Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

s Col- lege, Wooster, Ohio, and engaged in business at Orrville, Ohio, during the following ten years. At the age of thirty, he, with his family, moved to Scottdale, Pennsyl- vania to assist in the work of the Mennonite Publishing House, the official publishing agency for the Mennonite Church. He has now given eighteen years of service to the above institution as Secretary-Treasurer. He is active in the general interests of the Mennonite Church, serving on several Standing Committees of that Conference and is connected with its Mission Board, serving at present as Vice-President of the Board and Secretary of the Menno- nite Relief Committee, sponsored by the Board. He has been active in general relief work during the past ten years, having been elected Secretary of the official organization of the Mennonite Church, the Mennonite Relief Commission for War Sufferers, at the time of its organization, Dec. 24-26, 1917. The work of the or- ganization was carried on largely under his supervision and at the time of the organization of the Mennonite Central Committee July 28, 1920, he was elected Secre- tary-T'reasurer of the Committee in which capacity he has served faithfully and efficiently. PERSONNEL OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE Siu a! SoME Hicu Peaks IN Our ExecuTiIvE WorK Levi Mumaw In the executive work of the Mennonite Central Committee there were several high peaks that seem to have had an especially vital bearing on the success of the undertaking. During the early stages of our work there were uncertainties and discouragements and new prob- lems. Some of the problems had to be solved by the best judgment and initiative that the Committee could muster, but others, fortunately, were solved by agencies with whom we cooperated. It is the purpose here to review briefly some of the crucial points in our experiences with these other agencies. The first attempt to make contacts that might open the way for relief work in Russia was in June, 1920. A delegation of two went to New York to discuss with Near East Relief officials the possibility of our establishing a base in Constantinople, Turkey, and of proceeding from there into South Russia. It developed that the State Department was at that time not ready to issue passports for South Russia, but would issue them for Constantino- ple, at which place the American Embassy could amend the passports for travel to Russia, when that appeared feasible. The Near East Relief offered to send a Mennonite Unit to Constantinople under its auspices; the Unit to be available for work in Constantinople under the N.E.R. until it would be found possible to undertake work in Russia. All expenses of this Unit were to be met by the Mennonite Central Committee. This tentative arrangement proved to be the key that unlocked many doors for us later. The Unit was sent to Constantinople in September, 1920, and the way opened for some preliminary investigation in Russ