A meeting was held yesterday at the Polish Women's Alliance Hall, on Ashland Avenue, under the auspices of the [Polish] Committee for Economic Aid to Poland. Mrs. Laura Turczynowicz, organizer and honorary president of this committee, returned from California especially to attend the meeting.

At 8:45 [P. M.], H. Lokanski, chairman of the committee, opened the meeting and explained the purposes of the gathering and the aims of the committee. We shall not repeat those aims here, for they are already well known to everyone. The committee elected a permanent administration, for the administration that has been acting up to this time has been a temporary one; also, a plan of activity for the committee was presented.

After the opening address of the chairman, representatives of organizations 2and societies were asked to take places upon the platform, and the floor was given to the honorary president of the committee, Mrs. Turczynowicz, who gave an account of her activities in California and the West, where she spoke, principally before Americans, in Los Angeles and other cities. In a comparatively short time, she collected $2600 for the Polish cause. Mrs. Turczynowicz further described the enthusiasm with which the Poles in the West have lent themselves to relief work, how they have recognized the weight of their task and proved that, at the time when our homeland needs them most, they can work harmoniously.

The next speaker was the well-known Belgian writer, Edward Van Wezemael, who described the sufferings of the Polish people during the present war...He compared the suffering in our homeland with that of Belgium, and assured the gathering that his pen is always available for service to the Polish cause.

William H. Scaeggs, also a well-known writer and author, was the second guest 3speaker on the program. Amongst other things, he said that America has, among its people, representatives of worthy European nations such as Poland, Bohemia, and Belgium, which justly deserve freedom and independence and a place among the other great nations of the world. In this lengthy address, the speaker described the course of German politics and pro-German activities in the United States which have, as an end, the gaining of sympathizers to the German cause in this country. He pointed with disgust to the baseness and unscrupulousness of the Prussian hirelings who tried to create dissension here, and concluded his remarks by paying homage to the great Polish nation, expressing the opinion that such a nation must become an active member of the world organism when this war is over.

The gathering heartily applauded this address, happy to learn that the Poles have active sympathizers amongst the Americans.

The chairman then announced that cards would be distributed, upon which all 4those desiring to participate in the activity of the Committee for Economic Aid to Poland would write down their names and addresses. Following this announcement, Miss Emily Napieralski, secretary general of the Polish Women's Alliance, and Judge Edmund K. Jarecki spoke. The chairman then announced that nominations for officers of the committee were in order.

Upon a motion by the chairman, Mrs. Turczynowicz was unanimously named honorary president. Further nominations proceeded as follows:

H. Lokanski, temporary chairman, was nominated for president; there were no other nominations, and he was elected by acclamation. N. L. Piotrowski, Dr. Pietrzykowski, W. Perlowski, Miss E. Napieralski, Zenon Ulanowski, and Mrs. W. Chodzinski were nominated for vice-president. The temporary secretary, Stephen Lewental, was nominated for secretary-general, and, since there were no other nominations to this office, he was elected by acclamation. The temporary treasurer, Judge E. Jarecki, also retained his office by acclamation.

The following directors were elected: Plucinski, [J.] Zawilinski, Adamczyk, [A.] Bloch (of South Chicago), Gustyniak, Karczynski, Miss Harriet Przybysz, Mrs. M. Osuch, Mrs. Jankiewicz, and Misses Victoria and Helen Baranowski.

Following the election and presentation of the newly elected officers, President Lokanski called upon the secretary to read the constitution of the Committee for Economic Aid to Poland, which was accepted, point by point, by the gathering.

The floor was then taken by Honorary President [Mrs.] Turczynowicz, and she discussed the plan for awarding badges or medals to those who contribute to the relief of the unfortunate people of Poland. Such a medal will be called the "Order of the White Eagle," and will be the highest award that a contributor to the Polish cause can receive, and will bear the emblem that is dearest to the hearts of all Poles--the White Eagle. The opposite side of the medal will bear the inscription: "Given for service and aid to Poland". The first order 6of this kind will be presented to President Wilson for his interest in the Polish cause.

At the same time, Mrs. Turczynowicz declared that, during her stay in the West, she had held a lengthy conference with Paderewski, who saw a great future benefit from the activity in which she is engaged.

The secretary then received the cards that had been distributed among the audience, and it developed that fifty-eight persons had applied for membership in the committee. The president then named the press committee, which consists of [J.] Przyprawa, Brodnicki, Papara, Lewinski, Mrs. Lavdyn-Chrzanowski, Iza Pobog, and Dr. [Anna] Wyczolkowski. The last named addressed a few words to the gathering, urging co-operation and a more vivid presentation of the need for relief in Poland to the general public.

Mrs. West, a reporter for the Chicago Journal, told the gathering that her 7newspaper had decided to contribute, at least in part, to the Polish cause and, with this end in view, is publishing the book written by Mrs. Turczynowicz, entitled "When the Prussians Came to Poland," in its columns in daily installments, both in English and in Polish. In addition to this, the Chicago Journal has placed great placards on its delivery trucks advertising the book, and calling for aid to Poland. It should be added here that the book will appear in the Journal within the next few weeks.

A collection taken up in the hall for the operating fund, that is, for current expenses of the committee, netted $28.06,....while the collection for the relief fund amounted to $7.00.

President Lokanski called the meeting to a close after the singing of "Z Dymem Pozarow" [With the Smoke of the Conflagration] and "Boze Cos Polske" [God Save Poland] at about eleven o'clock.

[Translator's note: Committee discussed above was also known as "Polish Reconstruction Committee".]