The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-03-07
Former BlufftOn Man
Feels Miracle Will Halt
Finnish Invasion
Continued from page u

Continued from page u
Land owned by the Epp family and
his wife's people were confscated, to-
gether with livestock and equipment.
No Word in Years
Most of DR.. Epp's relatives still live
in the Ukraine, but he hasn't heard
from them in eight years. when my
brothers and sisters last wrote in
, 1892" he said, "they asked me not to
get in touch with them again. They
said it was too dangerous. Both of
my brothers are members of collec-
tive farms and they would be ruined
if it was learned they had connections
with someone in a capitalistic
country"
Mail from foreign countries wasn't
always unwelcome in Russia, however.
DR.. Epp told of occasions during the
famine year of 1881 when he sent
money to keep his relatives alive.
Russia wanted foreign money at that
time and government stores were es-
tablished to accept foreign exchange.
1t is the young men and women of
Russia who have the sympathy of DR..
| Epp. "My own sons cousins are un-
educated, lacking in even the simplest
education because, when they were
children the sons and daughters of
| the burgoeois were denied educations.
In recent years, however, the children
| of former members of the burgeois
haven't been Disseminated against"
The second Mrs. Epp is also from
the Ukraine. Her ancestors, like DR..
Epp's were Dutch Mennonites who set
tied in the Ukraine in the year 1900.
Flee to Canada
| "When conditions in Russia became
intolerable," DR.. Epp pointed out ,all
of the Dutch Mennonites in the
Ukraine realized that they would have
to leave the country. But they want
ed to leave as a group, not individu-
| ally. Representatives were sent to
Canada, the United States, Mexico,
England, and Paraguay, to find a
haven for the group. Canada accept
ed some 10000 of them in 1924. My
wife, whom | knew in Russia, was
among that group"
Both of the Epps are naturalized
citizens of the United States. "The
first thing | did when | came over was
| find out how / could become citizen"
laughed DR.. Epp. And no one, he in
sisted, can appreciate the wonders of
this country as much as one who has
lived under a regime such as that in
postwar Russia.
"The United States is the most for
tunate country in the world" he de-
clared. Because of her geographical
position, she need never be forced into
a European war And, with her mex
haustible natural resources, she can
live, independently of Europe's troub-
les." ,..s
| Succeeds i'm America
DIR. Epp is proud of the success he
has found in the new world. "'When
| came to the United States, didn't
have dollar to my name. Now, two
of my three boys have graduated from
Ohio State and Harry, who is now in
junior high school, will go to college
some day."
| DIR. Epp's voice was sad as he con-
tinued. "While my boys are making
good over here, their cousins are prob
ably trying to tear down another civil
ization. My son, Constantine, is
studying music on a scholarship at
| the Julliard school in New York. The
oldest boy, Arnold, is sculptor at the
Dorothy Paris workshop, also in New
York.
"How much happier and better off
they must be today than the children
of my brothers and sisters over
| there!" he concluded.
Every soul, like house, needs