Yesterday was a day that will long remain in the memories of the Poles of Town of Lake, for it was the day of one of the greatest celebrations ever held in this neighborhood.

As early as twelve o'clock noon, in spite of the cold weather, military and civilian societies from Town of Lake, Brighton Park, Bridgeport, and St. Peter and Paul were gathering at Slowacki Hall, Kosciusko Hall, and other points. Joseph Kukulski, the grand marshal of the parade, and his assistants, Sigmund Schmidt and Victor Orciuch, were mounted on horseback, all three wearing the parade uniforms of the Falcons.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the crowds on 48th Street, between Marshfield and Wood Streets, and on Hermitage and Paulina Streets, were large beyond description. Shortly after two o'clock, the sign was given for the parade to begin.

The marshal and his assistants rode on horseback at the head of the first division, and behind them rode a platoon of thirteen mounted policemen. Next in order was the band, conducted by B. Wroclawski, followed by the Town of Lake Citizens' Committee, consisting of: B. F. Kowalewski, Vincent Wrzesinski, Edward Bradel, and R. J. Kowalewski, president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, respectively, and S. Jankowski, Anthony Rusch, J. Korczewski, John Kwiatkowski, John Kieradlo, C. Czapek, John Krolewczyk, D. Hojnacki, and Joseph Tyranowski. Beyond the Committee, in front of the standard-bearers, marched Recruiting Officer A. Wolski and Recruiting Sergeant S. Baslinski in their army uniforms, and Recruiting Sergeant S. Deplewski of the Town of Lake station in the Falcon uniform. The standard-bearers were as follows: S. Orczyca carried the American Flag; S. Bebecki, a soldier from Company A of the third regiment at the training camp at Niagara, on furlough in Chicago, carried the Polish Flag; I. Kierkowski the Italian Flag, S. Tralecki the British Flag, and Peter Miarecki the French Flag. Beyond the Allied standard-bearers marched a unit of the Polish Young Men's Alliance in the Land of Washington, numbering about forty men, in uniform and with rifles. They were followed 3by uniformed men's and women's Falcon groups of Circuit II, a few-score in number, and Falcons in civilian clothes, Military societies marched beyond them, and of these, the largest group was the Thaddeus Kosciusko Alliance of Polish Military Societies, commanded by Colonel Grabowski and J. Kuzminski, accompanied by its own band. Bringing up the rear of the first division was the standard-bearer, J. Lesniewicz, with two assistants, carrying the colors donated by our youth. They were followed by women members of the Polish Young Men's Alliance in uniform, and the sponsors of the standard, numbering about six hundred.

The second division consisted of a few score societies from St. Peter and Paul Parish and from Bridgeport, with their own bands. The third division consisted of the nationalistic and church societies of St. John of God Parish, also with their own band. The nationalistic and church societies of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish and Five Polish Brothers and Martyrs Parish, accompanied by their own band, made up the fourth division. The fifth and last division consisted of the nationalistic and church societies of St. Joseph's Parish, accompanied by W. Lagocki's band.

Altogether, about five thousand persons marched in the parade, while about eight thousand people filled the sidewalks on the way to the church and to the park hall. The procession started from Paulina Street and moved down 48th Street to Lincoln Street, down Lincoln to 46th Street, down 48th to Ashland Avenue, down Ashland to 48th Street, down 48th to Throop Street, and down Throop to 52nd to St. John of God Church, located on Throop and 52nd Streets. Between 51st Street and the church, the children of St. John of God Parochial School formed an "espalier" through which the procession passed. At the doors of the church, a group of policemen kept order and allowed no one in beforehand.

Church Ceremony

Upon arrival at the church, the Citizens' Committee entered first, followed by the sponsors. The other societies took up the remaining places. The Allied flags were grouped in front of the large altar around the new colors for the Fourth Regiment. Beside these stood standard-bearers with forty-seven flags--American and others.

Mass was celebrated by the Reverend Stanislaus Nawrocki, pastor of St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church in Bridgeport, assisted by the Reverend Stanislaus Cholewinski, pastor of St. Joseph's Church, as deacon, and the Reverend Francis Karabasz, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus church, as subdeacon. Occupying places in the sanctuary were the Reverends L. Grudzinski, pastor of the local church, F. Wojtalewicz of South Chicago, Edward Kowalewski, pastor of St. Magbalene Parish, South Chicago, A. A. Klowd, S. Bubacz, S. Szczepanski, F. Kachnowski, and J. Stoinski.

The consecration ceremony was performed by Reverend Nawrocki, after which Reverend Kowalewski delivered a beautiful sermon. He opened his sermon with these words:

"A hundred and twenty-two years have passed since our enemies and conquerors tore apart our country and we lost our freedom. Today, after so many years, while a great world war rages, and when the great President Wilson expressed his support for a free and independent Poland, we again have hopes that we 6will regain our freedom.

"Through the initiative of sincere and patriotic people," he continued, "people at whose head stands Ignace Paderewski, and through the initiative of the French government, the Government of the United States permitted us to raise an army and to fight under our own colors. Today, we have been the witnesses to the consecration of one of these standards which will be taken to our homeland by our brave soldiers, and carried on to victory. The hour when our homeland shall be freed from the chains of slavery is dear to every Pole and, just as our forefathers began important deeds by communing with God, so we consecrate this standard, which is to us a symbol of the unification of our nation. God will certainly bless our cause, for it is with Him that we enter upon this historic hour." The reverend speaker went on to cite examples of how our great kings and heroes opened every important battle by first communing with God and how each of these battles was won.....In conclusion, he called upon the young men to enlist in the Polish Army.

"Today," said the Reverend Kowalewski in his sermon, "there is no lack of priests who, desiring to serve their country, are enlisting as chaplains. Let us not indulge in sectarian squabbles or provincialisms, for we are sons of one mother--Poland--for whom every true Pole ought to be willing to fight and to give the last drop of his blood under the standard of the White Eagle. And then will the White Eagle wave over a free Poland with its outlet to the sea, God willing."

The Reverend Kowalewski's sermon was so beautiful and heart-stirring that tears could be seen in many eyes.

The local St. Cecelia Choir, under the direction of the organist, Francis Malinowski, sang during the services. After the blessing, the Polish national hymn, "Boze cos Polske" (God Save Poland), thundered from the congregation. The parade then formed again and proceeded to the Sherman Park Hall at Throop Street and Racine Avenue.

Unfurling of the Colors

After the Citizens' Committee, the sponsors, and the individual societies, three-quarters of whose members had to return to their homes for lack of space in the church, had taken their places in the hall, the representatives of organizations took seats upon the platform. These were the president of the Polish National Alliance, Casimir Zychlinski; Nicodemus Piotrowski, president of the Polish Roman Catholic Union; and Miss E. Napieralski, secretary-general of the Polish Women's Alliance; of the priests, there were the Reverends Nawrocki, Gruozinski, Klowd, Bubacz, Kachnowski, and Stoinski. Others present upon the platform were Miss A. Wisla and W. Lubicz, representing Circuit II of the Polish Falcons' Alliance, W. Szrojda, member of the principle Citizens' Committee of Chicago, and the invited speakers, Senator David Shanahan, attorney Henry Toner, and W. Skaags, the well-known author. In addition to these, there were, the local Citizens' Committee, the Polish army officers A. Wolski and S. Balinski, Adam Wrobel, president of the Polish Young Men's Alliance in the Land of Washington, and Francis Perlowski.

The exercises were opened by Adam Wrobel, who called upon B. Kowalewski, president of the local Citizens' Committee, to act as chairman, and Edward Bradel, secretary of the same Committee, as secretary. After greeting the gathering and explaining the purpose of the manifestation, the chairman proceeded with the program.

The first number was sung by the St. Cecelia Choir, directed by organist F. Malinowski, accompanied by F. Krol's orchestra. The choir sang the Star-Spangled Banner and "Z Dymem Pozarow" (With the Smoke of the Conflagration). As an encore, it sang "Tesknota Ojczyzny" (Homeland's Yearning).

This number was followed by a very beautiful address by State Senator David Shanahan. His entire speech will appear in tomorrow's issue of Dziennik Zwiazkowy as we lack space in this issue.

He was followed by Miss Emily Napieralski. In her address, Miss Napieralski admitted with sadness that relatively few young men are enlisting in the Polish Army. She said that the recruits number about twenty-five thousand, while 10out of a population of four million there should be at least a million recruits. In her beautiful address, Miss Napieralski called upon the young men to enlist in the army that will free Poland, and then asked them: "Do you, the Polish youth, want to see us, the Polish women born or raised here in America, follow the example of the Russian women and take up arms for the struggle?" In conclusion, Miss Napieralski once more called upon the youth to enlist in the ranks of the Polish Army with the following words: "Do not wait until you are forced to go, for sooner or later you will be forced to go. Then, however, you will be cowards, and will be held in contempt--Polish women will despise you for, as the Polish woman knows how to love, she also knows how to hate." She concluded her address with the cry: "Long live free and independent Poland with an outlet to the sea!" Frequent applause interrupted her address at many points.

The next speaker was the well-known attorney, Henry Toner, a Polish sympathizer who spoke in English. Toner recalled all the wrongs which various nations, and especially Poland, suffered for years at the hands of the Prussians and 11the other conquerors who, a hundred and fifty years ago, planned the partition of Poland. His speech was rewarded with applause.

After this English speech by Toner, Casimir Zychlinski, president of the Polish National Alliance, addressed the gathering. His address, as usual, was the gem of the whole program. He opened his speech with the beginning of the World War, describing the assassination in Sarajevo in 1914, the invasion of Austrian and German hordes into Serbia, France, and Poland, and how the Germans almost captured Paris, while Poland was completely ruined.

"It seemed", he said, "that Poland was lost, forever wiped off the map of Europe. But fate decreed otherwise. Because of the German murders of helpless women and children, President Wilson arose against Germany, and this great country went to war. Let us remember that the great President expressed his support for the freedom of all the oppressed peoples and stated that Poland must be free and independent of its conquerors, with its own outlet to the sea. From this point on, the spirit of our nation rose again, and when in the end the government of this country permitted the recruiting 12of men to the Polish Army, thousands of young men enlisted. This is not enough, however. What is twenty-five thousand out of a population of four million? It is a shame that only so small a handful has enlisted thus far. All of us ought to work together and fight until our enemies are crushed, until we march through Berlin and Germany and plant our standards on the walls of Poznan, Krakow, and Warsaw."

The address was frequently interrupted with applause. Following this address, the united Lutnia, Druzyna, and Philomen choruses, under the direction of P. Herek, sang two medleys of Polish songs, for which they were rewarded with applause.

The unfurling of the new standard for the fourth regiment of the Polish Army in France and its presentation to A. Wolski, recruiting officer for that army, was next on the program. The presentation was made by Adam Wrobel, president of the Polish Young Men's Alliance, while Miss Regina Olkiewicz read a memorial written on parchment and presented it also to Wolski. The 13memorial reads as follows:

"Today, when in the deluge of fire and blood, out of a choas such as the world has never seen before, the freedom of our homeland is being born; when that hour foretold by prophets, desired by millions of hearts, and awaited by many generations has finally struck; when in the whole world the cry: 'To arms--for your freedom and ours!' resounds and is reechoing throughout Poland also, reaching every place where there are Poles; when, obedient to this cry, from among us in America will come units of Polish soldiers who, from the fields of France, will perhaps even today extend their hands to the Polish Army under General Dowbor-Musnicki, now engaged in fighting the Germans; when the great President of this our adopted homeland insists in his powerful voice upon the freedom and integrity of our nation; when the whole world has arrayed itself against the Prussians, while in every Polish heart lies the conviction that final victory is certain; in such a momentous hour, we, the Polish Young Men's Alliance in the Land of Washington, desiring to express the feelings with which our hearts are filled, offer to those who are taking up the struggle, forming a new regiment, the fourth, of our gallant Polish Army in France, this new standard with the 14Piast Eagle, wishing them victory and praying that they plant these colors on the walls of Gdansk (Danzig).

"Our hearts are with it and our thoughts will accompany it to victory. Poland must be victorious!

"The prophesies have been fulfilled, our penance is done and the day of praise, glory, power, and work for humanity is arriving for Poland. The knots are breaking and the chains falling off, so fight, those who believes in God, so that the sooner will the tombstone be pushed from our nation and its suffering ended. Follow it, follow this standard. O Polish youth; follow it across the oceans and fight the Germans! God is with you--our hearts and the hearts of the whole world are on your side.

"The Committee:

Adam Wrobel

Regina Olkiewicz

Valentina Deplewski"

This ceremony had so solemn and heart-moving an effect that there were tears to be seen in many eyes.

In a few short words, Wolski expressed his thanks for the honor done him. In behalf of the Fourth Regiment, he guaranteed that the new colors would see the walls of Poznan, Krakow, and Warsaw and that it would be planted upon the walls of Gdansk. His address was followed by a collection for the Polish Army and donations by the sponsors and societies. The amounts collected will be made public as soon as the committee in charge and the local Citizens' Committee have completed their records.

The last number on the program was an address by the well-known American author, W. Skaags, who, as one who knows the Germans, cited scores of examples of their machinations and baseness.

In conclusion, the chairman thanked the speakers, the participants in the program, the clergy, and the gathered public for their participation in these exercises. The audience then sang the American anthem, America, and the 16Polish hymn, "Boze cos Polske" (God Save Poland), after which they left for their homes with hope and faith in every heart.

The same evening, a banquet was held at the Sherman Park Hall, a full report of which will appear in tomorrow's issue.