Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

quite generally felt that united action in this matter would accomplish more than isolated efforts of smaller groups. This led to sev- eral informal meetings of representatives of a number of groups, but never resulted in the organization of a central committee authorized to act for all. Even though fear and anguish pointed towards organization, it was reserved for the higher motive, that of love towards fellowmen and the desire to help the unfortunates, to become the occasion of the first general committee of Mennonites in America. Most of the Mennonite conferences attempted to do relief-work when the famine called, as is briefly reported in the preceding chapter. Some associated themselves with the Friends Service Committee, others with the Near East Relief, still others with the Red Cross organization, while a few made independent attempts to bring relief to the needy of Europe and Asia. That was the situation, when the ‘Studien Kommission’’, consisting of four repre- sentatives of the Mennonites in Russia, came to America to plead for our brethren in Russia. The story of suffer- ing and famine which these brethren told at various places stirred the emotions and increased the desire to send relief. Meetings were held at various places where reports were given and the problems were discussed, as these men traveled through the Mennonite communities of the U. S. from east to west, but there existed no appropriate chan- nel through which all could give expression in deed to what they felt in their hearts. Upon the solicitation of these brethren an informal meeting of the various branches of the Mennonites in the Central States was called for July 13th, 1920, to meet at Newton, Kansas, to listen to the report of the needs in Russia and to discuss ways and means of sending help. To a fair representation of Mennonites from Kansas and THE MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE 49 Oklahoma, the delegates gave their report and also ex- pressed their request for relief in a larger, united effort of the Mennonites of America. After considerable dis- cussion, a Committee on Information was appointed, whose business should be to secure data that would facili- tate the preparation of some feasible plan for aiding the Russian Mennonites over in their homeland, and also for assisting them in emigrating from the land which could no more be their home under prevailing social and political conditions. The Committee thus appointed consisted of the following five brethren: D. H. Bender, Hesston, Kans.; John Lichti, Medford, Okla.; W. J. Ewert, Hills- boro, Kans.; P. C. Hiebert, Hillsboro, Kans.; and D. E. Harder, Hillsboro, Kans. This committee of five organ- ized with W. J. Ewert as Chairman and P. C. Hiebert as Secretary. At their meeting in Hillsboro, Kans., at the home of Bro. Hiebert on July 19 and 20, after much deliberation on the scope of their work and questions re- lating thereto, it was agreed that a joi