the Nation would be a symbol and
a memorial to Americans who are
fighting abroad.
Family Gathering Missing.
For the President and the Prime
Minister. this was in many ways a
lonely Christmas. For the first
time in his lifetime, Mr.. Roosevelt
passed the holiday without family
assemblage.
His mother, who had always been
with him at Christmas, was dead.
Most of his children were away
with the armed forces and his
grandchildren, therefore, were not
1T the White House.
Mr.. Churchill was far from home
and doing his best to make him
self comfortable, as he explained,
By an American fireside. They
like many others in this city-felt
the curtailment Of the Christmas
Day keenly.
Only One Child at Tree.
Al the family Christmas tree this
morning, the only child was 8-year-
old Diana Hopkins, who with her
father, Harry Hopkins, lives at the
White House.
Instead of the row Of Christmas
stockings that always have hung
from the Presidents mantel, there
was one sock. In it was rubber
bone for Fala, the Presidents Scottie.
Another Roosevelt tradition was
discarded this Christmas when the
President failed to read Dickens
"ChrHtmas Carol" as he used to do
when his children were around him
On Christmas eve.
The dinner to be spread before
t41s President and his British Wis
itoe today starts off with oysters
on the half shell and clear soup
with sherry. The menu includes
roast turkey with chestnut dressing
and giblet gravy, beans, caulif1ower,
casserole of sweet potatoes, cram
berry jelly, grapefruit salad and
cheese crescents, plum pudding with
hard sauce and ice cream, cake,
slated nuts and assorted bonbons.
The President touched the
switch which lighted the red, white
and blue Christmas tree on the
White House lawn. The ceremonies
bOOA pldC0 ylkSt OF othoA, L1 a oSeeAAA6
OF incompatible splendor.
Appear in Twilight.
The sun had just set when the
President and Mr.. Churchill made
their appearance. The day was mild
and the skies clear. AS the dusk
deepened, the two leaders of world
democracy delivered their talks.
When the ceremonies drew to a
close, the throng began to move to-
ward the gates of the White House
grounds to the music of choir
which sang Christmas hymns. In
the background, the White House
shone brightly and stars twinkled
overhead.
Unprecedented precautions were
taken by those charged with guard
ing the President and Mr.. Churchill
The White House grounds were
guarded by dozens of secret service
men.
Several thousand persons lined
the curbs around the White House
before the gates were opened
shortly after pm.
Enter One by One.
Then, the crowd was admitted
one by one. Each person filed
through a booth, lined with an elec-
trical device which,, it was reported
would show an alarm if any guam
tity of metal passed. All those en-
tering the grounds were required tc
check their bundles outside, an6
hundreds of Christmas shoppers hao
to leave packages in tents at the
entrance.
The process Of entering the ground
was necessarily slow and, when the
ceremonies began an hour later
there were many who had not got
ten In.
The crowd was kept at a distance
from the White House and wher
the President and Mr.. Churchill
appeared on the porch, searchlight!
were trained on the grounds. Th'
binding lights made it almost i'm
possible to see the two state leaders
Because the crowd was so heavy
II was impossible to turn ava.
and leave and thousands wer
forced to stand immobile for NOR
than half an hour with the light
giaring in their eyes.
When the ceremonies had beel
completed, it was found that tn
gates to the grounds were closed. I
was some time before the sigma
was given to allow the onlookers tt
leave and it took almost a half al
hour of jostling to get through tn
two gates.
Scouts Extend Greeting.
The United States Marine Ban
furnished the music and the invoca
ton was offered by the Most Rev
Joseph Corrigan, of Catholic Uni
versity. Commissioner Guy Masol
introduced the President.
Louella Boyd, Troop e5, Gil
Scouts of America. and J. Rober
Thrower, jr, of Troop l04, 30
Scouts of America, expressed TN
Nations wish for happy Christina