Evening star., 1953-12-23
Last-Ninute
Rush HeraIds
Eve
Weothermun Sees
$3.50 Chance of
Snowfall Here

on the streets and in the stores.
at travel stations and airports,
in the homes decked with holly.
1t was evident at the Salvation
Army, where the needy were up
permost in mind, and it was
evident at the White House
where plans were completed for
the Christmas tree lighting pro-
gram at 4:30 pm. tomorrow.
It was even evident in news
papers offices, where city edi-
tors were asking: Will it be a
white one? The public would
like to know
Snow Odds Are Even.
Doing his best to oblige, the
weatherman gazed into the. fu-
ture and hazarded a $3.50
chance of snow tomorrow night
or Friday morning. The ingred-
tents that make snow-clouds
and cold-were moving this way.
The problem SCENE to be wheth-
er they would mix in the right
proportions.
Snow or not, it is going to be
downright cold. It was blowing
in today on a brisk wind that
figured to drop the mercury to
"a degrees tonight. Partly
cloudy and cold weather will
continue through Christmas.
Christmas eve at the White
House will be little different
from that at thousands of homes.
There will be exchanging of
gifts by President and Mrs. Els
enhower and there will be a
Christmas tree lighting.
Public Is Invited.
The latter will be on a colossal
scale with the public invited to
the scene of the giant, living
spruce on the south lawn of the
White House.
President Eisenhower will
press a button at $40 pm. to
light the 35-foot tree for a ma
tional television audience.
Before this, at 5:09 o'clock,
the President will talk to the
Nation for about four minutes
from the Executive Mansion.
Gen. Eisenhower's appeal will be
for world peace.
The President will speak
briefly again after lighting the
tree. That program begins at
4:30 pm. with Christmas music
and carols by the United States
Marine Corps band and the Ma
tional Press Club Chorus.
Spencer to Speak.
After the invocation by the
Right Rev. John Spence of
st. John the Baptist de la Sale
Catholic Church, a talk by Com
missioner Spencer will precede
Gen. Eisenhower's remarks.
The President and Mrs. Eisen-
hover will be greeted at the tree
by Helen Juten of the Camp
Fire Girls and William H.
Zierdt of the Boy Scouts.
Edward Masters of the Marine
Band will play the cornet solo,
"Cantique de Noel" which has
been played at every ceremony
since Calvin Coolidge first lit
the tree in 1923.
The benediction by the Rev.
Leslie Glenn, rector of st. Johns
Episcopal Church, and the Ma
tional Anthem, will conclude
the program.
Will Exchange Gifts.
Later in the evening, while the
same ritual Is carried out in
many American homes, the Eli
senhowers will exchange gifts
by gaily decorated tree in the
White House second floor living
room, Mrs. Eisenhower's mother,
Mrs. John Sheldon Doud, has
arrived from Denver for the
event.
She also will accompany the
ElSenhowers on holiday vaca-
ton to Augusta, Ga. They will
leave Christmas morning and
stop at Fort Benning, Ca, to
pick up the Eisenhower grand
children, David, S; Barbara
Anne, 4, and Susan, who will be
the last day of this month.
Maj. John Eisenhower, their
father. is stationed at Fort Ben
ming. The President probably
will remain in Augusta until Jan
uary 8.
Mrs. Eisenhower has been re-
covering from a heavy cold con-
tracted over Thanksgiving at
Augusta.
Travel Rush Begins.
The holiday travel rush was
accented by Gen. Eisenhower's
gift to Federal employees half
day off Christmas eve. This will
give thousands an opportunity to
leave early for visits to home
towns.
Union Station was already
humming with early signs Of the
big rush, and bus and airlines
were expecting near-record jams
tonight and tomorrow.
WaShington's mailing rush was
ahead of last years and Post
master General Summerfield
said the Nations Yule mail.
moving along satisfactorily,
probably will be a ecord-breaker.
n A. 4