For a certain time now, there has not been a Monday when at least a hundred volunteers to the Polish Army did not depart from Chicago for the training camp. As usual, yesterday over eighty volunteers left for the Polish Army training camp at Niagara-on-the-Lake. From there they will be sent to France to become part of the rapidly growing Polish Army which will soon face the Germans, perhaps in decisive battle. Despite much opposition from Poles who have dishonored their names for Prussian marks, the Polish Army is growing in strength. Nothing can withhold the able Polish volunteers from the duty that binds everyone who is a real Pole, and who loves his homeland with heart and soul, knowing that this is the only opportunity of winning freedom for Poland. The soul of every good Pole feels this, knowing that the moment of rebirth for Poland is approaching, that moment of triumph when, after the final victory of the Allies, our Poland will be on an equal footing with all other nations: free, independent, and united. All hail to those Polish volunteers in whom there has awakened the real Polish spirit which does not tolerate slavery.

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AT RECRUITING CENTER II

The volunteers gathered at Recruiting Center II, arriving from all parts of the city, led by the recruiting sergeants of their districts. From Hawthorne, as usual, twelve volunteers came in eleven automobiles. The volunteers from Hawthorne were accompanied by their local Citizens' Committee and numerous friends.

[Translator's note: The names of the visitors from Hawthorne have been omitted in translation.]

The volunteers declared that before they had left for Chicago, their Citizens' Committee had treated them to a splendid breakfast and presented them with many gifts. Mrs. Cecelia Jeruzal had pinned a flower to the lapel of each man's coat.

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The ladies of the Polish Red Cross, who were to take part in the parade, were the center of interest. The names of these women were: Sophia Jaworski, Halina Wolf, Mary Uchacz, Mary Misiewicz, Lucia Leszczynski, Frances Koza, Sophia Tatar, Helen Widuch, Jean Kulik, Caroline Cwiek, and Julia Szypulski. Their attractive costumes drew the attention of the onlookers.

After the volunteers had formed ranks, Mrs. Wanda Murcikowski, proprietress of the flower shop at 1411 Milwaukee Avenue, gave each man a flower, wishing him success and a safe return. In pinning on the flowers, Mrs. Murcikowski expressed her high opinion of the volunteers, saying that she was happy to see that Poland had such worthy sons who were faithful to its principles and would fight for its rights.

After all formalities had been taken care of, the procession, consisting of the volunteers, the Polish Red Cross, the Citizens' Committees, the representatives of the press, and the officers and recruiting sergeants of the Polish Army, moved on to St. Helen's Church, where solemn High Mass was to 4be held.

CEREMONY IN CHURCH

Upon arrival at the church, all those who participated in the parade attended Mass, which was celebrated by the Peverend Peter Pyterek, the local pastor, assisted by the Reverends Ferdinand Scierzka, deacon, Theodore Rekosiak, subdeacon, and P. Sobota, master of ceremonies. During the course of the ceremony, solos were suns by John Bielawa, local organist, Misses M. Budzban and Kulik, Mrs. Dolinski, B. Rybowiak, director of the Philaret Choir, and by Stephen Kozuch and Joseph Kokotek, members of the Philaret Choir.

At the conclusion of the ceremonies and an earnest prayer for a better future, the gathering left the church for the parish hall.

BANQUET AT PARISH HALL

Upon arrival at the parish hall, the volunteers and their well-wishers sat down to 5well-laden tables. The women of the local parish served the food and saw to it that everybody had enough to eat. At the main table sat the Reverends Pyterek, Scierzka, Rekosiak, and Sobota, E. Misiewicz and A. Grochowski, members of the Central Citizens' Committee, Thaddeus Jurkowski and W. Jasinski, lieutenants of the Polish Army in Russia, who had come especially to bid farewell to their comrades in arms, Peter Ligman, [John] Przyprawa, inspector of the Polish Army; Lieutenant Sulewski, of the Polish Army Training Camp; representatives of recruiting Center II; representatives of Dziennik Zwiazkowy, [Dziennik] Narodowy, and Kuryer Polski; J. Bielawa, local organist; Professor B. Rybowiak; and Stephen Kozuch and Joseph Hokotek, members of the Philaret Choir. Before the banquet commenced, the Reverend Pyterek led the company in prayer. The master of ceremonies at the banquet was E. Misiewicz, of the Central Citizens' Committee. As the banquet commenced, the Camp Kosciusko [Niagara-on-the-Lake] Polish Army Band, led by John Wasilewski, arrived at the hall and was greeted by sustained applause. Since the musicians were tired from their long journey, having come directly from the Camp to Chicago, they were immediately given places at the tables that they might refresh themselves.

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At the conclusion of the dinner, the Reverend Pyterek took over the duties of master of ceremonies. After a short address, he asked for a few words from Bieutenant Jurkowski, of the Polish Army in Russia. Lieutenant Jurkowski made a short but precise address, in truly military fashion. He wished the volunteers all success in the struggle for the independence of Poland. The next speaker was the well-known Peter Ligman. His farewell address to the volunteers was so emotional that the venerable speaker wept like a child as he spoke. He asserted that if he were forty years younger, no power on earth could prevent him from enlisting in the Polish Army.

At the conclusion of this address, the Camp Kosciusko Band played "Boze Cos Polske" (God Save Poland) and a march tune. The entire gathering was enlivened by the stirring music of this truly Polish military band. The musicians played so well that it was really a pleasure to listen to them, and every one felt that at that moment he could throw himself upon the enemy. As the Reverend Pyterek said afterwards, if a regiment of Germans had appeared it would have been annihilated, so warlike an atmosphere did the music create.

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The next speaker was Lieutenant Jasinski of the Polish Army in Russia, who expressed the hope that he and the volunteers would meet again in Warsaw, which would then be the capital of a free, independent, and united Poland. Miss Halina Wolf then spoke in behalf of the Polish Red Cross, after which the children of the local parish school entertained with songs. The concluding address was delivered by John Przyprawa, inspector for the Polish Army.

Before the company left the hall, the ladies who had prepared the dinner gave each of the volunteers some food to eat on the way to the camp, while the Citizens' Committee passed out cigars and cigarettes. The roll was then called to determine whether all of the volunteers were present, following which they departed for the railroad station.

May God repay Father Pyterek, the local Citizens' Committee, and the ladies of the parish who prepared and served the delicious dinner. St. Helen's Parish really bade farewell to the volunteers in old Polish style. Nothing was lacking; everybody had as much food as he wanted to cat.

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THE DEPARTURE

After leaving the hall, the procession proceeded from St. Helens Church to Noble Street, from which point chartered streetcars took the Company downtown. Ranks were formed again at Randolph and Canal Streets, where mounted police were already waiting, and the procession moved through the principal streets of the Loop.

Probably no previous parade of Polish Army volunteers attracted so much attention of the American public as this one, due mainly to the participation of the Camp Kosciusko Band, the Polish Red Cross, and the officers from the Polish Army in Russia. The streets through which the procession passed were lined with curious people who, upon discovering whose parade it was, applauded enthusiastically. They especially applauded the Red Cross contingent which made such a good appearance that it would have been difficult to refrain from applauding. The band contributed much to the general good appearance of the parade, attracting so many people with its music that crowds of them followed the parade to the railroad station in order to see the Poles bid a last farewell to their volunteers.

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At the station, as usual, there was no end to farewells; mothers bade goodbye to their sons, sisters and young women bade farewell to their brothers and sweethearts, just as did fathers and brothers to their sons and brothers. Naturally, there were many tears. The band did its best to cheer everyone up by playing merry Polish folk tunes. It also played the Polish and American national anthems. As the train left, the last notes bade farewell to those who were going to fight for the rights of Poland, as did the hearts of hundreds. And in a moment, the train disappeared from view, carrying the volunteers who went to fight for our country. May they all be heroes and win freedom for Poland.

A FEW MORE WORDS ABOUT THE BAND

As we have already said, the Polish Military Band from Camp Kosciusko plays splendidly. The boys present a truly military appearance. They are contented and willing, for they know that as volunteers to the Polish Army it is their duty to keep up the good name of that army no matter what the conditions are, 10and especially since it is composed solely of volunteers. They play very well, and if they do not play the music exactly the way they feel it, it is the fault of poor instruments. They are good musicians, and it must be admitted that if our boys had instruments like those in some of the American army bands, none of the famous American bands could equal ours. Another and very important matter is that of uniforms for our musicians. In the first place, the uniforms our boys wear are too heavy and are not appropriate for a band; they do not do justice to the Polish Army. These boys really cannot march in such heavy uniforms in hot weather. Even though the weather was not very hot yesterday, a look of fatigue could be seen in the musicians' faces, and this was entirely due to the fact that the uniforms they wore were too heavy for a military band.

It is to be supposed that if the general public could see and hear this splendid band, then, if the agents at the head of our nationalistic movements do not act, there will be people who will take up contributions so that new uniforms can be purchased for this incomparable Polish Army Band which 11ought to look at least as well as others, if not better.

We ought not to permit it to happen that anyone should speak derogatorily of our military band simply because it is not properly uniformed.

Then let Chicago Polonia give one more proof that the Polish Army actively concerns it, that the Army lies close to its heart, by seeing that its army and its band are at least equal in appearance to those of the Allied armies.

May this appeal find the ear of our generous Chicago Polonia, for the benefit of the Polish Army.