North Carolina Newspapers

FAT FAT WAS ^ BOND DAT otp mmm?un Hum ENTERPRISE OVER TMf TOP FOR VICTORY UHim STATU WM BONDS-STAMPS VOLUME XLV?NUMBER 59 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, July 28, 1942. ESTABLISHED 1899 Number White Men Leaving For Army From This County Third Members of Family Are Now Members of Nation's Armed Forces One of the largest groups of young white men to leave this county for the Army has just reported for serv ice at one of .he country's largest induction centers. While most if not all of them are returning home for fourteen-day furloughs, it is quite likely that a large majority has al ready been accepted for service. Three young men, scheduled to leave with the last contingent mov ing out of the county, did not report. Ottis Leon Scruggs had asked to be transferred to Birmingham for in duction, and Heber John Coltrain was temporarily disabled and could not report. Coltrain was driving a large transport truck on the Eastern Shore a few days ago and figured in an accident that cost the lives of seven persons. The young man, still suffering from shock and injuries, is at home now. He is under bond for his appearance at a hearing to be haU in Virginia soon. The third young man who did not show up was Robert Ward Harden, of Dardens. The board was advised in a delayed letter that he had joined the Navy last Friday, passed his examination on Saturday and was sworn in for service on Sunday. The young man is the third son in his family to en ter the service. One son, Dallas, was I last heard from in India, and anoth-1 er son, Grady, is soldiering in Ala bama. Only one son is left at home. It is one of the few cases in this county where more than two mem bers of a family are in the service. Names of the young white men "recently" reporting for service: Willie Whit Davis, Hamilton and Hughesville, Md. Horace Murdock Ayers, Everetts. Rubin Thomas Ward, Roberson-1 Milton Gladstone Bryant, Parme le. Alton Raynor, RFD 3, Williamston. Charles Milton James, Williams tori. Thomas Willoughby Thompson, RFD 1, Oak City. James Garland Rodgers, RFD 1, Robersonville. Leslie Garland Lambert, William ston. James Pritchett, Dardens and Plymouth. Milton Warren Harrison, RFD 3. Williamston. Eli Marion Taylor, RFD 2, Wil liamston. Stancil Lee Brown, Jamesville. Russell Leonidas Griffin, RFD 2. Williamston. Eugene Thomas Bedwell, James ville. Semmie James, Robersonville. William Henry Ange, RFD 1, Jamesville. Chester Hue Gardner, RFD 1, Wil liamston. Dave Wiley Branton, RFD 2, Rob ersonville. Jesse Wilson Griffin, RFD 2. Wil liamston. Willard Earl James, RFD 1, Rob ersonville. James Edwin Moore, RFD 3, Wil liamston. Milford Warren Harrison, RFD 2, Williamston and Norfolk. Howard Franklin Griffin, RFD 1, Williamston. Sutton Alfred Burroughs, RFD 3, Williamston. Osmer Scull Wi.nborne, William ston. Charlie Thurman Clark, William ston and Washing'ton, N. C. (Continued on page six) Local Citizen Died In Hospital Monday Alvin Bruce Cox, a n.ative of Miss issippi but for the past six months a resident of Williainston, died in a Washington hospital last evening at 8 45 o'clock following a long per iod of declining health and a criti cal illneaa of only a few days' dura tion. Taken ill last Thursday, Mr. Cox became critically ill Sunday and was removed to the hospital. Pneu monia was the immediate cause of his death. After spending his early life in Mississippi, Mr. Cox located in Dal las, Texas, where he married Miss Jane Stuart and taught school for a number of years. Forced into virtu al retirement by falling health, he came to Williamston about ' six months ago to make his home with his daughter, Mrs. Larry T. !5cott, and Mr. Scott, in their apartment in the home of Mrs. Eloiae Bennett on West Main Street During his stay here, Mr. Cox did not get out very much, but he made a number of friendships and eras highly regarded by those who knew him. He was a member of the Baptist church for a long numtier of years, and Dr. William R. Burrell, pastor of the Memorial Baptist Church here will conduct the last rites at the Biggs Funeral home tomorrow af ternoon at 3:30 o'clock. Interment will follow in the local cemetery. Besides his daughter here, he is survived by a sister, Mrs. Maude Scales, of Murfreesbom, Tenn., and a brother, J. M. Cox, at Washington City Ducking Shells in Egypt Battle One of the Imperial troops fighting on the Egyptian battlefront is shown taking a quick dive for cover as an Axis shell bursts close to hira near El Alemain. Despite heavy attacks the British soldiers, aided by Australians and New Zcalandcrs, are holding fast and in some spots even making gains. This is a radiophoto. All County Single Men Staring Army In Face ?o READY FOR SPREE The arrangements have been virtually completed and Mar tin County motorists, with the naual exceptions of course, are now about to be given the green light for another riding spree. It is a bit like two big cities ad joining each other, one can't tell where the last spree ends and the new one begins. Anyway, sup plemental gas ration cards are now ready for distribution with the exception of possibly those filed a bit late. All applications have been approved or rejected, and the applicants may now rail at the rationing board office for the results. Quite a few of the applications were rejected and large num bers were held to an absolute minimum. Applicants may ap peal to the board for increased allotments, but they must have good evidence to support their claims. Citizens Of County Take More Interest In Spotting Planes ??? Bear Gran* Plana Meeting for Opening 24-Hour Post There Soon ? Convinced of the necessity and po tential importance of the work, more Martin County citizens are taking a greater interest in airplane spotter work, according to J. Paul Simpson, head of the program in this county. The Williamston post, just recently opened on a 24-hour basis, is func tioning almost perfectly, and plans are well advanced for a similar serv ice at Jamesville. At a public meet ing in the Community House at Bear Grass on Thursday evening of this week at 8:30 o'clock, citizens there are expected to complete plans for opening a 24-hour post. Other communities are perfecting organi zations to maintain the volunteer service, Director Simpson maintain ing that the outlook is bright for a 100 per cent cooperation from the people of the county. Contributing time and labor, citi zens of Jamesville just recently built an observer's post just across the street from Davenport and Hamil ton's station, and numbers of peo ple have already volunteered to help maintain a constant watch. The post will likely go on a 24-hour schedule very shortly, according to Chief Ob server Charles Davenport. Chief Observer T. O. Hickman is calling the Bear Grass meeting on Thursday evening and it is certain that the citizens of that community will respond to a call for a 24-hour service schedule. A post has been acquired in the town after Farmer W. M. Harrison handled the work the best he could at his home since (Continued on page six) DESERTER I Deserting the army a year ago, Robert Woolard, county colored youth known as 8. U Woolard, has been overtaken by the au thorities and is now In the coun ty Jail awaiting his return to Fort Bragg and certain court martial. The man was reported missing under the name of 8. U Woolard, but the Army had no record of a man by that name from this county, and his free dom was prolonged. Woolard, the first Martin County youth So desert the army during the present war, is la the trap now, and while the wheels ef justice amy turn slow, be can nt. Nearly Six Hundred Are Now Subject To Draft Immediately More Than One lliinilred Men To Answer ('.alls in Coun ty During August No official instructions have been received in this county, but there is reason to believe that a movement is underway to exhaust or otherwise clean out the eligible draftees in the lower classifications within the near future. Briefly stated ,the Army is now staring all single men in this county right in the face, unofficial reports indicating that the authori ties plan to call all single men with out dependents from one end of the registration to the other within the next few months, and then start calling all single men with depend ents immediately thereafter. Calls for married men are to be expected in the due course of time, the trend of events possibly largely determin ing when that action will be taken. Well over 100 men, including the calls for both white and colored, are due to leave the county in August for the Army. In addition to that number there are approximately 380 colored and 250 white men available for service before the draft is extended into the married group The approximately 630 men are single without depend ents or are single with dependents. These figures are based on fairly re liable estimates coming from the draft board following a review of the registrations from the first on through 600 in thc^ third. Those young men who became 20 years of age of recent date are also included in the potential list of draftees sub ject to immediate call. Included in the lists above are about 40 white and 30 colored registrants who have been deferred for one reason or an other, mostly to help finish ^he cur rent crop season and to aid the fall harvest. Many of the deferment per iods will expire in September and October. Although this county has a man power reserve of approximately 600 men outside of those who were mar ried before last December 7th, it does not mean that the Army will call that many men from this coun ty within the next two, three or four months. It is quite certain that many possibly half that number or more, will be rejected for one cause or an other. After being thinned out by examination, the group will be re uced in size considerably, and even at the rate of call set for August, it will be only a couple of months be fore the list of single men is - ex hausted. The calls will then be di rected to married men, first to those without children, then to those with out children but who are vital to the (Continued on page six) ? Rationing Board Will Move Again Outgrowing its cramped quarter! in the county commissioners' room in the courthouse weeks ago, the county rationing board established headquarters in the old Farmers and Merchants Bank building, and now orders have been issued calling (or enother move. The old bank build ing has been leased to the Washing ton Production Credit Company, and the rationing board is planning to establish headquarters in the agri cultural building auditorium, next to the courthouse. ? It could not be learned definitely when the move would be effected, but the prasant quartans' are to BT vacated by the first of August. It is likely that the board will pick up its records and files and move thei latter part of the week. War As It Relates To Home Front Is Reviewed for Week People Are Begininng to Real ize Thai Victory Will Not Be Won Easily There probably aren't many peo ple in the United States who are still naive enough to think that this is going to be a war easily won?a war won without great sacrifice, at home and on the field of battle. If there are any so naive last week's news must nave?gone a l<M\g way toward making them realize the sort of war we are really in. Last week brought news from the armed forces, from the field of transportation and the vital field of materials and supply which served to underline the grim, hard task be fore us all. The Office of War In formation released the total casual ties suffered by our armed forces since hostilities broke out. The fig ure stood .at 44,143 soldiers, sailors, marines, coast guardsmen and mem bers of the Philippine Scouts, killed or wounded or missing?many of those missing are believed prisoners of the Japs?and their sacrifice em phasizes the pettiness of those who complain of restrictions on our norm al lives at homes. Here at home our one concern must be, as it has been since Pearl Har bor, to see that every bit of mater ial we can spare goes to make weapons for our troops and that there are trains enough and trucks enough and ships enough to take these weapons where they are need ed. This great task may be sub-divid ed into three main jobs?the job ot supplying materials for our factor ies, a job which includes the im portant work of salvage and saving ?the job of production, a job whicn enlists all the energies of a vast and constantly growing army of Ameri can craftsmen and the job of trans portation. Let us see what progress we have made-as of today with each of these jobs. The War Production Hoard last week moved once more to assist the flow of critical war materials to those points in our industrial sys tem where they are most needed. Because of changes in the Priority System WPB from now on will know the supply and requirement situa tion so well that the most important needs of our fighting men may be met as they develop. This is tremen dously important, because we no longer have enough to go around, we must put the weight of our produc tion where it is most needed. Production itself booms along to n*cord heights. Scarcely a day goes by but what the men who make steel report to War Production Drive Headquarters that they have smash ed another record. From the great steePcenters of the Eastern indus trial triangle, from the Middle West, (Continued on page six) 1 Half Of Draftees Who Left July 14 Rejected By Army Sixteen of 33 Returning To (lump After Fourteen* Day Furlough* The last group of colored draftees leaving this county recently appar ently had more glue on their feet than those reporting before them, according to information gained this week. Sixteen of the thirty-three colored draftees were accepted, the Army induction center explaining that out of the seventeen men re jected six were physically unfit and eleven were below literacy stan dards. While the percentage of re jectees is still large and possibly even alarming, the number accept ed by the Army in July from this county was far greater than the av erage. Earlier this year, twenty out of twenty-four colored draftees from the county were rejected. The seventeen colored men report ing to the induction center about the middle of this month and who were rejected returned home im mediately. After being inducted in to the service, the other sixteen men in the group were given fourteen day furloughs. Nine of the group made the return trip today. Six oth ers are scheduled to leave tomor row and the sixteenth one leaves on Thursday. Names of those colored men ac cepted in the last call are, George Frank Green, a volunteer; Johnnie Peel, Augustine Bellamy, George Moore, John Matthews Williams, John D. McCloud, Llewellyn Keys, Jim Schooner Powell, Silas Askew, Herbert Godard, Clarence Lee Pur rington, Ernest Jones, Moses Spruill, Isaac Herman Nelson, Calvin Best, Jr., and Ira Thomas Page. The names of those rejected for physical disability of low literacy standards are, as follows: Calvin Sharp, Collsie Lynch, Louis Edward Beltcher, Johnnie Harris, Willie D. Teel, Hillard Knight, Jas per Andrews^^George Washington Hcye*: CbntcH^nith. James Wals ton, Lee Goes, Jbffl Arthur Rice, Ar thur Mac Woolard, Walter Jones, r ey Lee Morning, Lorrnza Sals and James Albert Brown, Jr. - ; Opening Prices Higher Than Year Ago On Georgia Markets Encouraging reports came out of Georgia this morning when the first of the 1942 tobacco sales were made at prices averaging higher than those on the opening day a year ago. No official average could be had, but a tabulation of reports from over the belt pointed to an average of about $30.50 per 100 pounds or nearly eight cents a pound above the opening day price a year ago. In a direct report received from James E. Griffin, local man on the vaiaosia market, he said that the leaf was selling from five to forty cents, mostly from 25 to 36 cents, with the average ranging right at 31 cents a pound for the first hour of sales. At Waycross the first 91 baskets old for an average price of $32.03. Statesboro reported most of its sales ranged between 18 and 39 cents, and Hahira reported an average of 30 cents. The quality of the crop was said to be fair, and in some areas it was better than that of last year. Pro duction figures this year are expect ed to fall slightly under those of last season when 56 million pounds were sold from 65,000 acres. Medium sales were reported on most of the mar kets this morning, and farmers, as usual on 11 rising market, were re ported to be well satisfied with the prevailing prices While no definite connection be tween the price trend in Georgia and the price outlook in this belt can be established, it is, to say the least, en couraging to note an upward swing in the markets down south. Flier Parachutes To Safety iNlear Dardens Plane Travels Two Miles And Crashes Near Plymouth 9 Pilot Lohch Control in Storm Ami Found Near Dardenn Late Sunday Night The first forced parachute jump m the history of this county was recorded last Sunday afternoon about 3:30 o'clock when Ensign Rob ert L. Wist, losing control of his Navy pursuit ship during a violent | storm, bailed out and sailed to earth in the Warren Neck Swamp in this county between Durdens andPIym outh. His ship, sailing two miles or more without a pilot, crashed about two miles from Plymouth and about a mile from Highway No. 32. Cutting the tops out of several trees, the plane crashed to earth, throwing its powerful motor thirty feet away. A Norfolk salvage crew trucked the wrecked plane to Norfolk yester day afternoon. The flier told an exciting story, a story that was packed with danger and discomfort. Sailing along at 10, 000 feet in formation with three oth er planes, Ensign Wist said they flew into the cloud, thinking they would pierce it in just a few seconds. Two of the planes passed through on the edge, but were separated and land ed at different times on a Norfolk field. A third plane landed in Eliza beth City, the pilot explaining that he was weak in his knees after rid ing through the storm. Ensign Wist, striking the center of the storm, said that his ship lost altitude rapidly, that after it had dropped four thousand feet, he "gun ned" it, hut failed to climb at first Striking a different air current a few seconds later the ship shot up ward and he had trouble bringing it back until he struck a downward air current and it shot like a bullet toward the earth. His instruments apparently failed to respond rapid ly and unable to see earth or deter mine' his position as to the land and the other planes, he bailed out. Golf ers on the* Pulp Plant course, think ing a dive bomber was operating di rectly ewer them, saw the* ship glide through the* cloud and sail away through a heavy rain. Some heard it crash, but at that time the- on-look ers did not know the ship was flying without a pilot. The crash was reported to the lo cal observation post and the report was forwarded ewer the signaling system to the intercepted command. A se arch was started by planes, but no trace of the ship was found until early evening. The pilot was found about 10:30 that night after trying hours in the swamp and in Warren Neck Creek. Landing in a tall tree. Wist stated that he cut himself loose and slid down, scratching himself slightly on the face. I^ost in the thick under growth and the miry swamp, the man walke'd for more than half an hour just to return at the end of that time to his parachute. Coursing his path by the sun, he walked un til he reached the creek. Thinking (Continued on page six) Slightly Injured In Auto Accident Mr. Roy Shone, superintendent of the Williamston Package Manufac turing Company plant here, was painfully bruised and shocked when his car skidded on wet pavement and went out of control at Old Ford on the Washington highway in Beaufort County last Friday after noon. He was slightly cut in several places and was placed in a Washing ton hospital where he was released the following day after receiving treatment. - The ear a ffrfan belonging to M. M. Levin, salesman for the company, was wrecked, one report stating that the repair costa would approximate $350. VACANCIES Education authorities are be coming worried over the teach er situation in this county. As fast as one position is filled, two others bob up vacant. Resigna tions are coming in pairs, the hoard of education announcing this week that there were nine teen positions still vacant even after a large number of appoint ments had been made. Miss Virginia Shindler, able teacher in the Bear Grass school for four years, has resigned to accept a position in Indiana. Mrs. CiTace Rogers Ayers .teacher in the Jamesville school last term, also tendered her resignation this week. Most of the openings are in the high school, and it is fairly certain that some of them will not be filled. Health Department Announces Ratings For County's Cafes Keport Shown INo Action Tak cn To Clone Any Mar ket* or Cafe* ? Following a county-wide survey conducted 'recently, the Martin Health Department released ratings for eighteen cafes and twenty-one markets, the report showing that no action was taken closing any of the eating establishments or meat re tailers. Announcing the ratings, Sanitar ian Lackey stated that in accordance with Sec. 2, Chapter 309 of the North Carolina Public Health laws, permits had been issued to the es tablishments and that no other es tablishments could be opened or op erated without a permit. It was also pointed out in the report that sand wich manufacturing establishments had been surveyed and that the own ers were notified to label and date their sandwiches. "It will be up to the public to look for the date and insist on fresh products," Lackey said. Ratings for cafes were announced as follows: Williamston, white: Central Cafe, A; All-Nite Service, B; Pickwick Billiard Parlor, C; Roberson's Cafe, B; Welcome Inn, under state of re pair, no grade issued; Williamston Cafe, B; Willie Modlin's Cafe, C; The Martin, B; Mickey's . Inn, not selling food; Williamston, colored: Buck's Place, B; Little Savoy, C. Robcrsonville, white: Hotel Wil son Coffee Shop, A, Adler's Wine Shoppe, C: Jim's Quick Lunch. C: Robcrsonville, colored: Big Apple, B; Farmers Cafe, B. Jamesville, white: Glass Lunch Room, C. Pulp Mill Cafe, under construc tion, no grade issued. Market grades were announced as follows. Williamston: E. and W., B; Har dy's Esso Station, A; Penders Mar (Continued on page six) INTERRUPTION A brief interruption in the town'* water service will be made tomorrow morning at two o'clock while the entire person nel of the department repair* a valve on the main lines near the corner of Sycamore and Main streets. It is quite possible that most of the customers will not realize the interruption, but to those few who perchance will turn their spigots the superin tendent is directing the an nouncement. urring them to ac cept the delay for the brief per iod. Service will be vectored as soon as possible and certainly by an early hour morning. Germans Continue Their Push Toward Caueasus Gateway Devastating Raid I* Directed Against Hamburg by the RAF Ust Night While it is possible that the Ger mans are being drawn into a trap and that a powerful counteroffen sive by strong Russian forces, the situation on the Eastern Front around Rostov may be regarded as critical. The Russian high h;?? -"1 mitted the fall of Rostov, claimed by the Germans a week ago, and with drawals have been acknowledged by the Russians along other lines in the area, especially at Novocher kassk. The Germans claim that they have crossed the Don River with strong forces at Tsimlyansk, and had taken Bataisk, twenty miles south ol Rostov on the main Caucasus rail way and pipeline. The outlook for the Russians ad mittedly was darker than ever now because the Soviet people had hoped that the Don barrier would be held at any cost But all Russian dis patches emphasized repeatedly the numerical superiority of the attack ing Nazi army. Not only is the Caucasus rich in oil and grain, but it is the gateway for Allied supplies from the Middle East Its severance from the Russian hinterland would be an extremely heavy jolt to the Red military ma chine. ?? ??? The Germans also have the ad vantage of several months of good fighting weather ahead Only in the Voronezh area 300 miles north of Rostov were the Rus sians claiming any distinct successes. There the Red army was reported to have made another crossing of the Don to the western bank after wipin gout thousands of Nazi troops But the Russian successes in the Voronezh area thus far have not en dangered the left Nazi flank enough to stem the southeastward German title which threatens the Caucasus and Stalingrad on the Volga com munications route. Russian dispatches said the lower Don river between Rostov and Tsim lyansk was breached only at terri fic cost to the Germans?but the Germans did cross. In driving deeper and deeper into the Don area, Marshal Fedor von Bock is paying a price which few save a Nazi commander would con sider. Russian counterattacks time and time again wiped out entire reg iments of the invaders, Russian ar tillery blasted thousands who tried to cross the Don, but still the Ger mans pounded ahead with the sup port of seemingly inexhaustible re serves. A Moscow radio report estimated that since May 15th Hitler had lost 2,000.000 men on the Russian front, 350,000 of them killed. So many wounded accumulated in the Ger man rear, it was said, that there were not enough trains to evacuate them and hundreds died for lack of medi cal treatment. The United Press said the siege of Rostov was one of the bloodiest bat tles of the Russian war. The Ger mans had thrown more than 600,000 men and 2000 tanks against the city and by sheer wegiht of numbers were pressing more and more dan gerously through the fortifications. Suffering untold losses, the Ger mans are expected to take a breath ng spell now shortly or long enough <> recover and consolidate their gains before renewing their offensive. Some observers believe the Germans will attack Moscow and Leningrad (Continued on page six) # Life And Value Of Gas Ration Cards There is some doubt as to the value of gas rationing cards and how long they are to last. Expiration dates are placed on the cards, Rationing Board Chairman C. C. Martin ex plaining m detail the worth in gal Inns arid the life of the cards as fol lows: The basic A card, good for four gallons per unit, is to last for twelve months. And it means exactly what it says. The supplemental B card, carry ing a four gallon value per unit or coupon, is to last not less than three and up to twelve months according to the claim presented by the appli cant The C card, carrying a four-gallon per unit value, is to last three months. The D card, good for one and one half gallons per unit, is to last for one year. The E card for non-highway use is good for one gallon per unit and is to last for six months. The R card, good for five gallons per unit and to be used by large non-highway purposes, is to last for six months. The S-l and S-2 cards, good for four gallons per coupon, are to last for four months. Most of the supplemental cards are ready for distribution. In handling the rationing program, the authorities did all in their pow er To allot extra rations to tbooa needing gas and who were quallfM to get it, but drew the line on un essential rations.