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Investigation of the Ukrainian Famine 1932-1933
Report to Congress, Commission on The Ukraine Famine
April 22, 1988
CHAPTER 6: THE AMERICAN RESPONSE TO THE FAMINE
"Despite ample and timely knowledge about the man-made Famine of
1932-1933 in Ukraine, the US government did not publicly acknowledge
what it knew or respond in any meaningful way. Similarly, a number of
members of the American press actively denied in public what they
confirmed in private about the famine........................
"Robert F. Kelly, chief of the State Department's Division of Eastern
European Affairs from 1926 until its abolition in 1937, oversaw research
and processed intelligence on the USSR. The single most important post
for reliable, timely intelligence was the Russian affairs section at the
US Legation in Riga, Latvia, which had monitored the Soviet Union since
1922......................................
"Among the first American groups to raise the issue of the Famine were
Germans who had emigrated from the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.
German colonists, Mennonites and others, were first brought to the Russian
Empire by Catherine the Great and lived in Ukraine and the Volga Basin
since the late 18th century.
-
"Many fled during the revolution, and the Germans quickly responded
to pleas from those left behind. The chairman of a privately organized
relief committee, the Mennonite Central Committee, P. C. Hiebert, wrote
to Secretary of State Hull on March 27 (1933), making clear the urgency
of the situation and announcing his intention to send a Mennonite delegation
to Washington. (42) The letter was also referred to Kelly, who replied that:
- "you are informed that although the Department appreciates the anxiety
of American citizens whose relatives in Russia are suffering from lack
of food, it is of the opinion that there are no measures which the
Government may appropriately take at the present time in order to
facilitate relief work being carried on in Russia. In view of this
circumstance, it is believe that the sending of a delegation to
Washington to discuss this matter, as suggested by you, would serve
no useful purpose. (43)
"Dr. Hiebert, understandably, was not satisfied. On April 7 (1933),
he wrote a similar letter directly to the President, hoping that the energy
Roosevelt had shown in domestic affairs might be channeled to help
Famine victims abroad. One passage was particularly urgent, "Even
though America is not officially recognized by the Soviet government,
IS THERE NOT SOME WAY BY WHICH IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE
TO SEND FOOD TO THOUSANDS OF STARVING INNOCENT
CHILDREN?" (44)
-
"Hiebert also prevailed upon his Senator, Arthur Capper, to write FDR
on his behalf. (45) Roosevelt promised to take the matter up with the
Secretary of State. (46) Secretary of State Cordell Hull answered
Senator Capper:
- "I can well understand the concern of the Mennonites in this country,
for their relatives and friends in Russia who are suffering from lack
of food. Unfortunately, there do not appear to be any measures
which this Government may appropriately take at this time in order
to alleviate the sufferings of these unhappy people. (47)
-
"The response to Hiebert, again from Kelly, stated that "there is
unfortunately little to be added" to the letter of April 5:
- "Although sympathy is felt for those American citizens who are so
deeply concerned for their relatives and friends in Russia, there
appears to be no effective measure which this Government can
appropriately take at the present time for the purpose of alleviating
the sufferings of persons in Russia who are in lack of food.
-
"Kelly included the name and address of Am-Deruta Transport
Corporation which purchased foodstuffs for Soviet citizens through
'torgsin' stores. He added:
- "Although the Department cannot assume any responsibility for
the integrity of the organization mentioned, it is suggested that you
may desire to communicate with the Am-Deruta Corporation with
a view to ascertaining whether it is possible for your co-religionists
to enter into satisfactory arrangements with that corporation whereby
foodstuffs and other necessities may be furnished to their friends and
relatives in Russia. (48)
"Hiebert's group continued to lobby on behalf of the starving. On
May 20 (1933), he wrote his freshman Congressman, Randolph Carpenter,
asking that he assist a Mennonite delegation coming to Washington in
June. (49) Carpenter approached the White House and was referred
to the Department of State. (50)
"Kelly answered that while the delegation could "serve no useful
purpose if the object of its journey is to endeavor to influence this
Government to intervene or to take other steps on behalf of Mennonites
residing in Russia," it would be received at the State Department "with
every courtesy and will be given a full opportunity to discuss with
appropriate officials of the Department" any matters within the departments
jurisdiction. Meeting the President, however would be "difficult, if not
impossible." (51)
-
"Rev. Charles H. Hagus, a German Evangelical, wrote to Cordell
Hull in June (1933), expressing the anxiety felt by Colorado's community
of "Russian" Germans for the "untold sufferings" endured by their
friends and relatives left behind. (52) Again Kelly replied:
- "While sympathy is felt for the sufferings of the persons referred to,
and for the anxiety of their American relatives and friends, there
appear to be no effective measures which this Government can
appropriately take at the present time for alleviating the conditions
alluded to in your letter. (53)
"--------------------------------------------------------------"
"The Man-Made Famine, given the absence of internationally
recognized human rights norms and an Administration committed
to closer ties with the Soviets, was seen as an internal Soviet
affair, viewed with skepticism, or simply not mentioned.
"Politicians and opinion makers either turned a blind eye toward
Stalin's famine out of expediency or saw sympathy for the Soviet
Union as a litmus test of one's commitment to a more just society
in this country.
"The tragedy is that the reality of mass starvation and collective
victimization became politicized such that the question of fact
concerning whether there was a famine was subordinated to the
question of one's political values.
"This is ever the case when human issues are viewed through
the prism of one's commitment to the Right or the Left. If there is
one lesson to be learned from this tragedy, it must reside in the
universality of human rights and human suffering.
"If the quest for a 'greater good' or the struggle against some
'greater evil' is seen to require a double standard of blindness
toward the injustice and evil perpetrated by those who claim to
be on our side of the political spectrum, the victims will always
be ignored." (End of Chapter 6)
FOOTNOTES:
42. "Permit us as Mennonites of the U.S.A., to bring a plea before you in
behalf of our co-religionists in Russia, who are now dying in large numbers
from actual starvation. We receive thousands of letters pleading in the
most pitiable manner for bread. According to testimonies verified by
thousands of letters, the people are dying in large numbers for want of
food. The conditions must be decidedly worse than in 1921-1922, when
America carried on very extensive relief operations in that country.
"In spite of hard times our people are willing to sacrifice and send food
to their brethren over the seas, but political situations in Russia make an
effective relief-work impossible under present conditions.
"If you think it advisable we shall be glad to have a delegation call on you
and explain conditions and situations sufficiently as to give a fair insight
into the situation. I have myself been in Russia and understand conditions,
therefore I am convinced that if the atrocities committed in Russia were
featured by the American press as they did the treatment of Jews in
Germany, the American people would be horrified.
"Prompt action will be most highly appreciated because thousands of
our citizens in this country have bloodrelatives among the starving in
Russia, and therefore very anxious to have the way cleared for effective
relief work.
"Trusting that I may soon hear from you that the matter is taken up in
the effective Rooseveltian way which the whole nation has learned to
appreciate in the last few weeks, I am,
In the Name of the American Mennonites,
Very respectfully yours, (signed),"
P. C. Hiebert, Chairman, Mennonite Central Committee, Hillsboro,
Kansas, to Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, March 27, 1933;
861.48/2433
43. Robert F. Kelly to P. C. Hiebert, April 5, 1933; 861.48/2433
44. P. C. Hiebert to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, April 7, 1933;
861.48/2433. Original emphasis.
45. Senator Arthur Capper to President Roosevelt, April 10, 1933;
861.48/2433
46. President Roosevelt to Senator Arthur Capper, April 14, 1933;
861.48/2433
47. Secretary of State Hull to Senator Capper, April 26, 1933;
861.48/2433
48. Robert F. Kelly to P. C. Hiebert, April 26, 1933; 861.48/2433
49. P. C. Hiebert to Rep. Randolph Carpenter, May 20, 1933;
861.404/358
50. Hon. Randolph Carter, M.C. to Secretary of State Cordell Hull,
May 31, 1933; 861.404/358. Hon. Randolph Carter to State Department,
June 1, 1933; 861.404/359
51. Robert F. Kelly to Hon. Randolph Carpenter, M.C., June 1, 1933;
861.4016/358
52. Charles H. Hagus, Sterling, Colorado, to Secretary of State,
June 17, 1933; 861.4016/358
53. Robert F. Kelley to Reverend Charles H. Hagus, Sterling,
Colorado, June 26, 1933; 861.4016/358
Material from "Investigation of the Ukrainian Famine 1932-1933, Report to
Congress, Commission on The Ukraine Famine," Hon. Daniel A. Mica,
M.C. (D-FL), Chairman, Dr. James E. Mace, Staff Director, U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, 1988, Pages 161-163, 184
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