Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

h with a committee of Mennonites, among them Rev. Abram Rempel, who had come to the state capital to protest against the seizure of their church house. Through this courtesy of Frumkin, we were given the opportunity to send communications to the Mennonites of the South and East. A committee of two Mennonites, A. J. Fast and Johann Derksen, there- upon hastened from the Kuban to Rostow and on to Novorossisk, where they found us, just before our de- parture for Constantinople. We hurried to the office of the German Repatriation Mission to prepare a number of English, German, and Russian duplicates of our relief plan of work, and authorization papers for tne Russian Mennonites to take steps toward gaining permission for our organization to open work in Russia. Following is the English version of each: TO THE NORTH CENTRAL COUNCIL OF THE MEN- NONITE CHURCHES AND COMMUNITIES OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS, STAVROPOL GOV- ERNMENT, AND THE DON DISTRICT. The American Mennonite Relief organization requests and empowers the Central Council of the Mennonite Churches and Communities of the North Caucasus, Stawropol Govern- ment, and the Don District to apply for the permission from the Central Soviet Government in Moscow or their repre- UNSEALING THE CLOSED DOOR PE sentatives for the American Mennonite Relief organization to open and establish bases for relief work in Novorossisk, or Odessa, or at a port of the Azov sea for the purpose of carrying on relief activities there according to the attached general plan of work. It is desired that the outcome of these efforts be com- municated to the American Mennonite Relief organization at the following address. American Mennonite Relief 25 Rue Taxim, CONSTANTINOPLE, TURKEY Alvin J. Miller ACTING DIRECTOR PROPOSED PLAN OF WorRK The American Mennonite Relief Organization proposes to operate in Russia on the following general plan: 1. The American Mennonite Relief Organization in- vites the friendly assistance of the Russian government in carrying forward a program of general relief work. To this end the offices, activities, and records of the organization will always be open to free inspection by duly appointed government representatives whose constant attendance at the offices will be welcomed. In addition, monthly reports of the activities of the or- ganization will be made available. The organization will direct and control shipment of supplies to suitable ports thence to be reshipped to various centers for final distribution by the Relief Unit. 3. The Relief supplies are to be distributed according as the unit sees fit, among civilian hospitals, orphanages, and the needy civilian population, esepcially women and children, regardless of race or religion. A letter stating our purpose had ARs been sent from Rostow to Peter F. Froese in Moscow, a representative of the Mennonites. These Authorization papers and Plans of Work proved to be eff