The Friendship Train in North Carolina
by Dorothy R. Scheele

The Friendship Train originated from an idea developed by Drew Pearson, well-known broadcaster and columnist.  (A more thorough history of the Friendship Train is available on the home page of this web site.) While in Europe after World War II, he noted that Communist Russia was sending a paltry number of boxcars of grain to France and Italy, and when the grain arrived, huge celebrations emphasized the source. Pearson surmised that the purpose of the grain deliveries was to persuade Europeans to accept Communism. Considering a Communist Europe anathema, Pearson concluded that the United States could send food to Europe. He wanted the American people, not the government, to send the food, and to that end he and others organized a train which would cross the country collecting food from the people. Although the train crossed only eleven states, every state contributed.

North Carolina participated in the Friendship Train food drive; its many counties combining efforts to donate.  High Point and Greensboro in Guilford County were quite active in their food campaign.   Members of a committee for raising cash and foodstuffs for the suffering Europeans were Walter Coble, Chris Knight, and J. W. Cummings.    R. B. Lytle was in charge of the monetary contributions, and William Cleaver served as chairman of the drive.

 
 Many of the region’s clubs and businesses cooperated with raising funds for the milk purchase:  L. R. Medlin lead the Greensboro Interfaith Council.     Among the contributors were the Greensboro Women’s Club, other civic clubs, milk producers, and state granges.  The High Point Chamber Commerce donated $1,200.   The goal was $3,000, the price of a carload of milk.   They had raised nearly that amount in their initial efforts, $2,767. 

McDowell County, in western North Carolina, had intended to send one car to the Friendship Train.  In addition to the contributions from Marion, the county seat, Hickory in Catawba County donated as did also Burke and Caldwell Counties.   The original departure date was set back one week because of a strike in Norfolk, Virginia, which was the destination point of that boxcar.  Officials in McDowell County welcomed the strike because it increased the length of time for collection.  However, in case citizens could not drop off their contribution at a designated point, usually a school building, they were urged to send a financial gift to the Train to either A. F. Beam, Rev. Harry Wellman, or I A . McLain.

In Lenoir County in eastern North Carolina, the Kinston Lions Club, under the guidance of president F. Lee Edwards, raised $2,500 for the train.  Chairman Jesse A. Jones was head of the sponsoring committee which oversaw the work of volunteers who went to county schools speaking of the dire needs of the Europeans.   In Lenoir County local grocers and wholesalers sold their stock at ‘rock bottom’ prices, and the grocers themselves gave generously to the FRIENDSHIP TRAIN.  Carteret County’s contributions were part of Lenoir County’s Friendship Train’s contributions.

The research triangle, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham, combined efforts for giving to the Friendship Train.  Carl Fitchett, Sr.  knowing that the Friendship Train was not going to stop in Dunn, initiated the campaign in that city.  He saw no reason why the city could not be a part of this nation-wide generosity.

The fund drive of the University of North Carolina netted $662.  Under the direction of Larry Queen, chairman of the drive on campus,   contribution boxes were placed in stores, the Y, the Chancellor’s office, and other frequented sites.  Also, a committee composed of 21 students in a news writing class, helped to enhance contributions.

According to Tuggle Webster, the campaign chairman for the Friendship Train in Durham, the boxcar was supposed to arrive in Durham on Friday, Nov. 21st.  Consequently,  he urged residents to donate quickly because the car was to be loaded on Sunday.  Members of the Durham Cooperative Club loaded the boxcar.

R. G. Lytle, manager of the North Carolina Milk Production Federation, had accompanied the boxcar of milk on its journey from Statesville, where it was packed at the Carnation Milk Company plant, to Greensboro.  Charles L. Knight, master of the Guilford Pomona Grange, presented the milk donation to Dr. Charles Armstrong, president of the Kiwanis International Club.   The boxcar’s destination, not yet determined, was either Cincinnati, Ohio, or New York.

William Cleaver had headed a committee which had arranged the details of moving the boxcar from Greensboro to the Friendship Train.  At the ceremony two 3 X 9 feet banners were attached to the railcar.  Wording on the banners was “Milk contributed by High Point, Greensboro and Guilford County, North Carolina, To the Friendship Train.” 

Based on the information available, North Carolina contributed two boxcars to the Friendship Train.  One destined for either New York or Cincinnati and the other for Norfolk, Virginia.  Exact dates could not be definitively determined.  However, in 1948 the Tar Heel state continued its efforts to give to the Europeans.   I did not write about that year because the topic of this essay is confined to the original Friendship Train of 1947.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Campaign I on Here For Friendship Train”                                    Chapel Hill Weekly Nov. 21, 1947: 1.
“Dunn Has Drive” Rocky Mount Telegram, [Rocky Mount, North Carolina] Nov. 13, 1947: 13.
“Friendship Train Delayed One Week” Marion Progress Dec. 9, 1947: 8.
“Friendship Train Gifts Leave Today Following Appropriate Program” Greensboro Record Nov. 20, 1947: 17.
“Greensboro Loaded Car For Friendship Train Scheduled To Leave City Thursday” Greensboro Record Nov. 14, 1947: 12.
“Kinston To Aid Hungry Lands” Greensboro Daily News Nov. 20, 1947: 16.
 “Loaded Car For Friendship Train Scheduled To Leave City Thursday” Greensboro Record Nov. 14, 1947: 12. 
”Many Donate To Milk Fund” Greensboro Record Nov. 12, 1947: 5.
“Milk For Friendship Train To Be Shipped On Thursday” Greensboro Record Nov. 11, 1947: 17.
“Milk Purchase For Friendship Train Is Likely” Greensboro Record Nov. 13, 1947: 17.
“Plans Readied To Ship Milk” Greensboro Daily News Nov. 19, 1947:  3.

The author welcomes any corrections or additional information which would add to this state's history.  Her email address is draetrain@gmail.com.

The Friendship Train was the genesis for the French Merci Train. Website www.mercitrain.org has information about that train. Copies of Mr. Bennett's Book The Merci Train, A Big Thank You From the French Merci Train is available at ebennett89@yahoo.com. The price is $25.00 per copy, including postage.

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