Evening star., 1942-12-20
D. C.. Opens Christmas Week
In High Spirits; Business Good
Public Celebrations
To Be CIimuxed by
Presidents Address

Washington swings into another
wartime Christmas week today
with dozens of public celebrate
planned, business humming and
spirits as high as could be expected.
Public festivities will be climaxed
Christmas eve by the Presidents
annual Christmas address to the
Nation from the south portico of
the White House. Children are
| donating ornaments to trim the
national community Christmas tree
on the White House lawn this year.
Postmaster Vincent Burke took
| time out from an inspection of postal
stations yesterday to compliment
Washington residents on their CO.
| operation with his requests to mail
packages and cards early. He has
ordered all post Offices to open at
noon today and to remain open to
o'clock, he said, lin the hope that
late mailers of local Christmas cards
will get 1t done today" -
- Business Reported Good.
Store managers commented that
business is very good" and expect
1t to get better tomorrow when all
department stores open at 1890 pm.
and close at 9 pm. Stores are SUBJ
stituting Monday night opening for
the usual Thursday night hours, so
that their employees may be of at
pm. Christmas Eve.
Local railroad officials said that
rail traffic here will be tremendous"
but mot as bad as we feared
month ago." Comparatively few civil
lians have been buying Christmas
holiday tickets. it was said. Many
civilians who have appeared at ticket
windows have been going to visit
servicemen spending Christmas on
duty.
THE other civilians seem to be
staying home, God bless EN-" said
the official. Il think we can get
all the servicemen on leave home
and all the other families to their
boys without breakdown of facili-
ties"
He praised the newspapers and
radio stations for "bombarding' the
civilian public with requests to
spend Christmas at home so the
soldiers could travel
Pass Suspension Helps.
Refusal of Government agencies
to allow Christmas leave, he added,
and suspension of railroad employees
passes during the holidays have
also helped to curtail the volume
of traffic the railroads at first ex-
pected.
Deadline for collection of used
tree ornaments by children was
originally set for noon yesterday,
but the gas situation interfered
with the pickups. Therefore, large,
ball type ornaments may still be
brought in to neighborhood play
grounds at tomorrow noon. said
Miss Sybil Baker. chairman of the
Executive Committee of the Ma
tional Community Christmas Tree.
Civic leaders on the Tree Com
mittee are also expected to bring
tree ornaments. when they report
for a final committee luncheon at
1890 pm. tomorrow in the Taft
House. Actual trimming of the live
spruce on the White House lawn
will be done by employees of the
District Recreation Department,
led by Harold Snyder, Tuesday
morning. There will be no lights
on the tree. To brighten it up,
the color scheme has been extended
from the usual red, green and white
ornaments to any hue.
Public Concert Scheduled.
The public is welcome at the mid
afternoon Marine Band concert and
Christmas tree ceremony on the
White House lawn, the White House
has announced. The Metropolitan
Police Department. however. has is
sued stern warning against bring
ing private cars to the White House
celebration.
Come on foot or in public We
hicles," said Inspector Arthur E.
Miller. Parking this year has been
cut to the minimum" Very few
Of the 200 dignitaries especially in
vited to the tree ceremony have
been issued special parking passes,
he indicated.
The United Service Organization
Clubs, Young Women's Christian
Association and other public or
CARNATIONS have planned entertain
ment for servicemen and war work.
ers that begins generally on We'd