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THE ENTERPRISE
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FOR VICTORY
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BONDS-STAMPS
VOLUME XLV?NUMBER 72 Williamtton, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, September II, 1942. ESTABLISHED 1899
Twenty-seven White
Draftees Accepted
By Army This Week
FBI Notified in Eleven Cases
Where Draftees Failed
To Report
Calling for well over a half hun
dred colored soldiers recently from
this county, the Army apparently
made little progress in bolstering its
forces, according to reliable informa
tion received here this week. Brief
ly stated, the late August call net
ted only 24 additions to the Army.
Twenty-seven wer? rejected. Eleven
others failed to report and three
were transferrd to other boards for
induction.
Sixteen of those men rejected were
placed in 4-F, meaning that they are
hardly fit for any kind of military
service. The other eleven rejected
and sent back home were placed in
1-A and 1-B classifications, indicat
ing that their defects are remedial
and that several if not all of the men
will be recalled at some time in the
future. Eighteen of the 27 men re
jected were refused on account of
physical disqualifications, and the
other nine were found to have low
literacy standards.
The eleven cases where the draft
ees failed to report are being turned
over to the Federal Bureau of Inves
tigation. and while it may be weeks
or even months before any definite
action is take, something will be
done about them. Four of the group,
changing their addresses without no
tifying the draft board, reported late |
They will be called to report possi
bly the latter part of this month. The ]
names of the delinquents are, as fol
lows: Thomas Ryan. Columbus Blunt
Daniel, Willie James Harrison, Eli
jah TTiomas, Charlie Wesley Dixon,
Lucious C. Chance, Horace Wilson
Duggin, Leaahner Bennett, Thurman
Williams, Joe Henry Lawrence and
Jack Augustus Pitt.
The following men were transfer
red to the designated boards for in
duction: Thomas Columbus Jones to
Washington. D C ; Rufus Andrews
to Baltimore, and Christ Falk Brown,
to Richmond.
The following men were rejected:!
Felton Keys. Moses Hopkins, William |
(Continued on page six)
?
Twenty-seven Negro
Draft ees Rejected
From Martin County
Reports on Several F]xamina-|
lions Have Nol Been Re
ceived Thus Far
?
At least twenty-seven of the ap
proximately 45 Martin County white
draftees, reporting for service in the
United States Army recently were
accepted, according to an unofficial
report heard here yesterday. It is
possible that a few more will be ac
cepted when further physical ex
aminations are completed.
According to information gained |
from one of the young men return
ing for his fourteen-day furlough, at
least seven of the group were held
over for further examination. In
cluded in the group is Mayo Peel,
World War I veteran.
The status of the entire group re
porting to the authorities at the in
duction center this week has not been
officially announced, and it could not
be learned definitely how many had J
been rejected or for what cause. It
was learned that eight of the twen
ty-seven men accepted were placed
in the 1-B classification, meaning
that possibly they will be subject
only to limited military service.
"Hie following twenty-seven men
were accepted immediately after the
physical examinations: Augustus E.
Moore, Martel Hardy, Asa R. Harris,
James E Stalls, William A. Taylor,
Joseph D. Thrower, Jr., Claude L.
Green, Jr., Whichard R. Marshall,
Leroy Mobley, Joseph A. Peele, Fate
Whitfield, Joseph C Ross, Elmer T.
Mizelle, Robert L. Mizelle, James E.
Cassell, Elton D. Carson, Oscar H.
Peele, Horace L Rogers, James H.
Griffin, John B. Knox, Wheeler M.
Harris, William H. Revels, James
R. Harrison, Jr., Joseph O. Wiggins,
William G. Cowan, and Clyde C.
Moore \
Not A Single Case Is Tried
In County Court On Monday
Following a little but ineffective
crime wave that swept over parts of
the county during the first few days
of the current marketing season, the
county court last Monday virtually
closed up for the want of business.
Not a single case was tried during
the ten minutes the court was in
session. Only one case was booked
for trial, and that one was continued
when the defendant failed to answer
when called. Reaching the court 30
minutes late, the defendant explain
ed to Clerk L. B. Wynne that he had
had a flat tire and was delayed.
The little gathering in the court
room included a lone spectator, and
it is possible that he was a witness
in the case that was scheduled to
have been tried. Not a single colored
person was there, court attendants
stating that it was the first time in
their memory that there wasn't a
single colored person there either
as a litigant, a witness or as a spec
tator in some criminal action.
There have been times in the mid
dle of the summer when there were
only one or two cases booked for
trial, but last Monday was the first
time in the history of the court that
only one case was scheduled in a
fall month.
All the court officers, including
Judge R. L. Coburn, Prosecuting At
torney Paul O. Rohereon, Clerk L.
B. Wynne and the sheriff, were pres
ent along with several attorneys. No
large docket is anticipated next Mon
day, but several cases have already
been scheduled for trial at that time.
Local Man Appointed
State Insurance Chief
COMMISSIONER
Wm. P. Hodge*. Williamston
young man, was this week ap
pointed State Insurance Com
missioner by Governor J. M.
Broughton to fill the position
made vacant by the death of Mr.
Dan C. Boney.
Embattled Russians
Continuing To Hold
Back Nazi Invaders
Druntir Measures Proposed at |
Home To Support the
War Kffort
Embattled Russians, their air de
fenses all but eliminated, continue to I
hold doggedly in their defense of the
great industrial city of Stalingrad.
Recognized as the bloodiest of all
battles, the stand aeainst the Ger
man invaders is apparently being
worn down, the Russians admitting |
that they had been forced during re
cent hours to repair to new defense
lines closer to the city itself. After
fighting without air protection for
several days, the Russian ground
forces were partly relieved when
their air power was stepped up and
costly blows were directed against
the invaders in the air and at strong
land concentrations moving into bat
tle.
Soviet troops and Marines waging I
a last ditch stand for Novorossisk |
were reported locked in fierce bat
tles with German units which had
broken through the northwest su
burban area. One marine unit was
encircled, but broke out in a savage
struggle in which 120 Germans were
killed. Artillery firing at point
blank range wiped out up to a bat
talion of German infantry, the high
command said.
Papers, issued by Hitler and found
on captured Germans today, order
ed the capture of Stalingrad and at
any cost. Late reports state that the
Germans are claimed to have reach
ed the Volga River, that the retreat
of the Russians had been blocked by
the Russians themselves, meaning
that they will stand, fight and die be
fore they bow to the invaders.
On the Moscbw front, the Russians
are said to have made advances, re
capturing several villages.
"Many battalions" of German
troops were reported wiped out in
battles on the Mozdok front at the
rim of the Grozny oil fields. The Ger
mans were said to be suffering
"huge" losses with scant reward af
ter crossing the Terek River. Captur
ed officers of the 370th infantry di
vision said it was "smashed" in the
struggle to force the river, its com
panies now numbering no more than
10 or 12 men .
In the Southwest Pacific, the Al
lies are battling savagely the Japs
in their drive on Port Moresby. The
yellow Japs pushed their way over
the Owen Stanley mountain range
to Myola, outflanking the defenders
and driving about eight miles down
the road toward the important Al
lied base.
Fighting is spreading on the im
(Continued on page six)
William P. Hodges Is
Named by Governor
To Succeed Boney
Reaction To First Major De
partment Appointment in
Conntv Verv Favorable
William P. Hodges, Williamston
young man, was appointed State In
surance Commissioner by Governor
J M Broughton this week to fill
the position made vacant by the
death of Dan C. Boney earlier in the I
week. Marked by the absence of
politics, the appointment, based on
six y???rg of faithful vorvirm at? Dcp
uty Insurance Commissioner, was
favorably received in official and in
surance circles over the State. One
news reporter explained the appoint
ment, "In the first place .officials
pointed out that he (Hodges) had
been deputy commissioner since
1936 and knew the ropes. In the
second place, everybody likes Hodges |
personally, and reaction to the ap
pointment was favorable."
Notified of his appointment Wed
nesday evening. Mr. Hodges took |
the oath of office before Supreme
Court Justice M. V. Barnhil! at noon |
yesterday in the presence of his mo
ther and father, State officials and
department employees. Following
the popular Mr. Boney as commis
sioner, the young man is stepping in
to a difficult assignment with appli
cations pending for rate changes in
automobile liability insurance and
with other major decisions to be
made as a result of the war. A thor
ough student.and six years of train
ing stand him in good stead, and the
job will be well handled. Among the
many appointments made by Gover
nor Broughton, the one elevating Mr.
Hodges to the high department post
stands out as possibly the most log
ical one It was the first major de
partment appointment -to go to this
county, and one of the few of any
kind in many years. Clayton Moore
was appointed special judge back
about 1927, and Elbert S Peel was
appointed to the State School Com
mission more recently Mr. Hodges'
appointment was preceded by much |
political talk and speculation, but in
indications all the while pointed to |
it as the logical one.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W.
Hodges, of Williamston, the new in
surance commissioner completed the
local schools, was graduated from I
the Wako Forest Law School, prac- [
tired in Raleigh a few years and en
tered upon his duties as deputy com I
missioner in 1936. In his new work,]
he continued to make friends read
ily, and insurance men and others
over the State who had had occasion
to work with him urged his appoint
ment.
The appointment is for the length I
of Boney's unexpired term, which ]
runs until January 1, 1945.
Marked Change In
Britain's Economy
As Result Or War
Civilian Nmb Are Secondary |
Ah Convention To War
Woven Steadily Forward
There'll be no starvation, but we'll |
be limited in this country to bare
necessities before this war is over,
conservative observers predict as
they study the marked change
brought about in Britain's economy
as to a result of the war The predic
tion does not take into consideration
the privations, starvation and want
in other countries, but deals with the
changes in Britain.
Two years ago, four million per
sons were employed in Britain's war
effort. This month there are eighteen
million persons directly associated
with Britain's war effort, or one out
of every two men. Unemployment
has dropped from over a million to
a few thousand, and most of those are
out of work only temporarily. Brit
ish expenditures have been increas
ed more than four times since 1939,
and the war bond purchases now av
erage $319 per person At the rate
Martin County people are buying
bonds, it will take a little over thir
ty-two years for us to catch up with |
the record in Britain.
Restrictions on civilian supplies
are quite meaningful, too, in Britain.
The use of typical consumer goods
has been reduced to 24 per cent of
the normal amount available at the
outbreak of the war. Newsprint con
sumption has been reduced to 19 per
cent of the pre-war volume, and the
clothing supply has been reduced
by one-half. An even dozen foods,
including all the basic ones, are un
der strict rationing and many have
been virtually eliminated from the
common diet.
In the month before the war, the
average British motorist drove
around 600 miles a month. There is
no driving at all now except for*the
war effort.
(Continued on page six)
UNCLE
SAM
BATTLING TO UPHOLD
Americas
Freedom
THE 39TH WEEK OF THE WAR
President Roosevelt asked Con-j
gress to enact by October 1st legis
lation under which he would bol
"specifically authorized to stabilize)
the cost of living, including the price
of all farm commodities." In a spec-1
ial message to the legislators, the
President said "inaction on your parti
by that date will leave me with an |
inescapable responsibility to the peo
ple of this country to see to it that I
the war effort is no longer imperiled |
by threat of economic chaos. In the
event that the Congress should fail
to'ach and act adequately. I shall
accept the responsibility, and I will
act."
Mr. Roosevelt said the purpose of
the legislation "should be to hold
farm prices at parity, or at levels of
a recent date, whichever is higher."
He said "at the same time that farm
prices are stabilized, wages can and
will be stabilized also. This I will
do."
The President recalled that two)
points of his original seven-point an
ti-inflation program required legis
lation?" an adequate tax program
and a law permitting the fixing of
price ceilings on farm products at
parity prices " He said delay in en
acting this legislation "has now
reached the point of danger to our
whole economy . We cannot hold
the actual cost of food and clothing
down to approximately the present
level beyond October 1 But no one
can give any assurances that the cost
of living can be held down after that
date ." He renewed his request of
last April for an individual net in
come/limitation of $25,000.
The War Front
After ten straight raids without
a loss, two U. S flying fortress bomb
ers were reported as missing Sep
tember 7th following the greatest
American aerial attack of the war
on Nazi-occupied France. Three
squadrons of the big bombers attack
ed the Airframe factory at Meaulte, I
naer Albei t, for the second time. |
while a fourth squadron bombed the
St Omer Airfield. In the raids the
fortresses destroyed five enemy j
fighters and probably destroyed 131
more, and damaged another 25 The
bombers were escorted by 400 allied I
fighters, three of which were shot |
down.
Gen. MacArthur's Australian head-1
quarters reported September 7th |
that heavy allied bombing planes at
tacked a Japanese cargo ship south
east of New Guinea which was be- |
lieved to have been attempting to
supply the trapped enemy forces in
the Milne Bay area, Australians
were mopping up the remnants of
Japanese forces in this area. U. S.
Army Air Forces in China, contin
uing their offensive, scored a direct
hit on Japanese Military headquar
ters in Nanchang, sank at least sev
en steamers, blasted a railway sta
tion and warehouse and strafed a |
troop train.
(Continued on page six)
1>
Legion To Install
Officers Monday
The John Walton Post of the Am
erican Legion is installing its new
officers for the coming year at a
meeting in the hut on Watts Street
here next Monday evening at eight
o'clock, and the program, highlight
ed by a scheduled address by Major!
Roy S Wood, is expected to attract |
a large number of the veterans De
tails for the installation service had I
not been completed yesterday, but |
it is likely that Department Vice
Commander R W Alston, of Scot-1
land Neck, will be in charge.
Major Wood, now stationed at
Camp Davis ,is expected to speak
on, "The Objectives of the War and
the Peace," and his address, no
doubt, will be timely, interesting and
well worth hearing. Several enter
tainment numbers are being added
to the program, including special
singers from the Army, the local high
school and Bear Grass.
In an advanced membership ap-1
peal, Commander-Elect John D.
Biggs points out that, "Your coun
try needs you. You need this country
You can serve better through the I
American Legion than in any other |
way."
MOVE OFFICE
Office* of the State Highway
Patrol and Safety Diviaion, lo
cated in the court house during
the past several years, have been
moved to the city hall, second
floor, room {01. Patrolman W. E.
Saunders will maintain his head
quarters there while he is not
on patrol duty or special assign
ment. Safety Examiner Mcl.eod
will be In the office each Mon
day and Thursday afternoon be
tween the hours of 1 and t:M.
o'clock to receive applications
for drivers' licenses and learn
ers' permits.
Sales On Local Tobacco Market
Continue Strong With A General
Advance In Quality And Prices
Goodly Number Volunteering
For Special Red Cross Work
Responding slowly at first, wo
men of the Martin County Chapter
of the American Rod Cross have now
accepted the challenge to make tens
of thousands of surgical dressings
for the United States Army. Miss
Nell Harrison, director of the im
portant project, announcing this
morning that as many us twenty vol
unteers were reporting for duty in
a single group. The response is in
deed heartening, Miss Harrison ex
plained. and she is now certain that
the quota will he met without trou
ble or delay.
Reporting on the work handled
last Wednesday evening when twen
ty volunteers appeared. Miss Harri
son said that approximately 700
bandages or dressings were made
in about two hours. Goodly numbers
of volunteers are reporting at var
| iuus times, and Miss Harrison sin
cerely hopes that the increased in
terest in the project and the effect
ive work will be maintained and
expanded in the future.
Material for making 9.000 dress
ings is available now. and other
shipments or enough to make 30,000
additional dressings are expected
within the next few days or in time
terruption
The K<-d Cross room, located over
the W. >tern Auto Store and offer
ed i.ent frc e by the owner, Mr. J. T
Ba nihil I, is open each week day
from Monday through Friday be
tweCn the hours of 9:30 a in. to
12 30 p in . and from 2:00 to 5:00
| o'clock m the afternoon, and each
Monday. Wednesday and Friday
evening between the hours of 8 00
and 10:00 o'clock.
Marriages Headed For
The Roeks In County
Eighteen Divoree
Eases Are Pending
r
In Sii|><
Tior
Court
INiiiiiImt, Sii^p-Min^ a "l.illlr
Uriio" ill County, In the
l.ar^rnt on Ki-roril
Martin County will ha-ve.. a "Little
Reno" ill I its own on Tuesday, Sep
tember 22nd, when Judge Clawson I
Williams, of Sanford, is scheduled to j
call eighteen divorce cases for trial.
Il is apparent that quite a few mar
riages have "gone on the rocks" dur- |
ing the past two years in this.county,
Clerk of Court L. B. Wynne explain- ]
ing that anywhere from four to
eight absolute divorces had already |
been granted at each'of the regular
and special terms of the Martin]
County Superior Court during re
cent sessions.
While every one of thi' eighteen di
vorce actions is based on two years
of separation, possibly there is a
different underlying cause for each
of them. The details are not set out
in the complaints, hut it is under
stood that at least one or two of the
divorce action were started by young |
men who have been called intojthcj
Army and who are determined, more
or less, to see that their estranged 1
(Continued on page six)
*
Fourteen Cases In
Justice HasselPs
Court During Week I
Defeiidanl AmmuiiIIh Farmer
In Truck ami (laiinc* Mi
nor Wreck Wediiewlay
Working at odd times and over
time, Justice J. L. Hassell handled |
thirteen cases in his court here dur
ing the week. Most of the work, was
of a routine nature, having to do
with clearing out the jail following
the usual weekly round-up of
drunks. All but two of the cases
charged the defendants with public
drunkenness or disorderly conduct.
Proceedings in the court follow:
Charged with assaulting Farmer |
John Daniel Biggs, George Wynne
was adjudged guilty, the court sus
pending a 30 day road sentence upon [
the payment of the cost and guaran
teed good behavior in the future Mr. I
Biggs and his tenant were preparing |
to haul tobacco to market late Wed
nesday evening, and when Mr. Biggs |
suggested that Wynne continue plac
ing tobacco on the sticks while he
hauled the first load to market,
Wynne was quoted as saying that he
was going with his tobacco. The two
started and while on the way to
town, trouble broke out. Mr. Biggs'
face was scratched and bruised by
Wynne who also caused him to lose
control and ditch the truck. Wynne,
last night, swore out a warrant
against Mr. Biggs, but the case was
continued under, prayer for judg
ment.
Other cases heard in the court thii
week:
John Arthur Rice, charged with
being drunk, was fined $5 and taxed
with the cost.
Oscar Speller, drunk,'was flhed fft
and taxed with the cost.
John Luce, drunk and disorder
ly, was fined $S and taxed with the
cost.
(Continued on page six)
DRAFT (MtlM.lt
The Martin County Draft
Board was officially instructed
this morning to reclassify all
men in the I B group between
now and the latter part of De
cember, meaning that those men
who were placed in that classifi
cation either by the board's ex
amining doctor or by Army doc
tors are subject to military duty
within the near future, or with
in the next few months. The 1-B
classification is being eliminat
ed, the registrant holding that
classification either going into
the 1 A or the 4-F group fn the
future.
Meeting next week, the draft
hoard will reclassify one-fourth
of the 1-B group with instruc
tions to complete the task by the
latter part of December. It is
estimated that there are be
tween 300 and 400 men in the
I B group in this county.
Principal I). IN. Mix
Reports Progress In
School During Week
?
All Faculty Positions Filled
And Attendance Figure*
Are Above Average
?+
Marked by excellent attendance '
in all grades, classroom activities in J
the local schools were in progress on I
regular schedules this week as pit- I
pi Is and teachers launched the work !
of the 1042 43 school term All teach
ing positions Were filled, and inter
?st and enthusiasm on the part of
both pupils and teachers point to
a successful year for the Williams
ton schools
In the elementary school 96 per
cent of the six hundred pupils en
rolled were in attendance during
the first week, making an excellent
attendance record. The first grade
with 118 little folk enrolled, the larg
est grade enrollment in the school,
averaged 115 in daily attendance.
Attendance in the high school de
partment was slightly better with
98 per cent of the hundred and nine
pupils enrolled in regular attend
ance.
Enrollment and attendance figuies
by departments follow:
(Continued on page six)
Prices Jump To The
Sixties For Several
Lots Here Thursday
^ J
Market Enjoying an Expand
ing Culronuw from Num
Iter of Counties
Salt's continue t<? hold to a high
level as better quality tobaccos are
being offered to advance the over
all 'price average on the local market
this week. Direct reports from the
market this morning - stated that
prices were holding firm after an
advance reported earlier in the
week with the better grades reaching
into record figures for the season.
Medium and common grades, after
weakening following the opening
day sales, have regained that loss and
are "going good" now. to quite a
number of farmers.
The quality, while much improved,
is still spotted and far below that of
a year ago
While the better quality grades
are still selling at prices in the high
forties, as a general rule, some ex
ceptional offerings have brought as
much as 62 cents a pound on the lo
cal market One farmer reported
several sales ranging from fifty to
sixty two cents here yesterday.
Sales, including those today, will
approximate a little more than two
and one half million pounds, accord
ing to Supervisor C. U. Rogers, and
grade for grade, the price average
will stand up against any in the en
tire belt
Block sales are being carried over
tdoay, but selling advantages here
equal those on any market Farmers,
by planning in advance, are getting
(puck sales and satisfactory prices.
$
Lim' Number Tires
c
Allotted In County
By Rationing Board
Application* Bereived During
Week for Kiglity-tliree
Car ami Truek Tirr*
e
Meeting in regular session here
yesterday, the Martin County Tire
Rationing Board allotted thirty-five
tires of all classifications hut carried
over applications received during the
past week for eighty-three other
tires In other words, the board this
week was able to meet the demands
of only one out of every four appli
cants.
Even though the applications are
piling up in numbers, the tire short
age apparently is not as serious in
this county as it is in some others.
Reliable reports state that the mail
service in some areas has actually
been curtailed because the operators
were not able to get tires for their
vehicles.
The applications carried over for
later consideration call for thirty
six new car tires, twelve car tire re
caps and twenty tubes; fifteen new
truck tires, twenty retread truck
tires and twenty-seven truck tire
tubes
Two new automobile tires and two
tubes were allotted to J R. I>*ggett,
Williamston, for carrying the mails.
Two new car tire tubes were is
sued Mrs. A. E Downs, RFD 1, Oak
City, for farming.
Four retread ear tires were allot
ted to B E Anderson, Roberson
viUe, for farming
New Truck Tires
New truc k tires and tubes were is
sued to the following;
cattle, cart wheels, wagons and farm
commodities.
Harrison Oil Co., Williamston, two
P. C. Edmondson, Hassell, one
tire and tube for hauling logs and
lumber.
Slade-Rhodes and Co., Hamilton,
(Continued on page six)
Sale Of War Bonds Drops To
Low Figure During August
The sale of war bonds dropped to
a mighty low figure during the
month of August, a fairly complete
review showing that the sales aver
aged hardly 65 cents per capita dur
ing the period. The sales were near
ly $10,000 less than they were in
July when the purchases averaged
slightly more than $1 per person but
fell $64,125 short of expectations.
Urged to buy $57,300 worth of war
bonds during August, Martin Coun
ty people, according to a virtually
complete report ? ffithe several
banks and most of the post offices,
bought bonds valued at $17,212.25,
the figures being based on the pur
chase pri$Hj rather than the maturity
figures.
No detailed review of the pur
chase could be had, but it is under
stood that very few fanners pur
chased bonds during August. How
ever, it was learned this week that
farmers, including quite a few ten
unts, were investing in the bonds. It
ls now believed that the $37,500 quo
ta for September will be subscrib
ed in its entirety and possibly will
be exceeded. Heretofore, most of
the purchases were made by a com
paratively few investors, but there
is a fairly definite trend toward
smaller purchases by a greater num
ber of people.
Bond sales were reported as fol
lows: Robersonville: post office,
$918.75, and Guaranty Bank. $975;
Williamston: post office, $1,900,40;
Guaranty Bank, $7,756, and Branek
Banking and Trust Co., $5,862.50.