Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

for the bonds were ready in a few days. The American Surety Company of New York, furnished the bonds for a premium of $15.00 per bond upon the coun- ter-indemnity of Brethren, Joseph Bechtel, Wm. A. Der- stine and Albert N. Wolf. Thereupon the door to the land of liberty and promise swung open to sixty-two stranded, homeless refugees, who had been passing through a six- week period of anxiety, during which time their chances for admittance and life seemed to waver between hope and despair. They were received by Delegate A. A. Friesen at New York and escorted to Lancaster, Pa., where they were formally welcomed Sunday, October 16, and arrangements made for their transportation to the various Mennonite families, who had in advance expressed their willingness and desire to receive and furnish a home and work for one or more of them. We feel like saying that we contribute the final suc- cess of saving these men, largely as an answer to prayer, since matters at times looked very much more hopeless than may appear from the foregoing brief narration. After their admission the interests of these men were entrusted to Bro. Orie O. Miller, who first obtained from each a personal note covering all funds that had been advanced by the committee in his behalf, and then he assisted them in securing passage to the homes that had been found for them among Mennonite families of America. Before leaving, all pledged to report regularly to Bro. Miller and to pay off their indebtedness as soon PERSONNEL OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE 385 as they could secure funds, either from friends or returns from their earnings, so that a favorable report might be made to the department at Washington. When the six months had expired Bro. Miller was able to report that all of the young men were making good and that about half of them had already paid back the funds that had been advanced by the committee for their passage. Where- upon the department granted another six months stay for them. At the end of the year the time was again extended in response to favorable reports. After the third six months Bro. Miller reported to Washington that all were making good, that no serious complaints had come in against any of the men, and that all had satisfied the committee financially. On the merits of these facts he requested that the men be unconditionally admitted and that the bonds be released. Soon after, the reply came that the “Famous Sixty-two” were granted the privilege of unconditional residence in the United States of America. Maxwell H. Kratz was born November 17, 1875 at Frederick, Montgomery County, Pa. He graduated from Perkiomen School in 1895 and from Princeton University in 1899. He was awarded the Chancellor Green Fellow- ship in Mental Science upon graduation and took a post- graduate year at Princeton, receiving the degree of A. M. in 1900. After teaching Latin, Greek, and other subjects for four years, he entered