The Friendship Train in West Virginia
by Dorothy R. Scheele

The Friendship Train, America’s magnificent gift of food to the Europeans after World War II, was engendered by Drew Pearson, an internationally known columnist and radio broadcaster. While in Europe after the war, Pearson had noticed that the Soviet Union was delivering food to the hungry Europeans. He knew that the communists’ purpose was to persuade the French and Italians to accept communism and to reject the West and its democratic governments. Pearson loathed communism. He decided that the United States also could give food to the Europeans, chiefly the French and Italians. To that end, when he returned to the States, he launched his idea on the radio and in his newspaper columns.

Most emphatically, he wanted it known that the food was given by the people, not the American government. In his announcements he urged the everyday citizen to contribute to the Friendship Train, and he emphasized that the food come from their cupboards and fields.

Even though the Train roared through only 11 states, every state contributed. This accomplishment occurred by the other 37 states sending their trucks and boxcars to meet the Train at various rail junctions or to deliver their donations to designated points.* Five weeks after Pearson’s announcement, the Friendship Train blasted off. The departure on November 7th, 1947, for its cross-country odyssey was a memorable extravaganza: movie stars, bands, lights fanning the sky, and thousands of people cheering and applauding. 11 days would pass before the Train reached Manhattan where the celebration was as jubilant and exciting as the departure.

West Virginians responded enthusiastically to the idea of the Friendship Train. Even before the food drive had officially begun, individuals and organizations began donating. Ray Smith, the commander of a VFW Post volunteered the members to load the Train. Led by Roy Halthe, the American Legion and the VFW post volunteered to initiate the campaign. In Hinton Dr. J. W. Stokes was the organizer and leading spirit for the Friendship Train. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, which shipped most of West Virginia’s donations, informed him that a boxcar of milk would be spotted on the tracks near Hinton on November 22nd.

Condensed milk was the designated commodity although other items were also included. The boxcar carried donations of milk from Beckley and Hinton. Hinton had placed a large sign on its boxcar declaring the city it was from. The two cities had combined their donations. Dr. Stokes announced that his office could be used for temporary storage and that he personally would pick up contributions whenever someone volunteered a donation. The Friendship Train stopped in Hinton-Beckley for 10 minutes on November 25th.

Elmer Davis, chairman of the Friendship Train Committee, tried to determine the precise schedule of the Train.

Towns, cities, and organizations donated to this unique Train transporting tons of food from the people of the United States. Beckley sent 1,125 cases of milk. The members of the Presbyterian Auxiliary in Alderson donated $10.00. Faculty members and students from the high school and Central elementary school donated 16 cases of milk. C. M. Walker, the principal, noting the donations, stated that the faculty had contributed several cases; each class had contributed one case; and the organizations within the school had combined to contribute one case.
Mrs. J. Kent Philip of Greenbrier Valley informed Frank Knight, chairman of the Charleston Friendship Train committee, that many members of the community had contributed $145. This article had a list of approximately 20 contributors.

The Fayetteville Men’s Business Association met on November 18th in order to organize the city’s contribution to the Friendship Train. At the meeting of the American Legion Auxiliary, Mrs. C. E. Mahan, who was representing the Legion, was asked to help solicit funds. A local jewelry store was established as headquarters to receive donations. Citizens who contributed $5.00 or more were assured that their names would be attached to their Friendship Trains gift. The cash contributions from Fayetteville’s donations were delivered by Ben D. Keller and Rev. G. G. Williamson to Frank Knight in Charleston on November 21st. Mt. Hope in Fayette County sponsored more than 200 cases of milk.

West Virginia’s schools generously contributed to the Train. The Hinton High School students, faculty, and personnel gave 15 cases of milk; Central School students, faculty, and personnel gave four cases; Sandstone schools gave seven cases; Jumping Branch gave eight cases; Lincoln High School, Meadow Creek, and Vanderbilt Schools contributed two cases each. Riverside School donated $20.10. Greenbrier school contributed $7.00. One case of milk each was donated by the Rock Island School, Cave Ridge School, Streeter School, and the Hurley School.
Huntington, one of the numerous cities in the Huntington-Ashland area, promised 1,400 cases of milk. Nearby cities were part of this Friendship Train, some of which were cities Ceredo-Kenova, Chesapeake, Holder, Wayne, Milton, and Barbourgville.

The Governor of the Mountain State, Clarence W. Meadows, boarded the train in Huntington. An additional car was attached to the train to carry the Governor and officials. The customary practice was for the Governor of one state to ride the Train to the next state’s border.
The residents of McDowell County and an American Legion post within the county contributed an undisclosed donation. A boxcar was placed in Welch, the county seat, where it would be joined to a train leaving from Lynchburg, Virginia, on Saturday morning.

The West Virginia Industrial Union Council donated a carload of flour.

King Coal Chevrolet collected Oak Hill’s donations. The Lions Club sponsored the drive, and Mike Mangin’s transportation delivered the donations to the Friendship Train in Charleston.
The women of the Women’s Christian temperance Union bought two cases of milk for the Train.
Parkersburg, county seat of Wood County, had sent its donation to a section of the Train from Pittsburgh. That train also carried a car of flour from the Ohio Valley. “Oak Hill People
In Charleston, capital of the Mountain state, thousands of cases of milk would be loaded. Wholesale grocers donated 600 cases of corn syrup, saying that the syrup would be a valuable asset to the many cases of milk. Most likely this donation was in addition to the previously mentioned donation.

A truckload of milk was anticipated from Spencer. Montgomery in Fayette County intended to give hundreds of cases, and St. Albans in Kanawha County promised a donation.
A radio station in Rome, Italy, had broadcast that the country having received food from the Friendship Train. Radio station WJLS in Beckley had rebroadcast the Rome announcement. Among the information the Rome station had cited was that the received food had been sent from counties Summers, inton, Raleigh, and Fayette.

The Governor of the Mountain state, Clarence W. Meadows, boarded the train in Huntington. An additional car was attached to the train to carry the Governor and officials. The customary practice was for the Governor of one state to ride the Train to the next state’s border.

The totality of West Virginia’s donations to the Friendship Train from America consisted of five or six freight cars. With a population of slightly less than 2 million, the spirit of the people’s generosity was vividly reflected in the spirit of the state’s breath-taking beauty.

*The Friendship Train is frequently mistaken for the Marshall Plan. It was not; that plan was formed and executed by the American government. A more complete history of the Friendship Train is on the home pages of this web site.

“ $145 Contributed To Friendship Train” Beckley Post- Herald Dec. 2, 1947: 8.
“Branch Jumping” The Leader [Hinton, West Virginia] Nov. 20, 1947: 8.
“Circle Donates To European Fund” Raleigh Register [Beckley, West Virginia] Nov. 16, 1947: 6.
“Donate 100 Cases” Raleigh Register [Beckley, West Virginia] Nov. 23, 1947: 9.
“Fayetteville Group Launches Campaign To Aid Friendship Train” Beckley Post-Herald Nov. 20, 19447: 2.
“Friendship Car Properly Labeled” The Leader [Hinton, West Virginia] Nov. 27, 1947: 1.
“Friendship Train Gifts Mounting” Beckley Post-Herald Nov. 20, 1947: 1.
“High School Joins Friendship’ [sic] Move With Milk Donation” Hinton Daily News Nov. 20, 1947: 1.
“Hinton, Beckley to Load ‘Friendship’ Car; Rainelle, Alderson Join Campaign Hinton Daily News Nov. 27 1947: 1.
”Organization Lacking, But Voluntary Gifts Launch ‘Friendship’ Movement” Hinton Daily News Nov. 18, 1947: 1.
“Post Reaches 315 Members” Beckley Herald Post [Hinton, West Virginia] Dec. 31, 1947: 2.
“Schools Contribute Heavily to Train” Hinton Daily News Nov. 24, 1947: 1.
“To Air Report On Friendship Train” Hinton Daily News January 26; 1948: 1.

West Virginia’s schools generously contributed to the Train. The Hinton High School students, faculty, and personnel gave 15 cases; Central School students, faculty, and personnel gave four cases; Sandstone schools gave seven cases; Jumping Branch gave eight cases, Lincoln High School, Meadow Creek, and Vanderbilt Schools contributed two cases each. Riverside School donated $20.10. Greenbrier school contributed $7.00. One cases of milk each was donated by the Rock Island School, Cave Ridge School, Streeter School, and the Hurley School.

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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