Evening star., 1950-12-22
Truman Thousands of Others
Begin Holiday Exodus Today
Record Numbers
Due to Jam Truins,
Buses and Planes

President Truman and thou
sands of plain citizens were set to
leave for home today, bringing
Washington's annual Christmas
exodus to its peak.
The President left National Air
port for Kansas City to spend
Christmas with his family in In
dependence, Mo.
Thousands of others - some
predict record numbers-are ex-
pected to jam into trains, buses
and planes to begin their own
homeward Journeys.
From 80 to 35 extra trains are
scheduled to pull out of Union
Station before midnight, with all
room on the crack trains to dis
,tant points long sold out.
20 Extra Flights Scheduled.
Most airlines also expect their
peak load today and tonight. One
has scheduled 20 extra outgoing
flights.
The homegoers will leave just
in time to make room for the
expected incoming travel peak
tomorrow. Everybody wants to
be at his destination by Christmas
eve, so everybody's starting out
today, the experts say.
Like everybody else, Mr.. Truman
had some last-minute chores be-
fore boarding his plane home. One
of them was to make recordings OF
two messages to be broadcast from
here Christmas eve.
One will be at the annual
Christmas tree lighting ceremony
on the White House grounds. The
other, addressed to people over
seas, will be broadcast by the
Voice of America.
Will Garry Chores With Him.
Mr.. Truman also will carry some
chores with him. He will remain
in constant touch with the Capt.
tai, and his plane, the Independ-
ence, will fly him back on short
notice if there's need.
In his party leaving today were
Maj. Gen. Harry Vaughan, his
military aide; Brig. Gen. Wallace
H. Graham, his physician. and
Col. and Mrs. Louis Truman. Col.
Truman is the Presidents cousin.
Mrs. Truman already has gone
home by train, and their daughter
Margaret is due to join them by
Christmas Day.
AS usual, the President plans
to perform some neighborly duties
in his home territory. Tonight
there is a party scheduled in the
Muehlebach Hotel in Kansas City.
A luncheon is scheduled there to-
morrow. At Grandview. Mo-, Mr..
Truman will attend an Eastern
Star meeting tomorrow night and
church dedication on Sunday.
To Light Tree Sunday.
Mr.. Truman is scheduled to
| light the community Christmas
tree on the White House
grounds by remote control at
5:16 pm. Sunday. Several thou
sand citizens are expected to be
on hand for Marine Band con-
cert and ceremonies, although
they will be excluded from the
grounds this year for security
reasons.
1t looked today as if some people
might have trouble getting where
they want to on time.
Besides the regularly crow ded
conditions, at least one large air.
line has found it impossible to
schedule extra flights because of
a shortage of plane crews. This
line closed it's waiting list for
reservations Tuesday.
But by Sunday night the exodus
will tighten so drastically that
The same line has Cancelled one
regular flight. According to the
reservations manager Of this line,
the Christmas week end has
been in progress already for three
days.
i Parties in Full Swing.
Here at home, meanwhile, pre-
Christmas parties were in full
swing.
Washington's tens of thousands
of public and parochial school
children gleefully put their books
away yesterday for an 11-day
vacation.
Toy and canned food collections
by local radio stations were reach
ing their climax.
The Christmas Bureau OF United