March 31, 1950

J.J. Viala
Consul General of France.

Dear Mr. Viala;

I have your letter of the 28th and I will try to tell you a few of the things we have done in regards our adoption of Feves, France. We adopted Feves in the fall of 1948 and have sent them clothing, powdered milk, sugar, cocoa, rice, garden seeds in the spring of 49, school supplies in 48 and 49 and also candy for the children at Xmas in 48 and 49. We have had wonderful cooperation from our citizens in and around Morganville in this project. I have corresponded with the mayor Auguste Berne and also the schoolteacher Mr. Torlotting. The school children also have exchanged letters and pictures. Two of our citizens have made calls at Feves during the past year, while on tours over Europe; and have been accorded wonderful greetings from the residents of Feves. This is not a city project, but a project by the whole community through the U.N.E.S.C.O. through whom we work; also through American Aid to France and Operation Democracy, Inc. of New York. We sent an oil painting by Air Express Prepaid to Paris and from there to Feves by rail prepaid. The painting is a scene of a Kansas Wheat Field and was done by a former Morganville boy who is now an instructor in the Art Department of the University of Kansas at Lawrence. This painting cost us $30.00 and the last we heard of it, it was at the Orley Air Field at Paris awaiting customs inspection. We want to pay the customs charges if any, as we do not want to send a gift to the town of Feves and make them pay the customs duty. I would appreciate any help you can give me in this matter, and if there is a customs charge please send me the amount of the charge and I will mail the amount at once. In our adoption of Feves, we feel as if we understand the difficult problems that have confronted your people since the end of the War, and have made us a bit more conscious of our good fortune, and a willingness on the part of our people to share some of their crops and monies to help our adopted brothers in Feves, who have lost so much from the ravages of War.

We have been notified that Feves is also sending us a painting of a scene of [the] Moselle Valley, but so far it has not arrived.

Again wishing to thank you for any help you can give us in this matter, I beg to remain,

Sincerely yours,

Daniel J. Roenigk
Mayor of Morganville, Kansas