Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-07
Group Works on Plan
To Set Up Canteens
In i. ). Cafeterias
Saturday Night Parties
Sought by Unit Meeting
With Mrs. Roosevelt

A plan to turn Government cafe.
teriss into entertainment can.
teens for Government workers on
Saturday nights may be put into
operation by Government recrea-
ton officers within a short time, it
was learned yesterday
Mrs. Roosevelt disclosed the plan
At her press conference Wednesday
as she summed up a discussion held
at the White House last week by
wives of cabinet members and high
Government officials The group be-
lieved the Government workers
Saturday canteen" was "a good
idea" Mrs. Roosevelt said AS a
result personnel and recreation Off
GERS Of the other war agencies are
cooperating with Mrs. Izetta Jewel
Miller Of the War Public Services
section of the Federal Works
Agency. to open an experimental
canteen in a few weeks.
To Hold Additions.
The District Recreation Depart
ment is cooperating in the project
to the extent of holding additions
for talent to appear at the canteens.
saiG r re on Superintendent
Milo F. christensen. While the
department cannot give money or
enlploye support to the plan as a
whole, he explained, it can aid to
the extent of holding talent audi
tons as it does for volunteer camp
shows around Washington. Miss
Mary Davis of the Recreation De-
partment will hold additions for
white entertainers Tuesday eve
ming at the Thomson School. A
time and place for colored audi
tons will be announced later this
week
I'VE are trying to work out the
plan for all Government workers. ="
said Mrs Miller. A member of Mrs.
Roosevelt's informal conferences for
some time. Mrs. Miller stressed that
the whole idea is still in the dis
cussion stage and has to be backed
And paid for by regular group
before it can become an actually
Miss Prosky Heads Group.
The Government officials most in
terested in the plan are the recrea-
ton and personnel officers Of yari-
Gus war agencies. Miss Ruth c.
Prosby of the Office of Price Ad-
ministration is chairman of the
group. All are members Of the Rec
reation Subcommittee of the Fed
eral Council of Personnel Admin
lstration
I'VE hope to set up canteens for
our employees, especially girls, in the
Pentagon Building said Marshall
Staley, chief of the community &C
tivity section of the War Depart
ment. He mentioned showing movies,
staging vaudeville shows providing
some refreshment at low cost and
setting up bridge tables.
The first Government cafeteria to
be opened as Saturday night can
teen has not yet been selected, said
Mrs. Miller. She stressed that there
would be no dancing. but that en-
ployes would be able to get together
and enjoy themselves with no price
of admission" and nominal cost for
refreshment. No wines or liquor
would be served, she said.
Interested in "Infirmaries."
Mrs. Roosevelts group of officials
wives and few women Government
executives have been meeting at the
White House for some time to dis
cuss problems of Government work
ers, especially girl workers. Mrs.
James A. Lands. who is also men,
Der Of the War Hospitality Commit
tee, was instrumental in obtaining
the gift of Mrs. Evalyn Walsh Nc
Leans garage as a recreation center
for Government workers.
The group is also interested, Mrs.
Miller said, in obtaining space as
''infrmaries' for girl workers who
become i'll and cannot get the proper
care in their boarding houses. This
idea however. has not vet been
formally accepted by Government
agencies as has the Saturday night
canteen' suggestion.