ENTERPRISE OVER THE TOP FOR VICTORY ?, UNITED STATES WAR BONDS-STAMPS VOLUME XLV?NUMBER 101 Williamiton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, December 22, 1912. ESTABLISHED 1899 British Service Men Assigned Homes For The Holidays Here List of Available Men Reduc ed But More Will Be at Lib erty Early Next Month Twenty-five British service men will spend the holidays in local homes, Rev, John W. Hardy, chair man of the entertainment commit tee, announced this morning. It was first planned to entertain fifty or more of the service men here during the holidays, but so many towns in this part of the country have opened their homes to the men that the orig inal list assigned here was greatly reduced. It was explained, however, that more men will have leave of ab sences early next month, and that they would enjoy the hospitality of local homes. The chairman explained this morning that the amount of money contributed was not sufficient to pay all transportation charges, that oth er donations would be appreciated. "Quite a few of the men have fam ilies back in England, and they find it necessary to send most of their earnings home," Mr. Hardy explain ed. The following assignments have been made: December 21 to 28, arriving 6:20 p. m. Monday: Bill Martin and James Halls with Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Man ning, Jr., and Harold (Harry) Wen ham with the C- D. Carstarphens'. December 23 to 28: arriving 11:10 p. m.: Bert Poole and Lawrence Jack with Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Harri son; Arnold Darby and Bill Hum phries with Mr. and Mrs. N. C. Green; James Kearney and Charles Dixon with Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler Martin; John Rickard and George Harper with Mr. and Mrs. John Gur kin; Bernard Rogers and Dennis Garley with Mrs. A. R. Dunning; Fred Woods and David Page with Mr. and Mrs. F. Earl Wynne, and Sam McKay and Harry Neville with , Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Clark. December 30 to January 4, arriv ing 11:10 p. m : John Hughes and Chas. Milne with Mr. and Mrs. Vic tor Champion and Mr. and Mrs. Dean Speight; George Borer and Jim Hall with Dr. and Mrs. John D. Biggs; Leading Seamen Townley Jones and Sid Beeching with Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Cunningham, and James Moreton and George Harran with Mr. and Mrs. C G. Crockett. In a letter to Mrs Louie P. Mar-1 tin this week, the Rev. Mr Launce-1 lot Fleming, chaplain, said, in part: "I was so delighted and thrilled and grateful to hear of your won derful invitation to the men from our ship. Thank you a thousand times. 1 really do feel it is marvel ous of you and the kind friends who are offering to give our boys hos pitality and they are keenly look ing forward to their visits. "I believed Mrs. Hughes mention-1 ed the fact that these boys are par tial to beer and more accustomed to I (Continued on page six) ? County Court Made Splendid Financial Record Last Year Over $6,OOO in Fines and Costs Collected; Less Than $50 Due Court Aside from its regularly designat ed functions, the Martin County Re corder's court made a splendid fi nancial record during the past year under the judgeship of R, L. Coburn. Although he recognized the main function of the court was to admin ister justice, the judge proved be yond all doubt that the court's fi nancial side could be successfully, handled, too. During the eleven months ending last October, the court assessed fines in the amount of $3,783.00 and col lected that sum along with $2,423.25 in costs. The audit shows that after the $8,206.25 was collected, less than $50 was due and unpaid, and in the best of businesses a much larger amount is ordinarily reflected in the profit and loss account. The court, after paying its own way, made available several thousand dollars to the school fund. Long and pathetic excuses were offered to the judge by defendants in support of claims for credit, and occasionally the judge would con tinue a case under prayer for judg ment to give the pleader a few days to get up the amount of a fine. In stallment payments were ruled out, and in most cases it was pay up or go to jail. The judge allowed that the rich man held the advantage under such circumstances, but he figured that the poor man as well as the rich man knew what to expect before they wandered down the crime path. There's no doubt but that the defendants' fines and costs are being financed, but one thing is certain and that is the county under Judge Co burn did not finance them at a loss. It is apparent that Judge J. C. Smith will demand cash on the barrel, making it fairly clear that he who dances to the fiddler's tune must pay the fiddler, and in cash. During Judge Co burn's approxi (Continued on page alx) New Yorkers in First Gas Drill More than a hundred graduates of the Queens County Gas Protection School in New York City demonstrated their ability to identify and combat war gases in a demonstration before officials of the Office of Civilian Defense. Some of the hundred are shown above sterilizing their gas masks after the demonstration. Heading the line is Marcella Schweigcr, one of the two women in the group. (Central rrets) CHEER FUND Without making a direct can vas*, the Christmas Cheer Fund Committee has received a loyal and willing cash support in their annual drive to brighten a dark corner here and there in the community. While the extent of the relief will be determined by the size of the contributions, the amount already received slight ly exceeds the estimated needs, according to Rev. John W. Har dy, treasurer of the fund. The following contributions, added to the (11.55 previously reported, boosts the total now to (82.50: Dr. John D. Biggs, (10; Enterprise, (5; Junior Woman's Club, (6.95; N. K. Harrison, (2; Mrs. A. R. Dunning, (5; A Friend, (1; J. L. Hassell, (2; Kl wanis Club, (25; Lions Club, (15, and W. J. Hodges, (I. Russians Pushing A Third Offensive Against The Nazis Observers Predicting Renew ed Activity in North Africu VI ithin Short Time The war picture, as a whole, is looking better on all fronts, but the main news comes from Russia today where the Reds are pushing a mean ingful and third offensive against the Nazis in the Don-Stalingrad area. While marked with success, Russia's first two winter offensives were stopped after the Germans made great sacrifices, but the third one now underway is causing much more optimism. Few details of the drive have been released, but the offensive is rolling onward, late re ports declare. The Russians are bringing up fresh troops and large quantities of supplies. The Germans, now operating at a decided disad vantage, would like nothing better than to dig in for the winter and hold their lines intact, hut no such favors are being granted, and the enemy is finding it difficult and costly to hold himself together. In North Africa, little news has come through during the past few days, but something big is believed to be brewing in that area. Reports from Gibraltar indicate that the Al lies are moving in vast supplies and more men. One report maintains that the sea is literally alive with Allied cargo vessels and warships. The Germans are also moving in more supplies and men, indicating that strung action will follow. Rommel is still racing toward Tripoli, but there is some doubt if his forces have been whipped as badly as some of the earlier reports indicated. General Wavel is moving into Burma, but the meaning of the ac tion there and whether he is moving in force could not be learned. In New Guinea, General MacAr thur is making ready for a big at tack. The fighting there has been described as far more important than many believe. The Japs are said to have landed troops north (Continued on page six) Sale Of Christmas Seals Totals $187.00 The sale of Christmas seals in the county this year will exceed (200, according to a preliminary report filed this week by Mrs. Ben D. Court ney, chairman. The total to date stands at (187.21, and all reports have not been received. Running well ahead of those for 1941, sales were reported by the var ious schools in the following amounts: Jamesville, (12 Bear Grass, (18; Farm Life, (10.82; Williamston, (109 26; Oak City, (10, and Hassell, (4.42, making a tota of (162.50 for the schools. Bangle day was observ er! here last Saturday and the sales were increased to (117.11. Bobby Clayton, selling (10.57 worth receiv ed first stamp prize, and Sarah Man ning, selling (8.65 worth, received second prize. Jhe total for the day was (24.71. 9 Representatives Of Army Inspect Plane Observation Posts Favorable Report* Filed But There I* Apparent Need Tor Improvement Following a detailed inspection of ground observation posts in this county recently, representatives of the First Fighter Command work ing out of Norfolk, have just filed a favorable report of their findings. That the system as a whole is func tioning very well is evident in the report, but it is apparent there is much room for improvement Throughout the report, it is stat ed that the faithful few are doing an able service, but it also points out that there is need for more volun teers. The fact that some of the observ ers, especially the younger ones, are tiying to make playhouses out of the post is fairly well established. But the inspectors when they filed their fKP",o M-d not know that visitors to the Williamston post Wednesday af ternoon had filled a flue with snow and choked out fires below. It was pointed out that loiterers should not be tolerated in and around the post but in some instances half a dozen or more children crowd into the posts and create nuisances. These practices must be stopped, it was pointed out. Turning to the technical side of the report, the inspectors stated that five posts, Jamesviile, Bear Grass, williamston, Robersonville and [Hamilton, are maintaining 24-hour watches, that the chief observers and most of the volunteers were ren dering an able service. It was rec ommended that on account of poor visibility, the post at Hamilton could render a more efficient service in a better location. The post in Oak City is being re organized and a new building, now under construction/should be ready within the next ten days or two weeks. J. H. Ayers is chief observer for the post. Observers are hard to get, but the ?n the Hamilton Road, near Williamston, is being operated fif teen hours daily by Mrs. C. E. Jen kins. A new post is being organized in Everetts with W. C. Bullock as chief observer. Manned by members of the fam y, the J. Eason Lilley post is offer log a 12-hour service daily. Handling possibly the most effi cient part-time post in the county Marvin H. Leggett, assisted by mem bers of his family, is working to re locate the post at Farm Life and place it on a 24-hour basis. The Army men did not hesitate to praise the work that is being done by the chief observers and volun teers, and in one or two communi ties they called personally on a num ber of people and urged them to as sist the work. At the present time the posts are being handled by Chas. Davenport Jamesviile; M. H Leggett, Farni Life; T. O. Hickman, Bear Grass Mrs. J. Eason Lilley, Williamston' RFD 1; W. H. Carstarphen, William ston; Mrs. C. E. Jenkins, RFD 3 Wil liamston; W. C. Bullock, Everetts M. M. Everett, Robersonville; Mrs. Ruth Poole, Hamilton, and J. H. Av ers, Oak City. Escape Unhurt In Intersection Wreck No one was hurt but considerable property damage resulted when the cars of Dr. V. E. Brown and Mr. C. B Clark crashed at the Haughton and Academy Street intersection during the snow storm shortly be fore 3 o clock last Sunday afternoon. Partly blinded by the snow, Mr. Clark drove out of Academy Street into Haughton, the front of the doc tor's Lincoln plowing into the ? ide of the Ford. No estimate of the dam age could be had, but it will exceed several hundred dollars on both cars. Slippery streets and .highways made travel dangerous in this area that afternoon and night and on Monday conditions had improved only slightly. However, there were | few accidents reported. War As It- Relates To Home Front Is Reviewed for Week Economic Strategy Designed | To Win War As Soon as Possible at Any Cost Our economic strategy on the Front is designed to advance the war at the least possible cost to civilians in discomforts and dislocations of their normal ways of living, but pri marily it is designed to win the war ?at whatever cost. In the process of adjustment to a strict wartime economy certain items of news which seem of minor importance become extremely significant when examined in the light of our larger strategy. For example, between October 13 and November 17 the average fam ily food bill rose by 1.2 per cent. That may appear to be a small rise in retail food cost, but on November 17 every American family was pay ing $1.31 for every dollar of aver age food expenditure for the period 1935-39. During this same month, prices of foods directly under price control rose but one-half of one per cent, chiefly owing to reasonable price adjustments made on the basis of increase costs. But the prices of the uncontrolled foods?mostly fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and fresh fish?rose by an average of 6 6 per cent, and these foods were 2l per cent higher than in May of this year. Individual percentages, however, do not begin to tell the whole story in the absence of price control over rents, a great number of services, and a very large number of items of every description, the entire cost of living would spiral rapidly upward, carrying with it wages, raw mater ials, and the cost of all war weapons and war equipment. Far-reaching Changes Coming The year 1943 will see far-reaching changes in our buying and budget ing habits. Before spring, the "point" method of rationing scarce products will be in full swing, and families then must decide whether to use up more points of Ration Book Two by purchasing scarcer articles, or use less points by buying more plenti ful ones. By next summer there'll be few er kinds of canned foods in metal tins on store shelves than at present. Tin-can metals are needed for our war machines. The bulk of our can ned food porducts, if they continue to be sold, will come in glass or oth er metal-substitute containers, many of the "fancy" canned goods und delicacies will be unobtainable, and the housewife will be cooking more products sold in bulk or brought in fresh from the farm without pass ing through a cannery. The wartime demand for labor of all kinds will be felt in almost every home in the country, partly in the absence of familiar articles for the manufacture of which neither labor nor materials can be spared. The greatest change, however, will be in the number of members of fam ilies at work. It is expected that by the end of 1943 about 70 per cent of all persons in the United States between the ages of 15 and 65 will be employed or in military service, around 20 million of these will be in war industry. To secure millions of new workers and train them for skilled operations in war plants will be a stupendous undertaking?yet it must be done if we are to meet next year's production schedules. Fuel Situation More Acute The fact that recently 4,000 men enlisted in the Army were releaesd from service to return to the min ing industry illustrated the need for the new "Manning Tables" system that will provide for a methodical and orderly replacement of skilled (Continued on page six) Several Teachers Resign In County Despite uncertain conditions and the offers of better Jobs, very few teachers in this county have resign ed since the term got underway last September. The number of resigna tions is far below the average gen eral reporft'd at Christmas time. Joseph Holliday, answering a call to the U. S. Marine Corps, resigned a short time ago at Bear Grass, and Mrs. Selma Gurganus Bunting, a former teacher, succeeded him there last week. Miss Mildred Hodges resigned as teacher of the fifth grade and music in the Robersonville school to ac cept work elsewhere. Her successor, a young lady from Rocky Mount, has been appointed, but her name could not be learned immediately. Resigning as mathematics teacher in the Oak City school, Mrs. Gladys Mizelle, of Palmyra, is to be succeed ed by Mrs. Edith Whichard Andrews, of Bethel, a former teacher. Mrs Mizelle's appointment was accept ed by her with the understanding that it should be temporary. Miss Florine Edwards will be suc ceeded as teacher of home economics in Jamesvftle by Miss Jenkins, s re cent graduate of E. C. T. C., Green ville. Miss Jenkins did her practice teaching in Williamston during the fall session of the current school term. IJquor Sales Reach Ail-Time High Record Here Last Friday, Hearing that stocks were running low and that sales would possibly be suspended, patrons started a run on the local liquor store here last Fri-1 day and boosted salesTtrwi- all-time 1 high record. Sales were slightly in ! excess of $2,800 in the Williamston store and were about $400 greater j than the previous record establish ed on the day before Christmas, a year ago. Patrons formed fairly long lines' at the store here that afternoon, but few complained about having to wait | their turns on the sidewalks. Associated with the suspension of gas sales about noon Friday, the ru more declaring that the liquor j stores would be closed possibly for j one, two or three d?fys or even until, after Christmas, was declared un-' founded by ABC Board authorities early Friday afternoon. The assur ance that the stores would remain open, that the stocks were consider ed sufficient to meet the demand, was virtually ignored and the line of purchasers continued to grow. Using up their ration coupons on Friday, the patrons were not so num erous on Saturday and sales dropped to about $1,900 for the day. Possibly the record established last Friday will remain unbroken since no addi tional rations will be made avail able to many until about the first of next month. Sales were unusually heavy in the other three county stores, but an accurate report could not be had immediately. Additional stocks were unloaded Monday, and sales wil be maintain ed, according to information com ing from ABC boyrd officials. Big Increase Seen In Food Needs for The Allied Nations Red ('row Cooperating uiili II. S. On Plan to Feed War Victims With the presence of winter, large quantities of food are needed to feed American and allied prisoners of war and victims of invasion in dev astated countries, according to a joint statement by the American Hod Cross ami the lT. S. Department of Agriculture. Using supplies procured by the Agricultural Marketing Administra tion, the Red Cross has provided supplementary food for American and allied prisoners of war in the Far Fast. The shipment was made on the first trip of the exchange ship "Gripsholm," and increased supplies are now loaded on the vessel for her second trip. These shipments includ ed AMA supplies of dry whole milk, butter, and concentrated citrus juice packed in individual parcels to feed captured fighting men and intern ed civilians. Similar packages are being sent regularly to prisoners of war and civilian -internes held by Germany and Italy. The Red Cross is assisting in the feeding of Polish, Greek, and many other refugee groups in Egypt and the Middle East, including war or phans and evacuee children. Com modities sent to the Middle East in cluded beans, canned tomatoes, grapefruit juice, cane syrup and mo lasses, oatmeal, enriched flour, rice, dehydrated soup, powdered milk and oleomargarine. Children in unoccupied France re ceived a shipload of Red Cross sup plies which included 274,000 cases of evaporated milk from AMA stocks. These supplies were already wide ly distributed before the complete occupation of France by Germany. Other commodities obtained for the Red Cross by AMA for distribu tion in the various war areas in clude: rolled oats, enriched wheat flour, evaporated and dry milk, can ned pork sausage, lard, syrup, can ned and concentrated citrus juice, canned tomatoes, and vitamin C tab lets. The volume and variety of foods needed to feed prisoners, refugees, j and other war victims may be ex- ! pected to increase sharply this win-, ter and next spring, the joint state- i ment pointed out. The Agricultural Marketing Ad ministration is now procuring all the food requirements for American Red Cross shipments. The Agriculture agency acts as purchasing agent or sells directly to Red Cross from its stocks held in various parts of the country to supply the needs of the allied 'nations, the U. S. territories, j and for other war purposes. The foodstuffs are delivered to shipside for Red Cross, which ar ranges for the overseas shipping, of-! ten with safe-conduct through bat tle zones, and delivers the food when it reaches its destination. Every con tainer is conspicuously marked as a "gift of the American people through the American Red Cross." Government Seeks Women For Jobs The Federal Government is seek ing alert women between the ages of 18 and 50 to take jobs of a con fidential nature with the War De partment near Washington, D. C. These positions offer not only an op portunity for perosnal advance ment, but give all women a chance to help with the war effort by tuk nig over men's jobs and releasing the men for active duty. Applicants must have had at least a high school education and must pass a mental test which will be giv en by Mr. Samuel Kavruck, Civil Service Representative, on Tuesday, December 29, 1942, at the court, house, Windsor, N. C. Those who pass the mental test will be offered an immediate appointment. Entrance salaries range from $1449 to $1800 per year, depending upon the applicant's training and exper ience. Those with college liaiiiing may start at $1820 to $1800 and need not take the mental test. . .. lUH'MMV | The severe cold weather dur ing the period reduced the num ber of arrests made by county and local officers to a low point during the last week-end round up. Only six persons were jail ed. Five of them were charged with being drunk and disorder ly and one was jailed for al leged non-support. Three of the six were young white boys, the ages of the group ranging from 18 to 27 years. I*iw Limiting Hours O For Wine Stores Is Asked by (?randjury Jury W ouhl lla\c All Dogs Thai Have !\ot Hern Yueei natr<l killed in (loimtv The value of a permanent grand jury was demonstrated in the coun ty last Monday when the group headed by H. S. Johnson, Jr., of Hamilton, handled all its duties and adjourned for the term before the first day of the superior court term was ended. And the jury submitted a rather meaningful report when it called for a law regulating wine store hours and recommended that all stray-dogs and those that had not been vaccinated be killed. The report reads, in detail", as fol lows: We have passed upon all bills of j indictment preesnt to us. We inspected the jail, sheriff's of fice and county home and find them to be in good condition and all rec ords in good order. We visited the clerk's office and in .checking over the guardian and administrator accounts found same to be in good standing. - We inspected the county sanitar ium and found same in good condi tion. We checked all county school busses except those at Farm Life and two at Hear Grass school and all, j busses checked were found in good ' I condition except minor repairs which | we recommend to be fixed. The ! county superintendent and the prin cipals of the Farm Lift? and Bear | i Grass schools reported those not I checked by us to be in excellent I condition as they are mostly new trucks. Wc find some few trucks | without emergency brakes and, lights and recommend same to be I I fixed at once. , Wc wish to recommend that Sher iff Roebuck have killed all dogs in , the.* county that are not tagged or vaccinated and having no lawful (Continued on page six) 1 Red (iross To Make War Fall In March To avoid conflicts with commun | ily chest drives and the sale of Christmas Seals, the American Red Cross postponed its annual roll call this season, but an earnest appeal in the form of an all-out war call will be made next March. Some few do nations have already been offered; for the maintenance of the humane organization, and such donations will be gladly received by the treas urers of the two chapters in this county at any time. The all-out drive will get underway in this county about March 1, and it can be expect ed in the face of record demands on the organization that quotas will be large. It has been pointed out that large contributors to the organization may make their donations before January 1 and get credit on their income tax This deduction will not be allowed if the donation is made after the first of next month. Those who are planning to accept a liberal share of the expense Is -up j porting the Red Cross in its world wide operations may forward or , leave their donations with Treasur ? cr Herman Bowen at ths Branch Bank in Williamston for the Martin County chapter or with Treasurer B i* Stokes at the Guaranty Bank in Roberionville for the Roberson ville chapter. Prisoners Will Not Go Hungry in North Carolina Next Year Every Foot of IjuhI Owned by Prison Department Will Be Utilized Despite prospects of wholesale food rationing by January and al ready increased difficulty of obtain ing certain food. North Carolina's 8.000 prisoners will not go hungry next year. Prison director Oscar Pitts is al ready mapping out plans by which every foot of land owned by the prison department at its 78 prison camps, two prison farms, and even Central Prison and Woman's Prison III Raleigh will be utilized in an in tensified farming and livestock pro gram. In a recent meeting with prison supervisors and livestock and farm experts of the prison department, Pitts urged that careful study be made of land available and that it be turned into that crop to which it is most suited. Including the 6.500 acres now un der pasture and crops at Caledonia prison farm in Halifax County, there is a grand total of 7700 acres under cultivation and 4,164 devoted to pasture of prison owned land. In addition to this, Pitts hopes to rent land near the camps so that addition al acreage may be built up. At the present time, the prison de partment is better than fifty per cent self sufficient. Pitts hopes that this will hi' raised to nearer 95 per cent during the coming year. The state division of purchase and contract is now unable to buy en ough cooking oils, lard and fat back for the prison population. The an swer to this is the raising of more hogs and livestock. Another problem faced by the prison department is the increased cost of foods. Despite a reduction of more than 2,000 prisoners in this year's population as compared with last year, increase in the cost of foodstuffs has more than compen sated for the reduction. Still another spectre which faces prison officials is a decreased in come. The prison department is a division of the State Highway Com mission and derives much of its in come from that body. Revenues from sale of license tags and gasoline have dropped almost fifty per cent and that means a cut has to be made all along the line. Too, the prison department has found it almost impossible to secure guards and other man power at the present wage levels established by the state budget bureau. With a large proportion of high way work now being maintenance, prisoners are being used more and more to replace u great Shortage of free labor heretofore available for working the roads. Pitts indicated that every prison camp will have its own truck gar den. Also, more attention will be laid on diversification of crops. Stress wlil be placed on growing crops in a section most suited for it. Thus potatoes and cabbage will be grown in the Western part of the state, where the land is more adapt able. while beans and tomatoes and the like will be loading crops in the east. New crop for the prison depart ment will be soy beans, already ex (Continued on page six) Mrs. Jos. Hardison Dies at Home Uarly Monday Morning ???? ? Funeral TurHilay \ft?-riiot>ii For 11 iffli I > (!il izrn of Comity Mrs Joseph Hardison, member of |one of the county's oldest families and highly respected citizen of Griffins Township, died at her home lere at 1 .'10 o'clock Monday morn ing fulowing a long period of de clining health. She had received treatment in a Washington hospital, hut during the past several weeks she was confined to her bed at home. The daughter of the late William Harmon and Hannah Daniel, Mrs. Hardison was born in Griffins Town ship about 60 years ago In early wo manhood she was married to Joseph Hardison who died several years ago. She isUurvived by five sons, Robert, Roy litaton. Noah and Si mon, all of the hom\ and William Hardison, of Plymouth, Tmd two daughters, Mrs. Hugh CbUrain, of Griffins Township, and Mrs. Marvin Roberson, of Plymouth. She also leaves three brothers, Messrs. Dave, N. R. and Noah T. Daniel, and three sisters, Miss Mary Ann Daniel, Mrs. W. G. Hardison and Mrs. P. E. Get singer, all of the home community. Mrs. Hardison joined the Baptist church at Piney Grove about ten years ago, and was active in its serv ice and support. Her pastor, Rev. W. B. Harrington, will conduct the last rites Tuesday afternoon at the home. Interment will follow in the fam ily cemetery, near the home. Held in high esteem by all who knew her, Mrs. Hardiaqp enjoyed a large circle of friends.

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view