25 Dec 1938
Page 1
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Newspaper
Charleston Gazette
Location
Charleston, West Virginia, United States of America
Date
Dec 25, 1938
Page
1
President Roosevelt delivers a Christmas Eve message from Lafayette Square promising to use all power to banish hatred and greed, saying a new heaven and earth won't come overnight but that good will can strengthen the effort to end war. The ceremony featured a lit community tree, a holiday crowd, and a Band, with the Roosevelts and staff nearby.
Democrats in Charleston prepare for a January 7 dinner with a 25 per plate price. RL Snyder Jr notes reservations are rapid with 300 meals offered at Kanawha hotel dining room and no speaker yet. The event mirrors last year’s New Orleans battle celebration with proceeds sent to national headquarters and Roosevelt’s address broadcast from Washington.
Santa scratched his head as he studied a note from two young girls, Merry and Carol Christmas, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Christmas, asking for a doll and a Christmas carol, with holiday wishes that left Santa unsure how to respond.
Washington dispatch reports President Roosevelt may retire at end of his current term if family wishes are followed. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt leads opposition to a third term for the president, citing health and social concerns. Despite calls from some supporters, many party leaders urge caution and a decision after the first session of the 76th Congress.
Denver public relief story highlights Louis B. Sigman, former Brooklyn orphan, now a Denver packing plant operator, giving 25000 pounds of meat to aid 4000 parcels of 10 pounds each for Christmas. He recalls charity spanning ten years and a dramatic livestock delivery to feed the destitute.
Army aviation officials studied a catastrophic explosion of a huge bomber near Uniontown Alabama as seven fliers perished. Doctors and fingerprint experts worked to identify mangled remains while fragments and clothing offered limited clues amid the investigation.
Rockefeller scientists Dr. Thomas Francis Jr and Dr. C H Stuart-Harris report experiments on ferrets showing a nasal membrane change that blocks entry of cold and influenza viruses. The finding suggests a non-immune adjustment of the nasal lining that hinders infections in these animal models.
Berlin dispatch reports Hitler urged a Christmas armistice in politics but newspapers simultaneously published sharp editorial attacks on Sen. Key Pittman while the Reich prepared a peaceful holiday. The nation, larger in size and population than ever, looked to 1934 as a year of peaceful achievements amid political tension.
Washington December 24 Works Progress Administrator Harry Hopkins took the oath as commerce secretary with Supreme Court Justice Stanley Reed administering the ceremony in the president's study. President Roosevelt and Mrs Roosevelt attended, with 5 guests including White House aides and leading correspondents. Hopkins said he would meet W Averell Harriman to arrange a council meeting with all 55 of the Indiana business executives on the council, many of whom are his personal friends.
Foreign affairs experts in Washington say Ukraine is poised to be Hitler's next expansion target, with plans to carve it from the Soviet Union, Poland, and Romania. The acorn metaphor suggests Ukraine’s future under German influence, while Ruthenia may be incorporated and Carpatho Ukraine sought autonomy.
Bakersfield California December 24 a collision between H F Crawford on a motorcycle and a Santa Fe train derailed thirteen freight cars. Crawford skinned his knee while the mishap disrupted the rail line. Thirteen cars were off the tracks and the scene drew attention as the incident unfolded.
Pope Pius XI, speaking in a Christmas Eve address to Vatican cardinals, denounced Nazism and Fascism for policies toward the Catholic Church. He accused Mussolini of violating the 1929 concordat and called the swastika a cross hostile to the cross of Christ, signaling possible Holy See clashes with Mussolini and Hitler over church matters. The pontiff, frail but vocal, defended Catholic Action and condemned Aryan marriage bans and racial purity laws, urging unity as he faced a looming showdown with the Axis regime.
Across the globe on Christmas Day 1936 war and strife continued. In Spain two armies clashed in a crucial battle while Sino-Japanese fronts bled. In the Holy Land guns dominated as Bethlehem’s star shone centuries ago. Pope Pius XII spoke of sadness amid tensions with Mussolini. The nation looked to a可能 white Christmas as charity groups prepared meals for the needy. The Roosevelts hosted a holiday handshake at the White House as windsors gathered at Sandringham in England. Madrid faced famine and cold as Franco’s insurgents blocked food and supplies. Weather forecasts suggested partly cloudy skies and new flurries.
Col. C. C. Tallman head of the state police urged holiday travelers on state highways to be careful as traffic doubles. He warned pedestrians to cooperate to reduce deaths. A Highway Safety Bureau check showed 29 deaths this month and 373 in the year, with December figures down from 1930s levels.
A green Christmas gave way to remnants of seasonal cheer across West Virginia with people gathering in joyous family celebrations and shoppers fueling a strong holiday economy. Gov Holt led Christmas observances at the Charleston mansion while highways ran crowded and state police urged caution after seven pre holiday deaths. Hospitals and penal institutions decorated for the season as charity work continued.
Santa Claus greeted 150 very poor children at Camp Fairchance for the 5th annual Christmas party by the 40 and 8 and Gazette. The event, cited as the most successful yet, provided gifts beyond those asked for. Capt. Charles Marsh, in charge of Camp Fairchance, oversaw unloading as the children watched, noting the camp trains children from needy families in conduct health and education before private home placement.
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