The Enterprise
Published Every Tuesday and Friday by the
ENTERPRISE PUBLISHING CO.
WILLIAMSTON, NORTH CAROLINA
W C. MANNING
Editor ? 1SII1! 1938
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Entered at the post office in. WiUiamston, N
C., as second-class matter under the act of Con
gress of March 3, 1879. t
Address all communications to The Enterprise
and not individual members of the firm.
Tuesday. January 13. I4) 12.
National I nity Threatened
One of the big questions facing this nation
today is, Can that national unity created at
Eearl HarDor be maintained
We are all patriotic now, but can we main
tain our equilibrum during the trying days
ahead'
Major upheavals are already threatening
some sections of the country where little or
no progress has been made in changing from
a peace-time to a wartime economy. Instead
of making the change gradually, industry con
tinued to cling to the business-as-usual sched
ule and today hundreds of thousands of men
are idle. Reports state that even as recently as
last week no definite plan had been advanced
for placing strategic industry on an all-out pro
duction for the war effort. Those idle men will
wonder why they can't work when war equip
ment is so badly needed in the Philippines, at
Singapore, in the Netherlands East Indies, in
Africa, in England. Surely the situation will
not create a fifth column, but it will cause re
sentment and even despair; it will disturb our
unity.
Congress ts debating economy measures.
Some want to bear down heavily on that one
third of the nation " where poverty and want
are\lurking. Others want to increase the non
defehse appropriations Some would wipe out
the social gains recorded during the past nine
years. Others would advance them at the ex
pense of the war effort. Non-defense spending
will be ordered, out or approved by those av
erage persons who are going t/j dig down into
their pockets and dig down very shortly to pay
the freight If tlTev see their tax monies wasted
on non-defense projects or even on war proj
ects they can be expected to complain When
the average business man sees he is running
head on into a deficit, he is going to ask why
are we spending so much for the things that
are not absolutely essential to defense or war.
This country is ready to go up or down in
support of the war effort, but it is not ready
for one-half to go up while the other half goes
down Already some businesses are experienc
ing a serious plight. They are not grumbling,
but they will grumble if and when they see
others waxing rich off the war effort
As long as all could enjoy a profit out of war,
everything could be expected to move along
smoothly with the masses boasting their pa-'
triotism. A diffprpnt story is already being told.
and as that story is revealed more in detail
day by day, some howling is to be expected
and where there isr a howling one can look for
? crumbling unity. ?
Time To Wake Hp
So many Americans have depended upon the
pictorial sections for their news and' views
that we have only a warped idea of what real
ly is going on in the world. We accepted as au
thentic the colorful reports coming from biased
sources as they were displayed in easy read
ing and in pictures. It was too hard to dig down
for the facts. We did not have time to hear
those who knew what they were talking about.
As a result we have found our predictions with
out foundation time and again. It was easier
to guess than it was to dig down for the honest
to-goodness facts. And today our pictorial edu
and a lasting peace should victory be ours.
Joseph E. Davies,-former ambassador to Rus
sia .explains much in his book, "Mission to Mos
cow." Every American would do well to read
the book, not to accept the Russian way of life,
but to better understand the Russian way of
life and the cause for it.
We were told by the never-erring capitalists
that Joe Stalin was an international gangster,
that he was a snake, a murderer; yes, even
worse than Hitler if such were possible. We
were never told and we never troubled our
selves to find out that in his purges, Stalin was
fighting a Nazi fifth column. We are not told
today that despite the extensive killings, the
low of life in Russia was small compared to
the numbers who lost their lives in France be
cause they were sold into bondage by false
leaders.
We were never told that Russia proposed to
i and pay a big rent for important Finnish
bases and at the same time guarantee little Fin-.
land protection. We were never told that Eng
land and France advised Finland against leas-'
ing the bases. Russia understood the scheming 1
ways of Hitler and moved to protect herself |
while we "Slept and even while we looked upon
her move into Finland as a treacherous one.
.Wo wore never told that uld. Joe Stalin, the
gangster and thief that so many of our goody
goodies have called to the delight of the inno
cents, was willing to pay Russia's debt to the
United States, but it was blocked by claims ad
vanced by war financiers who were demand
ing fabulous profits.
It is time for us to wake up, and stop trying
to pass judgment upon millions of other peo
ple by what we learn from the funny papers
and the pictorial sections.
Just a few days ago a commentator for a
foreign fertilizer firm referred to Russia's Sta
lin as the international gangster, a snake and
o on. In his eyes, maybe Stalin is a gangster 1
Hut that radio commentator was the mouth
piece of irffrin that was capitalizing on the kill
mg of young men and the destruction of prop
erty in advertising its goods. And the radio
commentator did not say so and probably did
not care if the company he was speaking for
was in the courts for alleged violation of the
anti-trust laws. And talk about Stalin being a
gangster. Why we have brought more folks
down with the pure old unadulterated con
sumption and sure death in our cotton mills,
enslaved- more human beings in coal mines,
factory work shops and other places of danger
ous toil than Joe Stalin and his army have kill
ed: i ,
We owe it to ourselves and to Russia and oth
er countries too, to read such books as the "Mis
sion to Moscow" and learn the facts.
Truvfliufi The fallal Root!
Ever so often one hears about the innocent
poker game being played for past-time or where
the innocent stake their money on the pin
wheel. Surely there are those who turn back,
but others who engage in the gambling past
time are traveling a fatal road and many of
them never come back. For instance the fol
lowing little story which is complete within
itself:
THE GAMBLING WIFE
William Heed of San Francisco did not know
that his wife was gambling away the money
which he made as a deep sea diver. But when
he learned of it he did not upbraid her. He was
willing to forgive. The awakening came Friday
when he sought to draw $10,000 of their sav
ings to buy defense bonds and found only $4.
000 in the bank, lie returned home to ask his
wife how she had used the $6,000 from their
joint account. He got his answer from Jewel,
but it was in a note on the kitchen table. Mrs.
Heed was dead. She had opened the gas jets
and fired a pistol bullet into her mouth after
writing this note: "Please forgive me for tak
ing this way out, but 1 have wronged you so
badly 1 cannot face it. 1 have lost nearly all
your money. 1 started in Seattle. I've kept try
ing to come back, but couldn't. Don't think I
have not suffered. 1 have known since war was
declared that I must do this, but I wanted you
to have a perfect holiday. So try to understand
and forgive me." -
Are I oil 4 Tree Rentier?
By Ruth Taylor.
Raymond Clapper, that most level-headed of
columnists, wrote this trenchant statement re
cently: "1 am less concerned about the free
dom of the press than I am about the freedom
of the reader. You won't.kept a free press un
less the reader also is tolerant, open-minded,
interested in hearing both sides."
How do you ret^d? How do you listen? Are
you carried away by positive statements with
out stopping to consider they might have been
nvade for that very purpose?
Or -are you a .free reader? Can you study
both sides calml.V and collectedly, weighing t
source of each statement, judging by past .per
formance and arriving at your own decision af
ter careful thought and due consideration of
all the facts in the case? If you can do that, you
ale a free reader.
Today there is a definite attempt being made
i to create panic among our people by false ru
mors authoritatively stated, by vitriolic charges
against those in authority, by untrue accusa
tions against various minority groups, by a
constant harping criticism of anything and ev
erything, by mushroom tales of disaster and ul
timate chaos. This is definitely an enemy air
raid on the mind.
The wisest man I ever knew used to say,
whenever anyone began to tell him anything
Slati' the fucts. Don't chat acid ize." Apply'
that to propaganda or to articles, or speeches.
Shear them of characterizations and of all state
ments prefaced by the catch phrases "it is said";
"everyone knows"; "they say"; etcetera, and
see what you have left. You'll be surprised how
little it is in almost every case. a
Analyze what you read and hear, and study
with an open, poised mind, ready to admit a
point but not ready to compromise with a dem
agogic attempt to stir you to impatience or in
tolerance. ?
A free press calls for?deserves?free read
ers?men and women who so value the Bill of
Rights which insures them this boon of knowl
edge, that they treat this right with reverence,
keeping themselves ready to learn all the truth,
and to form their own opinions according to
their individual wills, not at the orders of any
dictators. In this time of war, the only way
we can keep a free press is to deserve it by be
ing free readers.
BELK - TYLER'S
January Specials
SPRING DRESSES
Gorgeous new style* in ail the al
luring new pastel shades for
spring. Both solid colors and
prints for you to select from. New
dresses arriving daily. Come in
and see these lovely new creations.
$1.98
$2.98
$3.98
? $4.98
$5.95
$7.95
USE BIIK-TYIEKS
LAY-AWAY PLAN
Sale! SPRING HATS
Chic new styles in all the lovely new ^
pastel shades for spring. You are sure
to find just the shape you are looking
for. See these running hats today!
98c - $1.48 - $1.98
LADIES' SPRING COATS
Lovely new spring routs in all the new
shades and materials. I'laids, tweeds,
(taherilineii and lovely new woolens
in the newest spring shades.
$7.95
$9.95
$16.50
<H1 Q QC
JJ) 1 5/et/O
Sale!
Kay on Panties
Full cut. Both tailored and
lace trimmed. Color tearose.
29c
Sale!
Satin Slipw
Full cut, excellent quality
satin slips. Both tailored and
lace trimmed.
59c
SALE! Late Fall Dresses
\llracti\ely styled ilroM'H in all the
newest lah- fall material* and color*.
(>oiiil run^e of size*. These dresses have
been slashed to the hone for i|iiick
clearance. See Them Today!
$4.98 sale $2.88
$5.95 sale $3.88
$6.95 sale $4.39
$7.95 sale $4.88
$9.95 sale $6.88
Heavy Sheeting
uality. Extra
10c
Fine quality. Extra smooth
finish.
9 x 12
Linoleum llugs
New spring patterns. Good
quality. Heavy weight.
$3.98
Men ?
Outing I'ajamaw
Full cut, fleecy outing pa
jamas. Good patterns. All sizes.
$1.29
Sale!
Tuxedo Blouses
Excellent quality slub-weave
blouse in all the new shades
and white.
79c
Mcii'm Work Sliirtn
(iood tough cliambray work
shirts in all sizes.
79c
F A ST COLO It PR I N T S
(fooiI <|iiiility fuitl color prints
in u large selection of good
pattern*. A real value that
you can't afford to mix*. liny
all you need at this low price.
15c
SALE!
I .
FALL SHOES
ODD LOTS
I'uiiip*, Mrup* and lit-*
in all color* und size*.
Lruilim, wii?'d?'?. ami
patent* to wlect from.
Value* to 85.IMI _
U.00
CLOSE OUT!
Broken lots of new fall shoes in all
colors and sizes. Be sure to see these
right uwav.
$1.57
SPECIAL SALE!
New full suede shoes in
best styles. Most all
sizes to seleet from.
Vulues to $5.00
1.97
NATURAL BRIDGE
All Natural Bridge Suede Shoes in
this lot. Pumps and ties to seleet from.
Regular $5.00 value. Priced for
quick clearance. jt
$2.97 *
36-Inch
Window Shades
Durable window shadee in
ivory and K rwn. 6 feet loaf.
39c
Boyi'
Heavy Unioiis
hewvy- weight. All slim
in stock.
69c
Special Sale!
Silk Dresses
One special lot of ODDS and
ENDS Dresses, all good styles
and colors. Values to $7.95 . . .
A real sensational close out for
this event.
$1.00
Men't
Dress Shirts
Fast color dress shirts in all
sizes. A large array of new pat
terns to select from. Regular
$1.29 value.
97c
SAFF? wens
Fall Suits
)
Every man's suit in our stock drastic
ally reduced for this event. Hard
fiuisli worsteds, tweeds, coverts and
cashmeres in all the newest styles
and colors for you to select from.
Be sure to buy your suit at these
give-away prices.
$12.50 sale $10.88
-$14.95 sale $11.88
$16.50 sale $13.88
$19.95 sale $16.88
Sale! MEN'S O'COATS
$12.50 sale $10.88
$16.50 sale $13.88
Bdk*3yler Company
-/depart/ae^t stores /
WILL1AMSTON, NORTH CAROLINA.