Evening star., 1942-12-24
Mrs. Roosevelt Opens Christmas Eve Fetes
With Greeting to Arlington Children
President to Address
Nation at 4 P.M.;
Many Parties Held

Bearing the wishes of President
Roosevelt for "a happier Christmas
for the whole world next year."
Mrs. Roosevelt opened local OBJ
servance of Christmas eve this
morning with greeting to chill
dren at the annual Arlington XII
wants Club Christmas party.
The President is to extend his
own wishes to the Nation at 4
o'clock this afternoon when he
makes his annual Yuletide address
from the scene of the National
Community Christmas Tree on the
White House lawn.
Mrs. Roosevelt told hundreds of
youthful guests at the party in the
Arlington (Va) Theater this morn
ing that the President had especially
asked her to bring his greetings and
wishes for better Christmas next
year. Mrs. Roosevelt added her own
wish that this years celebration
might be as happy as possible.
Her Usual Christmas Eve.
This afternoon Mrs. Roosevelt Is
to appear at two more Christmas
parties, one at the Salvation Army
and one in Cherry Hill Court,
Georgetown. In between she will
receive, with the President, the
White House Office force and the
White House household staff.
Although Mrs. Roosevelt said to-
days activity was to be my usual
rapidly moving Christmas eve," she
actually is having slightly easier
time this year through cancellation
of the Capitol Theater and Volun-
teers of America Christmas parties.
Tonight Mrs. Roosevelt will
gather with the children of 1t.
and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt,
jr,; Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Hopkins
and Diana Hopkins to hear the
Presidents annual reading of
Dickens christmas Carol" The
room where they will sit will not
have as big tree as usual this
year, and outside lighting at the
White House has been eliminated
entirely. None of the boys will
be home and it will be little quiet
here this year." Mrs. Roosevelt said
at her last press conference.
Hundreds of children who began
their holiday from school today ex-
pected to attend the ceremonies on
the White House lawn this after
noon.
Kutz to Speak.
The public was to be admitted to
the ceremony, preceded by Marine
Band concert. Col Charles w.
kutz, Engineer Commissioner of
the District, was to introduce the
President to both the local and Ma
tion-wide audience. Annual greet
ings from Scouts to President and
Mrs. Roosevelt were to be presented
by Nicholas Morana, Eagle Scout of
the Troop 300 of the National Capt.
tai Area Council, and Miss Mildred
Cabell, senior service Scout, Troop
153, Girl Scouts Of the District.
This year the President was not
scheduled to push button to light
the Christmas tree as in the past.
To brighten UP the tree in the alb
sence of lighting, the District Rec
reation Department collected hun
dreds of multi-colored ornaments
from the children of the city.
The Rev. Frederick E. Reissig.
main speaker at the 1O:3O am. union
service tomorrow at the Church of
the Epiphany, was also scheduled to
make the invocation at the Christ
mas tree celebration. The Right
Rev. Patrick j. Mccormick was to
pronounce the invocation.
The carol chorus this year was
made up of singers from the Army
War College Glee Club, Navy School
of Music chorus and Lovette Choral
Club.
Thousands OF workers at the Pen
tagon Building were to gather this
afternoon for the first time since
the opening Of the huge Office center
to sing carols in the center court.
At the same time, officers of the
District Building heard carols sung
by children from the Columbia
Recreation Center.
Mrs. Roosevelt's usual Christmas
eve schedule was lightened this year
by cancellation of the annual Capt.
tol Theater party for the children
OF members of the Central Union
Mission. So many of the men of
the mission have work now, said
Mrs. Jean Bennett, mission super
intendent, that for the first time
since the party was started Is years
ago most of them could get toys for
their children unaided.
At 5:45 pm. Mrs. Roosevelt was to
attend carol singing by the Wash
ington Council of Church Women
at Cherry Hill Court, at Grace and
K streets, of Wisconsin avenue in
Georgetown.
Hundreds of soldiers and sailors
on duty in this area have been re-
ceiving presents all through the day
from the Junior Red Cross. More
than 10000 socks full of gifts were
left with chaplains of Camp Simms
and Hains Point. In addition, filled
socks were presented to 500 patients
at the Naval Hospital and 100 to
Walter Reed patients. Gifts inside
include soap, razor blades, tooth
paste, chocolate bars, chewing gum
and cigarettes.
Soldiers will receive more candy
than civilians this year, as candy
stores here instituted eor1v o1ocipp