Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

of necessity remain at the American Consulate in Riga, but I would return at once with a consular receipt to be visaed by the Soviet Em- bassy. In addition I would have in hand also the letter of introduction from the Soviet Mission in London to the Foreign Office in Moscow. ‘That mode of procedure seemed to be acceptable. I requested them to secure a place for me on the Riga-Moscow train. On that same evening Dr. Nansen who had been named at the Geneva Confer- ence as one of the leaders of the combined relief organi- zations, was traveling to Moscow. The Soviet office feared there would be no room left on the train but by dint of special effort they provided a place for me. The ticket was turned over to me and I requested my passport receipt and London letter. There I met the first difficulty. They explained that it was the custom or 126 FEEDING THE HUNGRY rule to send all such documents by their own courier, but I declined to go without my papers on my own person because in the heavy rush of work of those days the papers might easily be mislaid accidentally if not lost en- tirely. It was late in the day, the time was short, most of the office force had gone, only the subordinate clerks were there and they were insistent on retaining my docu- ments. J felt sure that if one of the higher officials could be consulted about the matter, there would be no difficulty, and IJ therefore persistently put forth that argument. The officials were out of reach. Half an hour of discussion brought no change of attitude on either side. With me it was a point of principle that we must be allowed to have possession of our own official documents. Was that prin- ciple important enough to delay my entrance into Russia by a day or two or possibly prevent my going entirely on that account? I decided it was and returned the railroad ticket receiving back at the same time my passport receipt and letter. The next day at our consulate the receipt was ex- changed for the passport which was again taken to the Soviet Embassy. The subordinates were curt and not in- clined to take me to the higher officials. After some time one of the heads of the Embassy passed through the hall- way which gave me the opportunity to put the case before him and present all my credentials. He was all courtesy and agreed immediately to allow my documents to remain in my possession. Back to the American Consulate I went, delivered the passport once more, received again the Consular receipt, returned with it to the Soviet Embassy, was granted the visa and given every consideration. A railroad ticket was prepared for me reserving a place in the Soviet courier car. Determined perseverance with quiet courtesy had won the point. It served also to em- UNSEALING THE CLOSED DOOR joa! phasize the necessity of dealing whenever possible with the higher officials. There was yet time left to pack a large basket of food for the three day’s jour