Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

n for Russia and could not yet be delivered to the needy. It was therefore agreed to advance on their personal note enough money for these men to make the trip to America. In the meantime the committee inquired for parties, among the Mennonites in America who would be willing to provide one or more of these men a home and work upon their arrival in Amer- ica. A sufficient number of places were soon secured to take care of all the men coming. Some of the good friends who volunteered to supply the home also advanced the money for the trip, on the supposition that the young men would afterwards earn and repay in due time. The second difficulty required considerable work and 380 FEEDING THE HUNGRY tact, for it was not easy to convince our officials at Wash- ington that refugees from the disreputable Bolshevic Rus- sia would make good citizens of this country. It was therefore decided at the meeting of the Mennonite Cen- tral Committee convened at Scottdale, Pa., on December 30, 1920, that the Brethren Mumaw and Hiebert should go to Washington with a view of securing passport privi- leges for these homeless brethren. Upon our arrival at Washington we called at the Department of State, and were referred to the man who had charge of Russian affairs, who gave us a kindly hearing and further instruc- tions to confer with the Visa Department. Following his instructions we consulted the chief of the Visa Depart- ment, who said that each of the persons would need to have an afhdavit drawn up in his favor and signed by a reputable citizen of this country. Since it would have been difficult to secure all the affidavits there in Washing- ton, it was granted to us that as officials of the Board we would be permitted to sign the affidavits for the whole group. After considerable effort we finally found a stenogra- pher to write out our affidavit, but she was too busy, so we borrowed one of her machines and wrote it out our- selves. When this was finished Bro. Mumaw had to leave in order to get his train to Lancaster that evening. After Mumaw had gone I soon found a Notary Public and the afidavits were properly executed and signed. But when I returned to the Visa Office to deliver the affidavits in person and to get an O. K. thereon, I found that the office had closed, since this was the afternoon of December 31, when all Washington offices close. Somewhat disappointed, the letter containing the affidavit, addressed to the head of the Visa Department was entrusted to the mails, and I left for home. Some months later a representative of the State De- PERSONNEL OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE 381 partment from Washington called at Hillsboro, Kansas to inform himself as to who these Mennonites were and also who the man was who had signed the affidavit for the group. After spending an agreeable evening together, he left with the assurance that he would give a favorable report to the authorities at Washington.