The 1947 Friendship Train

The 1947 Friendship Train in South Carolina

Dorothy R. Scheele

Many people say: “What is the Friendship Train? I never heard of it.” That’s an exciting question.

The Friendship Train was the unique gift of $40,000,000 worth of food from the people of the United States to the people in Europe, mainly France and Italy. Every state in the United States participated in donating. The food was given by the American people and was not in any way a connected to the government. The beginning pages of this web site have a more complete history of this remarkable train.

Individuals took it upon themselves to promote the Train. Harold E. Norhelm from Brooklyn rode his bicycle from New York to California. During the entire journey, there was a sign on his bike encouraging people to donate. Another individual promoting the Train was Nicola Giulii who was an Italian-American living in Los Angeles. At his own expense he traveled through Italy informing the citizenry about the Friendship Train coming from America.

Every aspect of the Friendship Train was gratis. Crops were from the farmers’ fields; no price tag was attached. The Friendship Train workers worked free as did the ships’ employees. The cargo of the first freighter, The Leader, weighed 8,000,000. Its destination was Le Have, France.

Broadus Bailey, general chairman, was the key figure in the South Carolina campaign for collecting food for the Friendship Train. All contributions were to be either of cash or imperishable foods. J. C. Hopkins, executive vice-president of the People’s National Bank, was the treasurer. Residents were instructed to send their monetary donations to him.

Greenville was the leading South Carolina city in donating. Information about the Friendship Train was published daily in The Greenville News. There was often an update of the status of the dollars raised thus far towards their $8,700 goal. Banners ran across pages: “Every Dollar Given Friendship Train May Help to Save a Child’s Life” and “Please Go to Church Today AND Contribute to Friendship Train”.

In Greenville, flour and condensed milk were foods to be sent. The clergy in the area agreed to ask their congregations to require every Sunday school class to donate. W. D. Buffalo, chairman of the procurement committee, estimated that a carload of would milk cost $4,500 and one of flour $4,200. Residents gave whole heartedly. By December 3, the city had raised $14,349.

Money left over after purchasing milk and flour was sent to purchase more food. New York was the destination for everything collected throughout the nation.

At the start of the campaign, contributions immediately began pouring in. Among the first to give to the Friendship Train were Mrs. Sally A. Milford, 702 Augusta Street donating $25, and Greenville Post No 3, American Legion and its auxiliary raising $281.75. The directors of Greenville County Farm Bureau voted to donate $50.00. The Greenville chapter of the Order of DeMolay sent over 2,000 postcards to the population reminding people to give. The Fountain Inn had collected several hundred dollars; the goal was $1,000. Bushy Creek Grange contributed $16. The Altrusa club donated $25. The American Cotton Manufacturers Association generously donated 500,000 yards of cloth. L. P. Hollis, superintendent of Parker School district, announced that the football team would play a game with the Augusta team, the proceeds going to the Friendship Train. This game was held on November 21, 1947.

The November 21, 1947, Greenville News lists a full page of Greenville donors.

The Greenville’s plans for the purchase and shipping were to buy one boxcar at cost and to have the other join a section of the original Friendship Train in Philadelphia, where it had dropped off a carload of grain to be milled.

W. B. Garner, executive vice-president of the Waterman Steamship Corporation, announced that the company would ship some of the food to Europe on the ship Alawai which would depart approximately December 2nd.

Other cities participated in giving to Europeans via the Friendship Train. The New Era club in Pendleton was a contributor. The Junior Chamber of Commerce in Florence had planned to send a carload of corn. Drew Pearson had telegraphed Frank C. Owens, the mayor of Columbia, in response to a question Owens had asked him regarding the city’s donation being too late to connect with an earlier train. Mr. Pearson informed Mr. Owens that it might be able to get its contribution on a New Year’s Friendship Train adding that further contributions were being

handled by the Council of Volunteer Agencies in New York.

The history of the South Carolina’s contribution to the Friendship Train continues with the arrival of the Merci Train. The Palmetto state, like every other state in the nation, received a deeply heartfelt gratitude from France to the men and women of the United States for their magnanimous unprecedented generosity and their singular concern for their fellowman. The citizen of France expressed their appreciation in what became known as the Merci Train.

The Merci Train consisted of 49 boxcars, one for each state, and one to be shared by Washington, D. C. and Hawaii (not yet a state). The organizers of the Merci Train asked every French citizen to give something back as a ‘thank you’ gift to the Americans. Although many of the presents were not outstanding, such as, a comb, handkerchief, or a toy, many were also truly remarkable and moving; a stained glass window from a cathedral in France; a couple sent the military uniform from a deceased son, a cast of dolls representing the typical attire of every region in France.

Every railroad in the nation sent a representative to D.C. so that they could co-ordinate the travel and direction of the boxcars. South Carolina’s boxcar arrived in Greenville on February 9, 1949. The car was greeted by local officials; Governor Strom Thurmond was the lead speaker. The boxcar is located in Columbia at American Legion Post 6.

Bibliography

“$14,349 Given Friendship Fund” The Greenville News Dec 3, 1947: 3.

“$950 More Reported Relief Campaign” The Greenville News Nov. 14, 1947: 1.

“Altrusans To Conserve Food” The Greenville News Nov. 20, 1947: 2.

“American Friend” The Greenville News Jan. 25, 1948: 4.

“Augusta Beats Parker Midget” The Greenville News Nov. 22, 1947: 7

“Belgian Native Endorses Local Food Campaign” The Greenville News November 8, 1947: 1.

“Cloth Going To Europe’s Needy” The State [Columbia, South Carolina] Nov. 3, 1947: 1.

“Columbia Misses Friendship Train” The State [Columbia, South Carolina] Nov. 26, 1947: 6.

“DeMolays To Assist In Friendship Train” The Greenville New Nov. 7, 1947: 1.

“Donations Received For Food Aid Plan” The Greenville News Nov. 5, 1947: 1.

“Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting Set Friday” The Greenville News Nov. 7, 1947: 3.

“Fountain Inn Adding Drove” The Greenville News Nov. 18, 1947: 11.

“Friendship Campaign End Is Slated Today” The Greenville News Nov. 15, 1947: 1.

“Friendship Train Food Shipment Sales for France” Charleston News and Courier Dec. 8, 1947: 2.

“Jaycees Plan Food Car For Friendship Train” Florence Morning News Nov. 25, 1947: 1.

“Local Group Heads Drive For $8,700 The Greenville News Nov. 2, 1947: 1.

“Merci Train Arrives Today At Greenville” The Times and Democrat [Orangeburg, South Carolina] Feb. 9, 1947: 1.

“Ministers Endorse County Food Plan” The Greenville News Nov. 4, 1947: 1.

“Pendleton” Anderson Independent Mail Nov 22, 1947: 5.

“Waterman Will Transport Food To Europe Free” Charleston News and Courier Nov. 25, 1947: 6.

“Women To Help Food Drive” The Greenville News Nov. 6, 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. The Website www.mercitrain.org has extensive information about that train. Copies of Mr. Earl R. Bennett's Book The Merci Train, A Big Thank You From France is available at ejbennett89@yahoo.com. The price is $25.00 per copy, including postage.