There are more than thirty thousand people of Russian origin (workers and peasants) in Chicago and suburbs. There are many valuable, useful and large organizations. These organizations engage in many useful activities and, if the year's turnover is calculated, there will be a total of many scores of thousands of dollars derived from them.

Recently Russian organizations have been particularly strengthened. In the first place much attention is paid to cultural-enlightenment work in the colony. Serious attention is paid to the quality of the undertakings, and measures are taken that to the largest extent possible they may be brighter and richer in content. Many instructive lectures are given in the colony. There are many new capable people in the colony. New clubs and circles appear from time to time. In general, the colony is without doubt getting richer in cultural powers and organizations. Its work is widened and its lines are strengthened. In one of the organizations a fund for mutual aid and insurance is established. There are 2several schools, libraries and buildings in which the colonists are gathering. There is also a theater and many choruses, and even a small string orchestra, and a daily paper. There is one thing missing among us, that is, more unification.

The colony has become richer in many things in comparison to previous years, and has gone far ahead; yet it is still split up. Whether the colony gathers to collect money for certain purposes or arranges a new library, or some undertaking with a common colonial aim, all of this is done in a disorganized way and all is torn apart. We need more economy of strength, more solidarity and in many cases more courageous action. All organizations which are not cooperating should get together in cases when a common colonial affair is undertaken. The Russian organizations of Chicago and suburbs should arrange something like a general conference of all progressive organizations.

To work out a plan of action which will unify all organizations on the bases of cultural work and appoint a special committee, which will manage all affairs in those cases, when in one or the other field all organizations could act together. (There are many such cases: Collection of money for different aims, the establishing of a big library, the arranging of a general colonial mutual fund - the realization of the dream of the colony of long ago - the establishing, if not of a people's house, then at least the renting of a building for the same purpose). If only this would be done, i. e., if the colony would enter upon the realization of all this, the results of such measures would soon show. Through more unification of the colony there would be more libraries, bigger schools; the sums of money which are collected by us from the undertakings and through contributions would be spent more fruitfully. The more unification, the more successful will be the general work of the colony, and undoubtedly the colony would soon have to think about the establishing of a people's house. Then there could be done a lot. It is the affair of the organizations. They should think about it.