Evening star., 1942-12-23
Heavy Schedule
Of Yu|e Events
Gets Under Way
Dedication of Tree at
White House Heads
Tomorrow's Program

Washington's pre-Christmas cele-
bration swung into high gear today
with a crowded schedule Of public
festivities as shoppers continued to
jam the central business area.
The round of tree trimmings,
dances and carol singing will be
topped tomorrow by dedication of
the national community Christmas
tree on the White House lawn and
the Presidents annual Christmas
address to the Nation.
With leave from nearby camps
being granted to only 10 per cent
of the total enlistment, the majority
of public entertainments during
Christmas week are being planned
for war workers. Dances will be
held tonight at the YWCA and
Friendship House. Trees will be
trimmed at the National Catholic
Community Council and the Twelfth
Street YMCA.
Through the Offices of the Fedora
ton of Churches defense commits
sion about 800 new employees here
have been invited individually to
Christmas dinner in the homes of
long time Washington residents.
Heavy Crowds Downtown.
The slush underfoot and the en-
forced carrying of all but enormous
parcels has done Nothing to stem
the flow of thousands of shoppers
downtown, according to both busy
policemen and rushed salesgirls
Two policemen have been placed at
most of the downtown corners to
handle the mobs of pedestrians.
Children have been coming in for
their share of the public festivities,
with parties arranged in the after
moons at almost all neighborhood
Fairgrounds and special parties also
scheduled at the Barney neighbor-
hood nursery and the Friendship
House.
The churches plan most of their
special celebrations for tomorrow
night, when midnight Christmas eve
services and masses will be held for
thousands Of worshippers. At 1920
am. Christmas Day the President
is expected to attend a union re-
llglous service being held by the
Federation of Churches at the
Church of the Epiphany, 1917 G
street NV.
10000 To Sing in Group.
A chorus of 10000 will sing carols
at pm. tomorrow in the court of
the Pentagon Building. Children
from the Columbia Recreation De-
partment will 60 to the District
Building at 3 pm. tomorrow to sing
for officers there. Groups of Choir
listers from the public schools have
been serenading school administra-
tors from the inside stairway of the
Franklin Building all this week, the
officers said.
Mrs. Roosevelts schedule tomor-
row begins with the $50 am. party
OF the Arlington KlWaniS Club. She
goes at lis pm. to the Capitol The
ater party and then to the Salvation
Army party at pm. at COG E street
NV. About 80 pm she will visit
an alley in Georgetown for the an
nual carol program of the Washing
to Council of Church Women.
Few White House Guests.
Christmas itself at the White
House will be restrained affair,
with the two children of 1t. and Mrs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr. and Diana
Hopkins the only young people
present. No special guests are ex-
pected except Harry Hooker of New
York City and Mrs. J. R. Roosevelt,
sistre-in-law of the President, also
from New York. The President will
open the family celebration Christ
mas eve with his annual reading of
Dickens christmas Carol"
All brances of the public library
will close at pm. tomorrow, it has
been announced by Miss Clara Her.
bert, librarian, and will remain
closed Christmas Day.