Evening star., 1945-06-12
1000 10 Attend
Civic Luncheon
For orEisenhower
Students Will Be
Excused on Monday
To See Parade

About 1000 persons representing
a crosS-section of Washington's
civic and community life will be in
vited to the luncheon honoring
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, which
will be held at the Statler Hotel
next Monday.
Tentative plans for the luncheon,
which with the parade will be
Washington's part in the welcome
home ceremonies for the supreme
Allied commander, were announced
today by Joseph C. McGarraghy,
chairman of the Luncheon Commit
tee.
Mr.. McGarraghy planned to meet
with his committee this afternoon
to work out the details of the af-
fair-particularly which 1000 citi-
zens best represent their city.
May Ask Group Officers.
He thought it was likely that the
officers of the organized groups Of
Washington residents would be
asked to the luncheon. which will
follow the march to Capitol Hill
and a joint session of Congress fos
Gen. Eisenhower.
LUNCHEON guests also will include
some Shigh-ranking officers of the
armed forces, congressional lead
ers and number of District off,
cials. Gen. Eisenhower is expected
to address the luncheon and his
speech probably will be broadcast.
| AS the city rushed It's prepara-
tions to hail the leader who brought
victory in Europe, number of COM
mittees were formed. Commissioner
John Russell Young is general
chairman of the city-wide celebra-
ton, with Commissioners Charles
w. Kutz and Guy Mason as CO.
chairmen
i District Selective Service Director
i William E. Leahy heads the Execu-
tive Committee of so citizens which
will coordinate the efforts of COM
mittees working out the details Of
the celebration.
Schools Will Close.
The crowd viewing the parade
from the Memorial Bridge to the
Capitol is expected to be one of the
largest in the Districts history
School children will be excused from
their classes for the entire day To
take their places along the line OF
march. Department stores will be
closed from 11:15 am. until / 80 o m
to give store personnel an oppor-
tunlty to cheer the victorious lead.
er and District government EN-.
ployes-except for police, firemer
and others whose duties keep then
at their posts-will be excused from
work from II am. until pm. Mon
day.
Much of the activity throughou
! the day will center at the Statler
i 1t was understood that a block q
40 rooms has been set aside at tn
Statler for the Eisenhower part,
which will include 81 officers an,
enlisted men taken from a numbe
OF divisions to make up a repre-
sentative group.
Meanwhile, it was announced 4,
Kansas City that Mrs. Ida E. Eisen.
hover, the generals 84-year-oId
mother, will go to Kansas City from,
her home in Abilene, Kans., to greet
her famous son and attend the re-
Iceptlon in his honor on June 81,
/ Plan Family Reunion.
Mrs. Eisenhower will join -four
other sons and their families in a
reunion with the general. With
Gen. Eisenhower and other relatives.
she will return to Abilene later in
the day for the welcome planned
by the generals home town.
From Abilene, the Associated
Press reported that Gen. Eisen-
hover will be the honored guest
not the star performer, in his home
towns celebration.
Mayor Homer F. Strowig. an
nouncing plans for the celebration,
said it would be "a true expression,
OF a real Homecoming" and added.
rather than put the general on dis
play, we want to make him feel a.
home and to put on a show for
him."
The show will include an old
fashion country parade, expected to
be 8 miles long.
! 1T will not be a military process
sion, but We plan to make it spec
tacular and something the general
will like" Strowig said.
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