America stands at the head of the list as to the labor and trade organizations. Anything we have depends on organization. We have gigantic and very powerful organizations composed of manufacturers and bankers, besides these there are many professional and labor organizations. To the latter belong also the Poles, but alas! their number is so small that it appears as zero in comparison with other nationalities.

Our working people who are unwilling to become citizens are also keeping away from these organizations with unpardonable negligence.

Our working man is not willing to and cannot understand that the purpose of those organizations is to help their members materially in case of unemployment, sickness or any other misfortune; also to help them in their struggle for better existence, in other words, bigger wages.

It grieves some people to pay excessive initiation fees and high monthly dues; others intend to return to their native country as soon as they accumulate a certain sum of money, taking for granted that joining such organizations would not benefit them.

That sinful negligence revenges itself upon them terribly, especially in case of a strike or any misfortune.

Whoever observed carefully and investigated cases of accidents must have come to the conclusion that of all the victims hit by misfortunes the Poles received least support and help.

That happen because our people, lacking the knowledge of the native language, do not know how to demand their rights; secondly because not being members of any professional or labor organization, they do not get sympathy as do the members of those organizations.

During the last big strike of the tailors in Chicago, Polish families suffered the most. The majority of tailors and girls working in tailor shops were not members of the union, so that during the strike they had to live on their savings and it was not until their funds gave out that they did apply for a membership card in order to receive support from the donations contributed for the strikers.

Our people were also the first strike breakers, and it was necessary for the police to escort them to their shops.

Very sad, in our opinion, were the street demonstrations and parades formed in our settlements. Throngs of our unfortunate Polish men and women, partly new union members, paraded under the leadership of a handful of Jews led by a Jew and carrying Jewish signs and inscriptions through the streets. It made the impression that the whole parade was made up of Jews.

That strike, though not ended, will end very soon because those who caused the strike are returning to work secretly. Again our people will suffer the most because many of them will not be taken back to work and even if they were no one will recompense them for their lost wages.

At present the strikes cannot be a success for the strikers cannot compete with organized capital.

In a misfortune every little help is welcome and in order to be prepared we should save during good times, but our people do not think about it. The result is that when the strike breaks out they suffer. Most of the blood is shed during Polish strikes. The result is that it creates hatred for the so called foreigners, as we are called.