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1
HA Tfcl UNITED STATU IMS
BONDS-STAMPS
VOLUME XLV?NUMBER 86 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, October 30, 1942. ESTABLISHED 1899
Completing Tobacco
Marketing, Farmers
Turn to Other Crops
? i?
Outlook for Peanut, Corn and
Hay Crops Discouraging
In This County
With their tobacco about market
ed, Martin County farmers are turn
ing their attention to other crops,
well founded reports declaring that
the outlook for peanuts, corn and hay
is very discouraging. While the sit
uation is not hopeless, it is bad. bad.
to use the words of Farmer Roy Tay
lor, of Poplar Point.
The long dry season last summer
is now making itself felt in a strik
ing way in the county at the present
time as farmers who never before
turned to the markets for feed stuffs j
are unloading large quantities of
western corn at the local railroad
station. It is estimated that more
than 3,500 bushels of "bought" corn,
is moving to Martin County barns
weekly. Shipments have already
been received from Iowa, Missouri.
Tennessee, New York and one or
two other states and orders have
been placed with dealers in the
District of Columbia. The shortage
in this county is not so great that
orders are having to be placed in
that many states to offset it The far
mers are merely shopping around
for the best bargains, reliable re
ports stating that the price is rang
ing anywhere from about $1 12 to
$1.35 a bushel. It was reported that
a few farmers in some eastern North
Carolina counties where the drought
was not so severe are selling corn in
the fields at the rate of $1.30 a bush
el.
.While the corn shortage is creat
ing a problem for many Martin far
mers, the hay shortage is certain to
create an even greater problem. Sol
id carloads of hay have been order
ed, but according to the best infor
mation available, few of the orders
have been confirmed, and it is pos
sible that shipments of western hay
will be limited.
While they are reasonably certain
that the peanut crop has been dam
aged, Martin farmers admit that
they cannot determine just now the
exact extent of the damage. If the
preliminary reports on the damage
are substantiated by the facts as
they develop during the harvesting
season now at hand, there will like
ly be a mad scramble for hay during
the next few weeks.
Delayed by heavy rains three
weeks ago, peanut harvesting will
likely get underway some time next
week in this county. Farmers are
urged to make certain that the go#
bers are thoroughly dry before start
ing the picking operations. The clean
ers can be expected and rightly so
to apply penalties in those cases
where wet or damaged peanuts are
offered for sale. Reports state that
(Continued on page foul)
John Thomas Price
Passes At His Home
Early Th is Morning I
Funeral Services for Respect
ed Citizen Will Be Held
On Saturday
?
John Thomas Price, respected
county citizen and hard-working far
mer, died at the home of his nephew,
Maylon A. Price, near here this
morning at 3:20 o'clock following a
long period of feeble health. Falling
and breaking his hip in February of
last year, Mr. Price had been confin
ed to his bed since that time. Dur
ing long months, he suffered his af
fliction without complaint and was
ever mindful and thoughtful of oth
ers. Infirmities of age along with
his long confinement caused death.
The son of the late Jesse Davis
Price and Penny Roberson Price, he
was born in Bear Grass on July 16,
1895. While he was too young for
service, he remembered the Civil
War well and'experienced the hard
ships of reconstruction. Not so long
ago he recalled some of those hard
ships, and with tears in his eyes ex
pressed the belief that hardships
will be ours before the current war
is ended.
While he never joined any church,
Mr. Price was a great believer in the
Primitive Baptist faith, and thought
nothing of a ten-mile or more walk
to attend services. He was a loyal
member of the Masonic lodge here
for almost half a century, showing a
keen interest in its activities. He was
the oldest member of the organiza
tion. Mr. Price was highly respected
by all who knew him, an his kind
ness and thoughtfulness of others
gained him many strong and last
ing friendships. He enjoyed the com
pany of others at all times, and de
spite his advanced years he main
tained an unusual interest in the
news of the world. He had worked
hard all his life, asking little ftr him
self but contributing much to oth
Mr. Price never married and is the
last member of his immediate fam
ily, being survived only by several
nephews and nieces.
Funeral services will be conduct
ed at his late home Saturday after
noon at 1 o'clock and interment will
follow in the Mobley Cemetery in
Bear Grass Township
Salvage Efforts Given Recognition
smiting jith
? War Prrisctio Scird Q
PRODUCER
iM
Scrap metal produced and
?old last month...IH ton*
Shipping nearly half million pounds of scrap iron and steel during
the month of September, the Williamston Parts and Metal t'ompany
a few days ago was delivered the government's special merit award
in recognition of the splendid record. The award, the trnth to be
given in this State, was presented by II. (i. Taylor, left, district Chief
War Production Conservation Board, Charlotte, and R. E. Zimmer
man. right, district salvage inspector, to W. K. Parker, center, own
er-manager of the local company.
Party Leaders Appeal
For Big Election Vote
CLOSING
In accordance with a previous
announcement, the local tobac
co market will close for the sea
son upon the completion of sales
next Tuesday. Comparatively
small quantities of the leaf are
being offered at the present
time, and it is quite evident that
very little tobacco will be un
sold In this immediate section
next Tuesday.
Prices continue to hold firm for
the better trades, while the In
ferior types apparently have not
retained the small loss of a week i
or two ato.
Bookmobile Serving!
Greater Number Of
Readers In County
Traveling Library To Make
Regular Schedule in the
County Next Week
By MISS ELIZABETH HOUSE
(BHM Librarian)
The bookmobile service reached
a new high in circulation last month.
Over 1600 books were circulated
throughout the county during the
five days. Since the public libraries
and the bookmobile have been sup
plying materials on war information,
there has been a definite increase in
the Circulation of non-fiction. Many
books on world events, nutrition,
wartime economy, and other subjects
of vital interest are already in cir
culation.
Among the new titles available
next week will be the book men
tioned frequently in recent war
journals over the radio?Conditions
of Peace. In this timely book, Ed
ward Hallett Carr has made an an
alysis of economical deficiencies
which caused the pre-war crisis and
its application to post-w/ir prospects
Henry B. Lent's recen book gives
the thrilling account of Jim Brew
ster and the U. S. Coast Guard Air
Patrol. Air-minded readers and those
interested in Coast Guard operations
of our country will find a good in
side story, checked and approved by
(Continued on page four)
COTTON GINNINGS
Rains, falling during the
greater part of one week the
early part of this month, inter
rupted the cotton harvesting
season and caused a marked
drop In the number of bales
ginned as compared with the
ginnings far a comparative per
iod, a year ago.
Releasing a report this week,
the Bureau of the Census shows
that Z,#M bales of cotton had
been ginned from the current
crop np until October llth as
compared with I.ttZ bales gin
ned daring the same period in
1941. It is fairly apparent from
the census report and from re
ports earning from the field that
cotton production in the coun
ty this your will hardly equal
that of a year ago.
Only Two Nominees
On Long Ticket Are
Facing Opposition
Strong Opposition Si-on For
One of Two Proposed
Amendments
One of the smallest votes east in
many, many years is being predict
ed in this county for next Tuesday
when political strength will be test
ed in tile Off-year election With on
ly two contests officially scheduled
and with little interest being shown
in the fate of the two proposed
amendments to the North Carolina
State Constitution, the electorate
can t seem, to get excited over the
election.
In III" Off-year election four years
ago, Martin County polled 1 224
votes I 195 for the democratic and
?1 tor the republican candidates.
The count was less than one-third
the normal vote in the county. Many
hot contests are scheduled in oth
!'7ueVnd WhUe il m,Kht be said
that the Democrats have the election
sewed up" in this county and dis
charges. ^"
, D????tic party leaders, sens
ing the danger of indifference to the
ballot are appealing to and urging
the electorate to take time out and
make certain the re-election of Her
bert C. Bonner to the United States
House of Representatives over his
Republican opponent, J. C Meekins
Jr., and that of Josiah W Bailey to
the United States Senate over the
Republican nominee, Sam J Mor
ris. There is no other expressed op
position, and it would appear that
democrats are now on the eve of
a great and sweeping victory, pro
vided, of course, they do not go to
sleep and allow a concerted Republi
can opposition to take advantage of
their lethargy.
)< district and state democratic
ticket carries the following names:
Josiah W. Bailey for United States
Senate, Walter P. Stacy for Chief
Justice of Supreme Court, Michael
Schenck for Associate Justice of Su
(Contmued on page four)
Three County Men
Charged with Theft
?#
Three Martin County colored men,
Robert Boston and his two sons
Leonard and Fred, were arrested
here this week for the alleged theft
of several hundred pounds of tobac
co from Farmer Alligood, near Wash
ington, last Monday night. They are
being given a preliminary hearing
in Washington today.
The tobacco sold on the local mar
ket, was identified by the owner and
the arrests were effected immediate
ly The father claimed that the to
bacco belonged to him and hia wife,
but when the man was jailed and of
ficer" questioned hia wife they learn
ed that the family had sold the last
of its tobacco about three weeks ago.
In addition to the alleged theft
Charges, the defendants will be ask
ed to explain to the government why
they sold the tobacco of another on
their marketing cards
UNCLE
SAM
BATTLING TO UPHOLD
America's
Freedom
THE 46TH WEEK OF THE WAR
The Senate passed legislation to
lower the draft age from 20 to 18.
The Senate bill did not conform with
the one passed earlier by the House,
however, so the legislation was sent
to conference to adjust the differ
ences.
Educational deferments in the
Senate bill would be limited to high
school students in the last half of
their academic year. The Senate bill
would also defer farmers and farm
labor from military service wherev
er their induction would curtail
agricultural production, until re
placements could be found. The bill
would exempt men from selective
service induction after they have
passed their forty-fifth birthdays.
Prisoners of War
Secretary of War Stimson told his
press conference that names of four
captured U. S. fliers claimed in
Tokyo propaganda broadcasts cor
respond closely to the names of four
missing men, but stated the War De
partment had no information that
the Japanese were failing to abide
by International Law and the Gene
va Convention for the treatment of
prisoners. Mr. Stimson said "some
of the planes" in the aid on Tokyo
"encountered bad weather after they
left Japan and were forced off their
course. One landed in Siberia. Sev
eral others made forced landings at
night 111 China," but no American
plane was shot down. He said, "A
very few of the crews of these planes
are carried on the list of missing.
Some may have been forced down
by the lack of gasoline in Japanese
controlled territory." Later the War
Department announced the names
of three other participants in the
Tokyo raid, "understood to be miss
ing."
The Office of War Information
said "secrecy was highly desirable
in the hope of saving the lives and
securing the freedom of certain crew
(Continued on page four)
?
Recover Man s Body |
From The Roanoke
Wednesday Morning
Identity of (Colored Mini IIuh|
Not liecn Determined;
Officer* I'u/./led
The partly decomposed body of a
young colored man was recovered
from the Roanoke River, about two
hundred yards below Foreman
Blades lumber mill in Jamesville,
last Wednesday morning, officers in
vestigating the case, stating that it I
was surrounded by mystery The [
body was found by George Cooper I
and Joe Davis and they called Cor
oner S R. Biggs who conducted an
investigation and ordered the body
buried after unsuccessful efforts had
been made to have it identified.
Apparently the man, weighing
about 140 pounds and measuring
about five feet and eight inches in
height, met with no foul play, but
the fact that there were no shoes
on his feet led officers to believe
that some mystery was attached to
the case. Forty-six cents in change,
two pocket knives, a cheap watch
and a booklet of rules and regula
tions for North Carolina Pulp Com
pany employees were found in his I
pockets. He was dressed in a light |
blue sewater and khaki trousers. Of
ficers could not be certain, but they
believed he was between 21 and 30
years of age, and that he had been
in the water about twelve or fifteen
days. Coroner Biggs is of the opin
ion that the man was either killed
and thrown into the river or drown
ed accidentally between Williams
ton and Jamesville.
Officers contacted authorities in |
several towns but no one of the de
scription borne by the body was re
ported missing. Other angles of thel
case were intestigated and when a |
large number of persons viewed the
body and could not identify it, bur
ial was ordered by the coroner. The
body was buried in Potter's Field
near the county home yesterday
morning without ceremony.
l
CONFESSION
(Robersonville Herald)
Officer William Gray said a
young Williamston boy, whose
name he refused to divulge or
reveal, visited him Monday and
confessed to stealing five gal
lons of gasoline from his car sev
eral months ago.
According to Mr. Gray, his car
was parked in his driveway and
the stealing took place long be
fore the Christmas holidays.
The young man wanted to pay
the officer for the gasoline but
after he had revealed how ter
ribly much the Incident had wor
ried him, William told him to
forget It, and refused to accept
the
Rationing Board Issues Nearly
Two Hundred Certificates For
Recapping Car And Truck Tires
Most Applications
\pproved Are Those
Of County Farmers
Xppliennts Warned flint Tire?
Must Be Used Only For
Stated Purposes
Ninety-one applications for auto
mobile tire recapping certificates
were approved by the Martin Coun
ty Rationing Board here yesterday,
most of the requests for the 224 re
caps having been filed by farmers,
some as late as last June. Only six
applications were approved for oth
ers.
Issuing the certificates, the board
warned that the applicants must use
the tires only for the purposes stat
ed in the applications. Any violation
will subject the violator to penalties
provided by law and may cause him
to forfeit all claims to rationing for
the duration..
Certificates, allowing them to re
cap their own auto tires, were issued
to the following
Bonnie Bryant, tire and tube; Mrs
Annie C Fleming, two tires and two
tubes; W S Mobley .two tires and
two tubes; James E. Keel, two tires
and two tubes; Robert Bailey, two
?tires and one tube; W. II. Gurganus.
two tires and two tubes; Elisha Dick
ens, two tires and two tubes; Simon
Lilley, two tires and two tubes. No
ah Thomas Tico, one tire and one
|tube; C E. Jenkins, one tire and one
tube; II. fc. Purvis, two tires and one
tube; Howard H. Hopkins, four tires
and two tubes; J. N. Hopkins, two
tires and two tubes; John H. Jack
son, four tires and two tubes; Jack
Everett, two tires and two tubes;
Charlie Warren, three tires and two
tubes.
Certificates were issued the fol
lowing for recapping automobile
tires, but no tubes were allowed: ?
Elmer Edmondson, two tires; Geo.
S. Haislip, four tires; Cleophas Lea
thers, three tires; L. C. Roebuck, two
tires; Mrs. W. K. Parker, four tires;
N. C. Norwood, one tire; Eula W
Coburn, four tires; W. T. Andrews,
two tires; William A. Cherry, three
tires; A. O. RobersOn and Co., four
tires; T. II. Council, two tires; Tom
my J. Knight, four tires; A B Bul
lock, three tires; William H. White,
four tires; D. V. Purvis, one tire; J
E. 'Parrisher, four tires; R. C. Gur
ganus, two tires; Bert Lee Roberson,
two tires; Dock Hollis, three tires;
Frank Holliday, four tires; Minton
Beach, four tires; Mrs. Hattie John
son ,two tires; L. B. Williams, two
tires; Wiley B. Roger son, four tires;
Williamston Package Co., four tires;
Kathleen Mobley, one tin-; Edgar H.
Harrell, three tires; Willie Watson
Hriley, four tires;; S. W Gasper, four
tires; John L. liinton, four tires; Ro
land G. Coburn, four tires; Charlie
Ward, four tires; W G. Thomas, two
tires; Eugene Roberson, four tires;
Lizzie Matthews, two tires; Pugh
Roberson, one tire; A. C. Harrison,
one tire; Herbert Bunting, two tires;
J. E. Stroud, two tires; M. S. Cow
an, one tire; James A. Rawls, four
(Continued on page four)
Member Of Board
Favors Amendment
Asked how he stood on the propos
ed educational amendment to the
State Constitution, Elbert S. Peel,
local attorney and a member of the
State School Commission, stated this
morning that he favored the propos
al. However he did not go into de
tail and offer definite reasons why
he favored the amendment which
will be voted on in the general elec
tion next Tuesday.
With able men on both sides, Mar
tin County citizens are not quite cer
tain just what stand they should take
when the proposal is placed before
them next Tuesday. Since the school
management has been virtually re
moved lock, stock and barrel to Ral
eigh, they are of the opinion that
the battle now underway is a fight
for those in charge to worry about,
and for that reason they will neither
vote for nor against the proposal. Its
defeat is predicted in the county be
cause of indifference principally and
because of out-and-out opposition.
Briefly stated, the proposed
amendment would consolidate the
five existing boards into one .possi
bly with and possibly without a poli
tical flavor.
?
County Conirniiiioner*
Will Meet Next Monday
Very little business other than
that of a routine nature is scheduled
for consideration by the county com
missioners in their regular meeting
here next Monday. They will draw
a jury for the December court and
pass on current bills.
No meeting of the county board of
education members is scheduled for
next Monday.
APPEAL
v ->
In a direct appeal Issued this
week, the Martin County Demo
cratic Executive Committee is
urging the electorate to report in
big numbers and participate in
the general election at the thir
teen precincts next Tuesday
morning between sunrise and
sunset. No direct county can
vass has been planned this year
to take up the slack ordinarily
existing in an off-year election,
the party chairman, E. S. Peel,
explaining that the tire and gas
shortage makes it impossible to
conduct an effective and coun
ty-wide drive at this time.
The right of the ballot is one
of the cardinal principles for
which many are now fighting,
and party leaders declare that
those who have an opportunity
to do so should, by all means,
exercise that right and partici
pate in the election next Tues
day.
Judge R. LColmrn
Has Nine ("uses In
The County Court
Defeihlunt Marries Pronerut
ing Witnes* ami IIin Lane
Is Dismissed
Calling nine cases, Judge Robert
L. Coburn held an uneventful ses
sion of the Martin County Record
er's court last Mftnduy. The tribunal
was in session hardly more than two
hours, and only an average size
crowd was present. Charged with
bastardy, one defendant married the
gal and his case was nol prossed or
cleared from the docket without fur
ther ado about it.
Proceedings in the court:
The case charging Alonza Wilson
with disorderly conduct and assault
was nrtl prossed.
Continued at a previous session
under pray ex for judgment, the case
charging Randolph Hinton with op
erating a motor vehicle with im:
proper brakes was cleared from the
docket when the defendant was di
rected to pay a $15 fine and the court
cost.
Pleading not guilty in the case
charging him with disorderly eon
duct and an assault with a deadly
weapon, Henry Price was adjudged
guilty and was fined $25 and taxed
with the case cost.
Advised that the prosecuting wit
ness and the defendant had married,
(Continued on page four)
Half Dozen ("uses
In Mayors Court
About one-half the eases, charging
public drunkenness and rounded up
by local officers last week-end, were
cleared from the police-* docket by
Justice J. L. Hassell in his court here
this week.
Charged with being drunk and
disorderly, six defendants, James
Speller, Aaron Lanier, C. R. Swain,
Mack Keel, Raymond House and W
T Currie, were required to pay the
cost of the actions, amounting to
$7.50 each.
Two other defendants pleaded for
a continuance of their cases and they
will be heard some time tomorrow.
77ir#?#? ISeir Biryclrn Are
illotteil In The i.ounty
Three new bicycles were allotted
by the Martin County Rationing
Hoard in regular session here yes
terday, as follows:
Francis LeRoy Savage, Williams
ton, for grocery work.
Nathaniel Davis, RFD 3, William
ston, farming.
Wm B. Rogerson, RFD 2, William
ston, to ride to and from school.
SPKED
The first case where speed ov
erlook itself was reported in
the Martin County Rationing
Hoard this week when a motor
ist applied for tires and his re
quest was refused because he
had been cited to the authorities
for allegedly violating the rules
and regulations governing the
operation of motor vehicles.
The application Was filed bjr
Fenner Respass. WUliamston
taxi driver. It could notfe learn
ed immediately whether his gas
rations were called in or not.
Motorists have been warned
that If they are caught driving
in excess of IS miles an hour the
violation will be reported to the
rationing board and rations den
ied.
Expecting Marked
Reduction in New
Tire Quotas Soon
?
Aged Application* Are Moved
From File*, Leaving About
Sixtv-Two Other*
The auto and truck tire shortage
in this county was greatly relieved
here yesterday when the Martin
County Rationing Board, acting un
der direct instructions from Raleigh,
issued certifies*t s for recapping 224
car tires. 55 truck tires and allotted
21 new truck tires, three new auto
tires and 31 car lire tubes and 44
truck tire tubes But. it must be
pointed out. that there is no guaran
tee behind the recapping service.
No explanation was issued along
with the instructions calling for a
liberal issuance of the recapping cer
tificates. but it is believed by some
that the enlarged service is being
made possible by the old rubber re
clamation program. Some motorists
declare that the service has been dis
appointing. that a motorist is still
in foul shape if he has to depend on
sorry recapped tires. However, it is
pointed out that the tires will give
fairly good service when slow speeds
are observed.
It was pointed out in the instruc
tions that the recapped tires must
be used solely for the purposes des
ignated in the applications. If the
tires are used for other purposes, the
applicant is subject to be denied ra
tions of all kinds for the duration.
Whether the issuance of recapping
certificates will be maintained after
a liberal schedule in the future
could not be learned, but it was re
liably learned that a marked re
duction in new tire allotments could
be expected during the coming
months. One report indicated that the
new truck tire allotment for Novem
ber in this county will be reduced
by at least 50 per cent, meaning that
the wholesale issuance of certificates
possibly marks a' shift from new
tires to recaps, and that the tire Sit
uation is not as bright as the board
action would make it appear.
A few applications for tires were
rejected for one reason or another,
and -quite a few were placed in the
(Continued on page four)
Marines Are Making
Desperate Stand In
The Solomon Islands
Hn'over Lo*t (*rouml lint the
Situation Kcmuiii*
Critical
United States Marines, aided by
regular army forces, are making a
desperate stand en Guadalcanal Is
land in the Solomons, but the situa
tion there apparently remains des
perate even after ground lost to the
Japs had been recovered following
eight or more fierce land attacks.
While the valiant defenders of the
precious foothold are outnumbered
they are not being outfought, but
there are an estimated 20,000 Japs
poised and ready for a show-down
thrust against the American posi
tions around the airfield. The big
drive may be underway now, reports
stating that the defenders have been
under constant attack day and night
for Several days, the Japs apparent
ly trying to wear the defenders down
before starting what they claim will
be a mopping-up expedition. The
lighting on the little spot on the
comparatively small island has been
described as being little different
from that on Bataan.
About the only bright spot in the
Solomons is offered by Allied air
forces. Reinforcements are pouring
into that area, and already telling
blows have been directed against
the Japs. Five ships were attacked
and damaged off Guadalcanal last
night by our air fighters, and the
Japs are being bombarded at stra
tegic points throughout that area.
While the situation is desperate and
even critical, it is not hopeless in the
South Pacific.
The fighting still goes on in Rus
sia without slackening. But the fight
goes on at tremendous cost to the
Germans. Late reports from Stalin
grad state that the defenders scored
a great success in a terrific tank bat
tle inside the city and smashed new
Nazi attacks to the south. The Rus
sians in the central Caucasus admit
ted, however, that they had been
forced to withdraw to new positions,
but at the same time had checked
the Nazi advances north of the Grox
ny oil fields.
In Africa, the British Eighth Armj
rolls on against General Marshal
Rommel and his gang. Wrecked Nad
tanks spot the desert, but the out
come of (he fighting there will hard"
1 (Continued on page four) ,