Franklin Roosevelt actually said...
employees in the Federal service in the District of Columbia, and in the field service of the executive departments, independent establishments and other agencies of the Government, except those who may for special public reasons be excluded from the provisions of this Order by the heads of their respective departments, establishments or agencies, or those whose absence from duty would be inconsistent with the provisions of existing law, are hereby excused from duty at 1 P.M. on Tuesday, December 24, 1935, and at 1 P.M. on Tuesday, December 31, 1935.
12/11/1935