Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

I could do was to leave a memorandum setting forth all the data in hand, and asking that the Government make special efforts to locate him. Hotel Savoy, Moscow, October 10th, 1921. Mr. Litvinoff, Peoples Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, MOSCOW. Dear Sir :— Let me bring to your attention the case of Clayton Kratz, an American citizen, whose whereabouts in Russia are not known to the American authorities or to the relief organizations since the time of his arrest and disappearance last November in the vicinity of Militopol or Halbstadt in the Ukraine. He had come to Russia for the purpose of doing relief work exclusively among the civilian population, but had not yet begun active operations, when he was arrested at or near Halbstadt, released, but after three days again arrested by officials of the Soviet army. He had come from Con- stantinople by way of Crimea, and probably carried the papers required at that time for passage through Crimea into the Taurien. His passport number was 84 613, dated August 25th, 1920, Washington. He represented the Mennonite Relief Unit, a pacifist organization, whose only purpose was to perform a humanitarian service for the welfare especially of women and children. His widowed mother and his friends are suffering under the anguish of almost a year of uncertainty and suspense, hoping ever for some word from him, but despairing as the time drags on and no news is forthcoming. To know the truth concerning him, whatever it may be, would be relief 168 FEEDING THE HUNGRY from the strain of hoping against hope, waiting and waiting from month to month. It was the suggestion of Mr. Klishko of the London delegation, that this matter be taken up with the central government and a special investigator with full powers (such as a man from the Extraordinary Commission) be sent into the South to trace the case. Will you not kindly give me the assurance that an investigation will be begun at once so that I may be enabled to report to our committee in America to that effect. It is very important that this be given prompt and ade- quate attention in order to restore confidence in America. Yours truly, Alvin J. Miller, American Mennonite Relief. The Foreign Office in Moscow did not seem very much concerned. There was evident an extremely aggra- vating lack of interest. There seemed to be the attitude that since the release demanded by the A.R.A. had been granted to those Americans whose location was known, the requirements of the case had been met. At Kharkow the Foreign Office showed far more in- terest. Of course it was in their territory that Kratz had disappeared. But they, too, could not hold out much hope. Before the contract was signed at Kharkow I called once more on Racovsky, especially to acquaint him per- sonally with the details of Kratz’s case and to enlist his aid in the search. Again a letter was pres