Evening star., 1941-01-01
New Year
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New Year
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men, women and children" Col.
Arnold said, adding: 1T is reaSsurlng
to note that all the religious groups
of the Nation are represented in our
defensive forces and that men un-
der arms shall have every facility to
practice their religion and thereby
sanctify their military service. The
Government and the churches are
cooperating to insure the spiritual
welfare of the men in uniform"
In the New Year Eve celebration
bedlam broke loose down streets and
avenues teeming with humanity at
the stroke of midnight. Sirens, bells,
motor horns, locomotive whistles
swelled the noise of shouting pedes-
trians swinging noise makers, footing
horns and singing Aud Lang Syne
Through the bedlam, church bells
sounded at midnight, summonlng
the religious to special services Of
welcome to 1941, and churches all
over the city were thronged with
Worshipers.
Virtually every hotel room and
night club was booked to capacity,
and downtown motion picture
theaters played to capacity audiences
at midnight shows. Traffic jams re-
suited, but no one seemed to mind.
Most of those outside the theaters,
night clubs and homes were packed
on F street in Washington's tradi-
tional public welcome to the new
year As the clocks tolled midnight
many young couples observed the
custom of kissing in" the new year
Others danced and shouted, tossed
paper hats and confetti into the air
and blew tin-horns.
First Baby a Girl
Just is seconds after 1941 arrived,
there was a thin vail in a delivery
room at Garfield Hospital. Wash
ington's first baby of the new year,
an 8-pound, 2-ounce girl, was born
to Mrs. Dora Ackerman, 649 Irving
street NV. The father, Sam Ack-
erman. is proprietor of liquor store
at 1912 Rhode Island avenue NE.
Police precincts greeted the morn
ing after the night before with a
number of drunks and disorderly
persons in their cells.
The first person arrested and
charged by police in the new year
was listed at No. 2 Precinct as Flor
ence Robinson, 80, colored, GIT w
street NV. Charged with disorderly
conduct, she was released after post
ing S. collateral which she elected to
forfeit.
Six fights involving colored per-
sons ended with some of the par
ticipants suffering from bullet
wounds. Firemen answered six false
alarms and put out a number Of
small fires.
President Gives Toast.
In the White House members Of
the Roosevelt family and few close
friends gathered to welcome the
new year and to hear the President
propose his annual toast ito the
United States of America" as the
stroke of midnight ushered in 194l.
In the group besides the Presi-
dent were Mrs. Roosevelt; the Pres
ident's mother, Mrs. Sara Delano
Roosevelt; the junior Franklin D.
Roosevelts, Mrs. Dorothy Kemp
Roosevelt of Detroit, her daughter
Amy and a few others.
The celebration was compare
lively quiet. After the family din
ner a colored w. P. A. chorus from
Detroit sang spirituals.
The youngsters in the White
House had their party, too, though
they went to bed early. They were
Franklin D. Roosevelt, III, 2-year-
old grandson now nick-named Joe"
by his dad; Diana Hopkins, 8,
daughter of Harry Hopkins, former
Secretary of Commerce, and Eleanor
Patricia Lynch, 7, Mrs. Roosevelt's
namesake.
New Year Day was just another
day at the White House.
Mild weather favored the cele-
brants last night, but today, ac-
cording to the forecaster, probably
will bring light rain, beginning
late this afternoon. Rain and
warmer temperatures are predicted
for tomorrow.
Watch Night Services.
A trash fire in the basement OF
the National Press Building added
to the woes of motorists caught in
the midtown jam, but caused little
damage. Police routed traffic OF OF
F. street when the fire broke out
about 2 am.
Among the churches holding watch
night services were the Foundry
Methodist Church, Metropolitan
Baptist, Pentecostal Holiness. Wis
consin Avenue Baptist, Mount Ver-
non Place Methodist, Epworth
Methodist, Emory Methodist, Waugh
Methodist and many others.
The churches of Georgetown
united in union watch service at
the Congress Street Methodist
| Church. Members of the Covenant
First Presbyterian followed a Gus
tom of half a century in gathering
in the chapel today for an informal
religious service. Early morning
masses were said at several down.
town Catholic churches.
The holiday recess will end fol