A meeting of the recently organized Polish Immigration Protective Association was held in Judge [E.] Jarecki's courtroom on January 8, 1915, with the purpose of taking steps to combat the proposed immigration restrictions. The new members, as well as those who enrolled in the organization at its first meeting, took active part in the discussions. Some of the new members present were: Mrs. A. Neumann, Miss E. Napieralski, president and secretary, respectively, of the Polish Women's Alliance, T. Jachimowski, Rufus Zaleski, Wesolowski, Wengierski, Doctor Graiczunas, [S.] Mermel, [J. S.] Zawilinski, [S.] Orpiszewski, F. S. Barc, B. Kozlowski, the Reverend L. Grudzinski, Roman Welzant, Joseph Lisecki, Stanislaus Osada, and Alderman [Kleofas] Pettkoske [Petkowski]. Bishop Paul Rhode presided over the meeting and Anthony Czarnecki served as secretary.

After opening the meeting, the chairman explained that it was called for the 2purpose of considering what is to be done, now that the bill limiting immigration has found as many as fifty supporters in the Senate and only seven opponents, as a result of which the danger of enactment of this nonsensical measure is very great. The chairman, who is also president of the organization, asked all those present to consider seriously what can be done to prevent its enactment. [Casimir] Zychlinski, president of the Polish National Alliance, made a motion that the President [of the United States] be urged through protests, resolutions, and, possibly, a [Polish] delegation, to veto the bill. The speaker said that he did not know whether the Senators could still be influenced, but he believed that protests of the right kind and a competent delegation to President Wilson might accomplish a great deal in this direction [toward defeat of the measure].....

After Czarnecki's explanation that there is still time to send proper resolutions to both the Senate and the House of Representatives because of the fact that amendments made to the original Burnett-Dillingham Bill will make it 3necessary for the bill to pass through both houses of Congress again, Zychlinski's motion was supported by Attorney [L.] Pinderski and Miss Napieralski. The motion was put to a vote by the chairman, and was carried. Judge Jarecki made a motion that a protest be prepared and the chairman suggested that the protest be drafted in such a way as to speak for the entire Polish element in America. A discussion arose on this subject in which Zychlinski, Bare, Pettkoske, Czarnecki, and many others participated. It was Zychlinski's opinion that a committee be named immediately to prepare the protest, to communicate with other national groups on this matter, and to dispatch a delegation to President Wilson. F. S. Barc, editor of The Nation, completed the motion to read as follows:

"A committee is to be appointed for the preparation of a protest. This committee will send copies of the protest to all Polish organizations, which, in turn, will supply copies to their own local groups. The addresses of the Congressmen and Senators of the district in which each particular group is located should be included, so that that group will know to whom the protest 4is to be submitted."

As to the expense which this action will entail, Zychlinski declared that the Polish National Alliance is willing to share the cost equally with other organizations. Mrs. Neumann, president of the Polish Women's Alliance, P. Rostenkowski, president of the Polish Roman Catholic Union, and the Reverend [F.] Gordon, president of the Polish Alma Mater, said the same for their organizations.

The committee entrusted with the preparation of the protest consists of Leon Mallek, legal counsel for the Polish National Alliance, F. S. Barc, and Judge Jarecki. Bishop Rhode promised to influence the clergy in all of the parishes to address similar letters of protest to their Congressmen.

On a motion by [J. S.] Konopa, secretary of the Polish Roman Catholic Union, the question of delegating a committee to Washington came under discussion. After long debate, it was decided that the delegation include representatives of the Polish organizations, which organizations will also cover all costs incurred.

Before the delegation's departure for Washington, Bishop Rhode, as president of the association, will send a telegram to Senator [James Hamilton] Lewis, asking him to designate a date for the delegation's arrival in the capital.

After postponing the adoption of a permanent name for the association until the next meeting, the meeting was adjourned.

Before adjournment, however, an appeal was made to the press to take a definite stand favorable to the immigrants, and to publish articles on this subject in Polish or in English.