On the twenty-fifth of March, a large number of Polish women gathered in the richly decorated Pulaski Hall, impatiently awaiting their leader in the field of national work, Madame Helen Paderewski, to hear what she had to tell them and to follow her leadership obediently. Before Madame Paderewski's arrival, the Reverend Casimir Gronkowski [pastor of St. Adalbart's Parish] called the mass meeting to order, naming Mrs. Hibner as chairwoman and Vera Gorecki as secretary.

Various parishes and communities were represented by the following women: St. Adalbert's Parish, Mrs. W. Szymanski and Mrs. E. Jankowski; St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Mrs. M. Czekala, Mrs. J. Rekosiak, Mrs. S. Slupikowski; Holy Trinity Parish, Mrs. A. Jezierski; St. Mary of Angels Parish, Mrs. A. Gogolinski, Mrs. E. Lamorski, and Mrs. C. Siuda; St. Jacob's Parish of Hanson Park, Mrs. A. Praszkiewicz and Mrs. J. Kokuszewski; St. Anne's Parish, Mrs. A. Lapkiewicz, 2Mrs. B. Dolinski, and Mrs. M. Urbanowski; Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Mrs. J. Kaminski; St. Helen's Parish, Mrs. B. Hibner, Mrs. J. Bartosiewica, and Mrs. M. Garyantosiewicz; Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Mrs. J. Czapek; Holy Innocents' Parish, Mrs. M. Gorzynski, Mrs. M. Oudek, and Mrs. J. Placica; Good Shepherd Parish, Mrs. M. Broniarczyk, Mrs. W. Jacek, and Mrs. P. Kukielski; St. Joseph's Parish of Argo, Mrs. M. Jaworski, Mrs. H. Przybyski, and Mrs. A. Puskalski; St. Salomea's Parish of Kensington, Mrs. T. Smialkowski; Assumption of Jesus Parish, Mrs. J. Slomski, Mrs. C. Tomkiewicz, and Mrs. H. Pajak; St. Wenceslaus Parish of Evanston, Mrs. A. Danisch and Mrs. M. Pietrowicz; Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary, Mrs. W. Gorski, Mrs. L. Czapski, and Mrs. R. Gapinski; Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Mrs. K. O. Barski, Mrs. A. Klawiter, Mrs. M. Walkowiak, Mrs. P. Zmudinski, and Mrs. H. Sadowski.

Invited guests at the meeting were: the Reverend F. Wojtalewicz, and L. Grudzinski, Mrs. J. Smulski, Mrs. Przybysz, Miss E. Napieralski, and Mrs. A. Neuman.

As Madame Paderewski entered the hall she was greeted by the school children of St. Adalbert's Parish, who sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the "Medley of Polish Songs" [by Lachman].

The Reverend Gronkowski delivered the following address: "In behalf of the Chicago parishes, I have the honor to greet the wife of our great leader, Madame Helen Paderewski. In behalf of all the parishes represented here, I thank her for honoring us with her presence. Seeing how great the need is, we are getting down to national work. We need qualified people to teach us, to point the way, to tell us what to do in order to help free our nation, to bring relief to widows and orphans, and to keep up the spirit of our boys, who are going to fight not only for Poland but for the freedom of all nations on earth. The times that we are now experiencing are important. If we do not now win freedom for our homeland, we never will. The news that reaches us here is terrifying, and more than one of us has asked himself, 'Is there no God, that the Germans can take everything, crush everybody? Can it be that Heaven is blessing them?' We place our faith in God, and we have hopes that 4God has not allowed this war to continue so long to punish the world, but only to humble the Germans the more. It is the hope of everyone that God will not permit the Germans to rule the whole world.

"This mass meeting was called today for the purpose of introducing our protectress, who, knowing our needs, can most easily tell us what to do. Madame Paderewski, although she is very tired after traveling from city to city, has come here to you, Polish women, and will best explain her own purposes."

Madame Paderewski was them presented with a bouquet of roses from the women of St. Adalbert's Parish by Mrs. P. W. Szymanski. The great master's wife delivered the following address:

"Dear, beloved sisters and Polish women! I need not tell you how happy I was to hasten here to greet you, to tie the thread which, God willing, will form a permanent bond. There is so much work to be done that every hand is a treasure. Seeing this gathering and the good will, I cannot but be grateful 5to Father Gronkowski and dear Mrs. Smulski.

"Dear, beloved sisters--there is so much work ahead of us, so much that one knows not where to begin. The present hour is a terrible one. There has never been a more terrible hour in the history of Poland. If we do not weld our hearts into one great heart and our souls into one great soul, believe me, we will destroy the good name of the Polish women, by neglecting our duty.

"You all know how our brethren in Poland had to hide in the woods without food and clothing, and froze to death. Children have starved, girls have fallen victim to lustful soldiery; thousands of them have been sent to German cities as white slaves for the officers. All this gives us duties that lie heavily on our consciences; we must think of them.....Although the ocean separates us, these great waters would not be enough to wash the blot [from our names] if we did not try to help as much as we can.

"Sisters! Save your money for bread for the hungry; for the children, that 6they may be taken to Switzerland to be returned to Poland healthy; for a home for girls that will be a haven in which they can gain new strength. Give to the Polish Army, which is our pride, our refuge. Give, so that the boys who are offering their lives will lack nothing. While others are giving everything let us not be like stepmothers--let us show that a woman's heart strives to ease the hard life of the soldier. The boys are going to battle! Let us do everything we can for them, my sisters. Let us organize societies and work like bees, continuously. Give your pastors your attention. This work will show the boys that we care for them. Not only do they need sweaters and socks--there can never be enough socks--they need a hospital, ambulances, sheets, clothing. In France even a handkerchief cannot be obtained. We need girls so that our boys, when they lie dying after battle, will know sisterly care, will hear the Polish language. We must give them this aid. Not only do we need girls of good will, we need the means to maintain them.

"I was elected president of the Red Cross in France. It is a great burden--too great a burden for my shoulders. But I accepted it without hesitation, for I 7believe in your hearts, the hearts of women, that where liberty is at stake, will give everything. And so, in the name of God, I am beginning this work, knowing that each woman will do her part. Thanks to the pastors, this will be facilitated through their efforts; rather than a burden, it will be a pleasure, a fulfillment of duty. My gratitude to the pastors is unbounded.

"I am happy that you, my sisters, have been organizing into Helen Paderewski societies. It makes me happy that you want to follow me. We will have one thought, one ideal. In order to accomplish our task, we must stand together, like an army going to battle. There is no time for factional conflicts if the job is to be done. When I was a child, my grandmother told me a story that made a deep impression on me. A certain father called his sons to his deathbed. He gave them a bundle of sticks tied together; each son tried to break it, but could not. Then the father untied the bundle and gave each son one stick to break, which, of course,was easily done. 'It is the same in life,' he told them. 'While you are united, nothing can break you; separated, you can easily be broken.' And we, too, dear sisters, can be strong only when we 8are united. If dissension creeps in among us, everything is lost. There is no time, as I have said before, for private ambitions, private animosities. One great love for our homeland is our aim. In the name of that homeland, plead for work, for unity. May God bless that work which I have already learned to love and for which I will be thankful from the bottom of my heart. Follow the suggestions of Father Gronkowski, with whom I will always be in contact. I can assure you that my heart will always be near you. Be well, and may God be with you all."

To vary the program, the school children performed a gymnastic drill, following which Madame Paderewski spoke again, urging those at the head of the movement to collect money for beds for the hospital.

The Reverends Wojtalewicz and Grudzinski then spoke, each pleading for unity and aid in the work laid out by Madame Paderewski.

"Chicago, as the largest Polish city in America should set an example for work 9and sacrifice which others will follow. We must understand that the idea advanced by Paderewski and his wife can be made a reality," said Father Grudzinski. He continued, "Let us reply with deeds.....Let us reply with work and deeds, and show that we, too, have the good of our beloved homeland at heart."

Other speakers were Mrs. Neuman, Miss Napieralski, Mrs. Szymanski of Town of Lake, and Mrs. Milewski.

The Reverend Gronkowski thanked Medame Paderewski for coming to the mass meeting. He asked also that the work be not delayed and that purchases of wool be made in the local stores. Members of St. Hedwig's Parish have already sent 176 pairs of socks, made from wool purchased themselves. The soldiers also need shirts, a pattern for which will be supplied by Madame Paderweski and will be sent to the various societies. In the matter of beds, Father Gronkowski suggested that the Helen Paderewski societies collect for these, placing the money in his hands. This he will acknowledge by publishing in the 10lists in the local papers. Father Gronkowski also mentioned that the prisoners have no clothes to wear. He suggested collecting old clothes and sending them to St. Adalbert's Parish.

Before the mass meeting ended, thirty-two beds were pledged by the following individuals, groups, and societes:

Mrs. W. Szymanski of St. Adalbert's Parish, the Women's Division [Polish National Alliance], Mrs. M. Milewski, Mrs. M. Slaska of St. Adalbert's Parish, Mrs. W. Rybicki, Mrs. M. Chmielinski, Mrs. J. Przybsz, Helen Paderewski Society of South Chicago (two beds), Helen Paderewski Society of Evanston, Mrs. P. Rutkowski, Mrs. E. Hibner, the women of Town of Lake, Mrs. E. Jankowski, Mrs. P. Rozmyslowicz, Mrs. E. Schiler, the Helen Paderewski Society of Holy Innocents Parish (two beds), Mrs. K. Lubejkd, the Helen Paderewski Society of Bridgeport, Mrs. A. Danisch of St. Wenceslaus Parish, Mrs. Wleklinsi, Mrs. Bronder, Mrs. P. Opila, Mrs. J. Jedrzejek of St. Helen's Parish, Mrs. Prominski, the Helen Paderewski Society of St. Helen's Parish, the Helen 11Paderewski Society of Argo, Mrs. A. Paczkowski and daughter of St. Adalbert's Parish, Mrs. W. Pelka, and Mrs. Tomaszewski.

The meeting was concluded with the singing of "Boze Zbaw Polske" (God Save Poland), to the piano accompaniment of Miss Josephine Niedzwiecki.

Vera Gorecki, Secretary.