The desire for bettering one's condition in America, which has caused our brothers to emigrate from their homeland, has here developed into a feverish desire for gold. Just as every passion blinds a man in his action, so also does the desire for gold compel many of us to close our eyes upon this: that such one-sided material direction retards our political and national development in America. It is true that one should strive to obtain money, without which life in the present time is almost impossible. But it is also true that a useless striving for money creates a fat materialist out of even a most perfect man. It creates a slave of money. The result is that such a man forgets about everything and, his nationality as well, being devoured only by the desire of possessing money. There are many such slaves among us, therefore, evidently, one concludes that many forget about our nationality and, as a result, bring about its stagnation.

This is no place to speak of the crimes caused by the unnecessary passion 2for money, but of the harm that this desire causes to our nationality among respectable Poles. Naturally, this applies only to those who do not make contributions for national purposes in accordance with their wealth.

We complain of the lack of unity among the Poles in America and this unfortunately, is justifiable. There are societies that have death and other benefit insurance for their members. Undoubtedly, they are good in themselves and we wish them great progress. However, how many societies are there which, without an assurance of any material benefit, would have a respectable number of members? Few, very few. Our Polish theatrical productions are played most frequently in the presence of a comparatively small number of spectators. Some begrudge the money--materialism--others would rather go to the saloon--materialism--finally, materialism will not allow others to see the great moral and national benefits, nor the arousing of the feeling of beauty that comes from the plays. If among the Poles residing in, let us say, the northern part of the City of Chicago, if only every tenth person appeared at every play, the disheartened, self-sacrificing amateur artists would not act in half-filled halls!

How many members does the very useful Polish Welfare Association have? In proportion to the general amount of Poles, the number is insignificant.

What can be said of our emigration home in New York? Every one has recognized its usefulness, many emigrants have received effective care and assistance, but materialism does not allow its successful development. Materialism does not permit everyone to bring financial aid to this home. From the one-and-a-half million Poles residing in the United States, at least $20,000 should come for this home in the first year, of which one-half could be turned over into an iron fund. But a frivolous love for money and for enjoyment, materialism, makes us inconsiderate, insensible to the fate of our arriving brothers, who are exposed to a purely Egyptian misery and slavery. Hence, our national stagnation and the subsequent political stagnation.

We have spoken of our materialism manifesting itself in several public matters. Let us now pass over to private affairs. The fever of quick acquisition of wealth causes a majority of the Polish parents to send their children to work 4at hard labor as soon as possible, though they are not yet completely developed physically or morally, so as to bring in as much money as possible in the shortest space of time. The environment in which they find themselves, the words that they hear there, the labor too difficult for their undeveloped strength, create veritable physical and moral dwarfs of these Polish children. By so doing we will become slaves in this free America, the servants of other nationalities. Such action is particularly hostile to the acquisition of an education, and hence to a belated occupation of an important position among other nations. In America too, as elsewhere, and even faster, do conditions change. At present the father can get some sort of a job even without any higher education, but in about twenty years that will be an impossibility for his son. While the other national groups, as for example, the Germans progress so much higher in education, we retrogress because of the indifference of the parents toward the school, until, finally, the time will come when every passer-by will push us with contempt as a bad and worthless object.

This same materialism manifesting itself in the desire for a rapid acquisition of wealth discourages the Polish youth in America from [learning] the Polish language; it causes the careless parents to send the Polish children to English 5schools in opposition to pedagogic, national and Christian principles, and as soon as they have received their first Holy Communion they turn them over to the shops and factories, where the corrupted atmosphere and even more corrupted moral conditions destroy our youth and render it worthless for Polish and American national political life. Hence our national and political stagnation, quick retrogression and approaching early downfall!

This same materialism even destroys the family ties amongst us. The father and mother are elated that their son or daughter, though young, already earns so much; then they are able to pay "board" to the parents. Father and mother! You have gained a "boarder" but have lost a child. The meager money which you receive from him will tear away his love and respect for you. It will cause the child to be on an equal basis with you; it will cause him to renounce his obedience to you and shower you with insults because he already is an independent "boarder". We have seen instances where the children have evicted their father from the home because he did not contribute in any way or could not pay for his "board". It could not be otherwise; a family of that type is not a family [living] in accordance with the Divine 6will, but merely a "boarding-house." The laxity of family ties leads these families and an entire nation to moral, financial, and political degradation.

Let us cast out from amongst ourselves this degenerated and shameful materialism; let our families base themselves upon the Divine law, which is opposed to materialism. Let us strive incessantly toward more elevating, honorable, and Divine goals, and then our political and national stagnation in America will come to an end.