Yesterday at about nine o'clock in the morning, several score of volunteers to the Polish army from all parts of Chicago gathered at the recruiting center at Milwaukee Avenue and Augusta Street, preparatory to leaving for the Kosciusko Training Camp at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada. Punctually at nine-thirty A. Wolski, the chief recruiting officer, gave the order to begin the procession to St. Hedwig Church. The procession was led by the Citizens' Committee member, Edward Misiewicz, the Polish Army organizer W. Rozycki, J. Jankowski, and Ignace Wroblewski, secretary general of the Polish Roman Catholic Union. They were followed by the Polish Army Band, in uniforms of the Polish Army and conducted by F. Przybylski. Then came A. Wolski, recruiting officer for Center II, and the recruiting sergeants: M. Szubert, S. Balinski, S. Wlosinski, and A. Miller, followed by the Polish and American flags carried by two Polish soldiers on furlough in Chicago. The volunteers, numbering eight, brought up the rear. On leaving the recruiting headquarters, the procession moved down Augusta Street to Noble Street, down Noble Street, 2to Blackhawk, down Blackhawk Street to Dickson, down Dickson Street to Wabansia Avenue, down Wabansia to Wood Street, down Wood Street to Cortland, down Cortland Street to Robey Street, where they were joined by the Citizens' Committee of St. Hedwig Parish, consisting of T. Jablonski, John Sakwinski, Ignace Wroblewski, M. Adamczyk, F. Poklacki, Joseph Janusz, Florian Polasik, Albert Orlof, Anthony Zielinski, M. Jurewicz, Stanislaus Pruszynski, S. Iwanski, Joseph Jilka, Andrew Mikrut, Francis Kordecki, F. Porzuczek, druggist Hellmuth, and several others.

After joining the Citizens' Committee, the procession moved down Robey Street to Webster Avenue, and down Webster Avenue to St. Hedwig Church, where hundreds of people awaited them.

The church was filled to capacity. Solemn High Mass was said by Reverend John Obyrtacz, pastor of St. Hedwig Parish, assisted by Reverend Paul Sobczak as deacon and Reverend Theophilus Szybkowicz as subdeacon. The master of ceremonies was Reverend Stephen Kowalski, who will celebrate the first Mass on Easter Sunday. In the sanctuary we noticed also Reverends B. Cieslak and 3Edward Stefanowicz. Reverend Francis Siara, local assistant, delivered a very beautiful sermon for the benefit of the volunteers.

The Sermon

Reverend Francis Siaras spoke to the volunteers as follows:

"Volunteers! Knights of Poland! You are going to fight for our homeland, you are going to fight for the freedom and independence of Poland, which our enemies, having torn it years ago into three parts, are now occupying. You have recognized your duty, you have understood that freedom for Poland must be won with our own strength, and you will win that freedom for our country because you are first communing with God, and victory always shines for those who begin their fights with belief in God. Our never-to-be-forgotten King John Sobieski first communed with God and then crushed the Turks and saved Christianity in Europe. So did Father Kordecki, who victoriously defended Jasna Gora and gave the final blow to the invading Swedes. And you, 4brave Polish volunteers, also begin with God; you will be victorious and will undoubtedly place the standards of the White Eagle on Polish soil. Hail to you, volunteers, who, understanding the importance of this hour, are going to battle willingly and determinedly, leaving behind your home and perhaps property, following where your homeland calls to rescue her from complete annihilation. Hail to you, mothers and fathers of volunteers; you can well be proud that your sons are going to avenge our forefathers and free our beloved Poland from the chains of slavery."

Naturally, Father Siara's sermon cannot be given in its entirety; these are only excerpts from it. It must be added, however, that his heartfelt words drew tears from more than one eye.

During the services, the local parish choir, under the direction of E. Wiedeman, the organist, sang Gounod's High Mass. Mrs. Turalski also sang "O Salutaris" to the organ accompaniment of her father, E. Wiedeman, while T. Orzada played the violin.

On leaving St. Hedwig Church, the procession proceeded to the parish hall on Tyndale Street, where the Citizens' Committee had prepared a farewell banquet for the departing volunteers.

Banquet in Parish Hall

The main table at the banquet was occupied by the following people: Reverend J. Obyrtacz, pastor of St. Hedwig Parish, the local Citizens' Committee, John Wedda and E. Misiewicz, members of the Central Citizens' Committee, Recruiting Officer A. Wolski, Polish Army organizers W. Rozycki and Krzywonos, Judge [E.] Jarecki, J. Jankowski, Alderman [Max] Adamowski, police lieutenant and president of Council 41, Polish National Alliance, Joseph Palczynski, Commissioner of the 15th Circuit, Polish National Alliance, A. Majewski, Mrs. E. Neuman, president of the Polish Women's Alliance, Miss E. Napieralski, secretary general of the Polish Women's Alliance, E. Wiedeman, P. F. Kowalewski, vice-president of Council 41, Polish National Alliance, County Commissioner Albert Nowak, John Nowicki, the well-known Polish banker, and John Konczyk, F. Kamka, and T. J. Gorski, members of St. Hedwig Parish. The other tables 6were occupied by the volunteers, their relatives, and members of the band. Tables were waited on by the young women of St. Hedwig Parish, who did their best to keep everyone satisfied.

Reverend Obyrtacz led the gathering in prayer before the dinner began. He was also the first after-dinner speaker. It would be difficult--well-nigh impossible--to give a word-for-word reproduction of the speech made by this able champion of the Polish cause, who, while being a priest, is at the same time a good Pole, sincerely given to Polish agitation and working toward the goal of every right-thinking Pole. Father Obyrtacz spoke as only a Polish priest can speak; bidding our brave soldiers farewell with and tear in his eye, he urged them into the fight against Germany for a free and independent Poland. "Do not forget", he said, "that you are Poles, that you are going to fight for a sacred cause, the cause of Poland. May God lead you to victory and to a free Poland." He apologized for not preparing for more than a hundred and fifty people at the banquet, although only a hundred people had been expected. "The next time we bid farewell to volunteers in St. Hedwig Parish, "he said, "we will prepare a banquet for five hundred people. We 7will always willingly see you off. Just join the army and tell us that you are doing so and we will see that you are properly dispatched. The Citizens' Committee," Father Obyrtacz continued, "which was organized in St. Hedwig Parish only a few days ago, is working wholeheartedly for the Polish Army, as anyone who was present at Sunday's mass meeting should know. Hail to you, volunteers, for having seen your duty, for your desire to tear Poland from the hands of its enemies."

Following Father Obyrtacz, Miss E. Napieralski, secretary general of the Polish Women's Alliance, spoke in behalf of the Polish women. She urged them to fight the Prussian hydra....to victory for the freedom of Poland.....

A very patriotic address was next delivered by Reverend B. Cieslak. He said among other things: "I am sorry that instead of in masses, we are going in handfuls, that the spirit of our forefathers has not yet awakened within us. The present moment calls for sacrifice and there should not be a single young man who would fear to risk his life, for that is the only way by which we can attain our goal, our free Poland.

The concluding address was made by John J. Wedda, of the Central Citizens' Committee. He assured the volunteers that they would not be forgotten here and that all their future needs would be supplied. A collection for the Polish Army, taken up after Wedda's speech, netted $106.05.

After the singing of "Boze Cos Polske" (God Save Poland), and after the volunteers were supplied with cigarettes and other needs, the women pinned flowers on the soldiers' lapels. After leaving the hall the procession formed again, with the Citizens' Committee and the band at its head, and marched to the street car at Cortland and Wood Streets. On reaching Randolph and Clark Streets, the procession formed again, this time led by three mounted policemen, and moved down Clark Street to Madison Street, Madison to State Street, State Street to Jackson Boulevard, Jackson Boulevard to Dearborn Street, and down Dearborn Street to the railroad station at Polk Street. The band played in real military fashion and the crowds downtown applauded our volunteers vigorously. The parade downtown had a great effect 9upon people of other nationalities, as could be seen by their enthusiastic applause.

Such a farewell should be made a permanent feature in sending our soldiers off to the war; a parade downtown does a certain amount of good, for it shows everyone that the Poles are active, that the Polish army is an army of volunteers who do not serve because they are forced to do so, but from a sense of duty, and that they go to fight not only for the freedom of their own homeland but for the freedom of all nations, the freedom of humanity.

All of the priests of St. Hedwig Parish, with Father Obyrtacz at their head, were present to bid the volunteers farewell at the railroad station, and they waited until the train left. As the train started to move, the band played "Jeszcze Polska Nie Zginela" (Poland is not yet Lost). For the last time, those who could do so shook hands with the departing volunteers, while the priests offered words of encouragement.

Hail to the Polish volunteers who have gone to avenge the wrongs suffered by 10the whole Polish nation, by humanity!

Yesterday's farewell will long be remembered. That future farewells be no less patriotic and splendid it is only necessary that we be good patriots, that we feel and think primarily as good Poles.

Reverend Obyrtacz and the priests of St. Hedwig Parish deserve acknowledgement for arranging for the farewell and for their hearty support of a very important cause. Hail to you, able priests and Polish patriots! God and the Polish nation will remember you, and perhaps the time will yet come when you will be repaid.