More than $25,000 was collected in Chicago during Lithuanian Day (Tag Day) Wednesday, November I, for the relief of the war-stricken people of Lithuania. The day had been designated for that purpose by an official proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson. It is estimated that about $150,000 was collected on that day in the United States.

Nearly three thousand Lithuanian women and girls acted as solicitors on Lithuanian Tag Day in Chicago. They all had white collection boxes on which the words "In the Name of Mercy Help Starving Lithuania" were printed in blue letters. Most of the solicitors were so busy and enthusiastic that they neglected to eat dinner, and many of them neglected their supper as well.

The captains of the various districts, in automobiles, were busy all day supplying the solicitors with tags, etc. These automobiles bore signs with the words "Today America is Helping War-Stricken, Starving Lithuania."

The Main headquarters of the Chicago Lithuanian Tag Day Committee were located in the Loop, in the Great Northern Hotel. The headquarters were in charge of Dr. A. Z. Zimontas, Mr. C. Kasputis, Mr. J. Sinkus, Mr. Glebaitis, B. K. Balutis, Paul Baltutis, and others. Mr. Kasputis was chairman of Lithuanian Day in Chicago.

Two Lithuanian groups solicited funds for Lithuanian war relief on Lithuanian Day in Chicago. One group was composed of Catholics and Nationalists; the other group, headed by K. Jurgelionis, Casimir Kugis, and P. Grigaitis, was composed entirely of Chicago Lithuanian Socialists. The latter group had about two hundred solicitors on the streets of Chicago and collected a little more than four thousand dollars. The Catholics and Nationalists, with more than two thousand solicitors, collected about twenty-one thousand dollars.

Chicago Lithuanians would have collected considerably more had not the Chicago City Council also issued permits to ten non-Lithuanian groups (Armenians, Syrians, charitable institutions, charitable societies, etc.) to solicit funds in Chicago on Lithuanian Tag Day. Some of the groups that were soliciting funds did not have permits. The presence of so many different solicitors on street corners confused and irritated the public--some people voiced their displeasure.

The following Lithuanian speakers, who aided a great deal in making Lithuanian Day a success, deserve special praise: Reverend F. Serafinas, Attorney B. K. Balutis, Dr. A. J. Zimontas, Dr. K. Drangelis, Architect Zaldokas, Mr. Giraitis, Mr. P. Mulevicius, Mr. Ginaitis, Mr. Paul Baltutis, and others.

The central Chicago Lithuanian Day committee encountered many obstacles before Lithuanian Day arrived.

Thirteen factories in Chicago refused to accept an order to make collection 4boxes because they were unable to fill the order in time. Finally, after a diligent search, a factory was found that accepted the order--five thousand boxes at twenty-seven dollars per thousand.

Because the time was limited, great difficulty was also experienced in locating a printer to produce 200,000 tags for contributors and 5,000 tags for solicitors. A Lithuanian company, the Milda Printing House, finally accepted the order for three hundred dollars. Later it was learned that at least two hundred thousand additional contributors' tags would be needed. Since the printer was unable to handle the additional order in such a short time, the pupils of St. George's [Lithuanian] Parochial School were mobilized to help the printer. Some members of the central committee helped with the work and even worked nights. Our deepest gratitude and thanks are hereby extended to the boys and girls of St. George's Parochial School for their help in producing the required number of tags for contributors."

Besides the collection boxes and tags, the committee had 215,000 pamphlets 5printed in the English language about Lithuania and its sufferings. These pamphlets were distributed by the solicitors free of charge to contributors on Lithuanian Day.

The central Chicago Lithuanian Day committee also serviced neighboring cities, towns and states during Lithuanian Day with advice, collection boxes, tags and pamphlets. The following communities were served: Aurora, Batavia, Benton, Bush, Centralia, Harvey, Kankakee, Bedford, Moline, Rockdale, and Tilden, all in Illinois. Service was also rendered to the following communities outside the state: Atlasburg, Pa.; Beloit Wis.; Gary, Ind.; Port Washington, Wis.; Humphrey, Neb.; Indiana Harbor, Ind.; Kansas City, Kas.; Lansing, Mich; Milwaukee, Wis.; North, Loop, Neb.; Sioux City, Ia.; Valparaiso, Ind.; and Winnipeg, Canada.

The committee received word from the central committee in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, that letters asking for contributions had been sent to all 6Catholic priests and Presbyterian ministers in the United States. Therefore, the Chicago committee sent three thousand letters to Methodist and Baptist ministers in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. They responded rather generously. The names of those who contributed are given in another part of this article.

The English Language press in Chicago co-operated splendidly with the central Chicago Lithuanian Day committee. The following newspapers informed their readers about Lithuanian Day: The Chicago Tribune, an article; The Record Herald, an article and an editorial on October 31; The Daily Journal, an article and editorial on October 31; The Evening Post, an editorial on October 31; The Chicago American, an article on October 31; The Chicago Examiner, an article and a solicitor's photograph on October 31, and another article and solicitor's photograph on November 2; Abendpost (German), an editorial on October 31.

The following is a list of the amounts that were collected in the various 7districts of Chicago on Lithuanian Day: Atlantic [47th Street and Wentworth Avenue], $167.98; Bridgeport, $2,769.86; Brighton Park (both sections), $830.96; Burnside, $224.85; Cicero, $1,117.00; Englewood, $121.06; South Englewood, $269.41; North Side, $1,064.24; 18th Street [at Halsted Street], $1,911.66; West Side [22nd Street and Western Avenue], $1,093.73; West Side, through Mr. K. Zaura, $520.15; West Side Church Committee, $112.50; West Pullman, $295.30; Roseland, $1,020.01; Town of Lake, $3,090.84; South Chicago (sent directly to the American Red Cross), $812.22; and Melrose Park, $340.

The $2,769.86 collected in Bridgeport was the largest amount contributed by any Chicago Lithuanian colony. The sum of $3,090.84 mentioned above for Town of Lake was not all collected in Town of Lake. A group of solicitors from Town of Lake, though stationed in the downtown district, deposited their funds with their neighborhood committee instead of the downtown committee. Therefore, a larger amount should be credited to the downtown district, and a smaller amount credited to the Town of Lake 8district.

The largest donation from non-Lithuanians in Chicago came from the Schoenhofen Brewing Company, and amounted to $250. This donation was secured through the efforts of Mrs. M. Jasnauskas and Mr. Radomskas.

The following is a list of donations made by individuals, organizations, institutions, etc.: A. L. M. M. Club, $23.50; Central Manufacturing District Bank, $5.; Mrs. K. L. Ames, $10; Dora Wells, $5; Ed. Yeomas, $50; Turner Manufacturing Co., $5; E. H. O'Meara, $5; Reverend John Henry Hopkins, $2.50; McWethy Bros., $15; G. W. Saulesburg, $2; State Bank of Chicago, $100; McDonald collection, $18.64; Western Foundry Company, $25; Anton Trosta and workers of the Western Foundry Company, $29.50; Mrs. Bronson Peck, $5; First Baptist Church, Evansville, Ind., $10; First Baptist Church, Alton, III., $40; First Baptist Church, Alton, III., (2) $40; E1 Paso Baptist Church, $11.25; Baptist Church, Hudson, Wis., $2.50; 9Immaculate Conception of Holy Mary Society [Lithuanian] of Brighton Park, $10; Mr. J. Valevicius, $8; J. Railis, Eaton, Colo., $2; J. Augas, Homer City, Pa., $8; Mrs. J. Yozavitas, Ladd, Ill., $14.20; Miss A. Beinoris, $5; R. M. Kulinauskas, $10; J. F. Mikulis, $12; A. Kurliauskas, $3.75; A. Saikowski, $14; F. Jakavicia, $5; M. Dauksis, $5; D. Samas, Barnsdale, Mass., $4; R. Barsis, $13; Mr. P. Ladyga, De Pue, Ia.; Dr. B. K. Simonek, $5; Peter Schoenhofen Brewing Company, $250; K. Kateiva, $2.25; J. Rimkus, $2; K. Wonkiewicz, Lucerne Mines, Pa., $2; Reverend M. Lee, $10; All Saints Society [Lithuanian] of Brighton Park, $10; St. Augustine Society [Lithuanian] of South Englewood, $50; South Englewood Society of Patriotic Lithuanians, $100; and St. Joseph's Society [Lithuanian], West Pullman, $10.

The following amounts were received by the Chicago committee from out-of-Chicago committees: Lyons, Ill., $23.13; Bush, Ill., $93.43; Lansing, Mich., $42.06; Indiana Harbor, Ind., $337.92; Kankakee, Ill., $277.50; Centralia, Ill., $60.40; Atlasburg, Pa., $31.50; Aurora, Ill., $12; and 10Benton, Ill., $105.83.

Altogether, up to November 16, the central Chicago Lithuanian Day committee received $19,257.34 from Tag Day proceeds and donations from Lithuanian organizations; a total of $799.34 was received from individual donators; and $983.77 was received from communities outside Chicago. Therefore, the Committee received a grand total of $21,040.45.

The Committee incurred the following expenses: Five thousand collection boxes from R. C. Hauf & Company, $135; printing done by the Milda Printing House, $685.75; addressing and mailing of three thousand letters by Buckley, Demont & Company, $17.70; the printing of letters, envelopes, and pamphlets by Stromberg Allen & Co., $292.50; for printing by Draugas Publishing Company, $16.25; for addresses of Methodist ministers furnished by Methodist Book Concern, $1; and miscellaneous expenses incurred by C. Kasputis, head of Lithuanian Day in Chicago, $48.95. Total expenses 11amounted to $1,407.15.

The money has been temporarily deposited in the State Bank of Chicago. Donations from individuals, organizations, and institutions are still being received. Therefore, the total proceeds from Lithuanian Tag Day will exceed the above-mentioned figure.