It was an association to which the American Congress allocated, I think, $100 million for the relief of the starving population of Russia.
The Hon. Herbert Hoover was Chairman of that Commission. He sent American executives to Russia to set up branch offices in several cities, including what was then already Petrograd, and I, speaking English, was an office boy.
When we finished that thing, I got a little letter of thanks which is now here framed, which is my great pride and joy, in which it says to George Alexandrovich Bouhe, in gratitude and recognition of his faithful efforts to assist the American Relief Commission in its efforts to relieve the suffering of the hungry population in Russia.
Mr. Liebeler. After you worked for the American Relief Commission, did that lead to your coming to the United States?
Mr. Bouhe. That is correct. My association with some of the supervisors which were American executives led to numerous discussions with them, including, the now deceased Prof. Frank Golder of Stanford University, Gen. William Haskell, who later commanded the National Guard; one of my supervisors said, "Why don't you come to America?" So after the office closed sometime in August 1923, more or less, I applied for a passport to leave Russia but was refused. Then I went across the little river separating Soviet Russia from Finland in the middle of September at night, and it was cold, and got out.
Mr. Liebeler. You went into Finland and came to the United States?
Mr. Bouhe. Through Germany and then to the United States in April 1924.
Mr. Liebeler. Did you eventually become an American citizen?
Mr. Bouhe. I became an American citizen on or about June 1939.
Mr. Liebeler. Did you continue your education when you came to the United States?