The
ROANOKE RAPIDS HERALD
Roanoke Rapids. North Carolina
HALIFAX COUNTY'S LARGEST NEWSPAPER
North Carolina’s Only TABloid NEWSpaper
CARROLL WILSON, _Owner and Editor
Entered as Second Class matter April 3rd, 1914, at the post office
•I Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, under Act of March 3rd, 1879.
PRINTING - EMBOSSING -_ENGRAVING
INCREASING CRIME
We listened to a good sermon last Sunday
on the subject of Crime as relates particularly
to Roanoke Rapids. The text was that passage
from the Bible wherein the Ten Command
ments are handed down and, in view of recent
happenings in our fair city and county, parti
cular emphasis was laid on that commandment
which says, “Thou shalt not kill.”
The other night an elderly man was cut to
death by a young man in this city. The tragedy
is said to have had its inception in an argument
over twenty-five cents. Not long ago, out in the
county, one man killed another in an argument
over the purchase of fifteen cents worth of bar
becue. We remember the preacher s statement,
“Life is Cheap in Roanoke Rapids.”
These violent deeds come on the heels of the
brutal and unsolved murder of Marvel Cullom
and the death of a child hit by a speeding car.
Last week four places of business were robbed.
A short time ago, two men and an innocent
bystander were wounded when bullets flew in
all directions. Our courts are crowded every
week with violators of the law while others go
undetected and uncaught.
There is no argument to the fact that crime
is on the increase and particularly crime of
violence.
One appealing statement made by the
preacher sticks with us: it is the innocent who
suffer most. One man kills another. The dead
man is gone. The other participant may be pun
ished by due process of law, either by incarce
ration for a long period of years or by death.
But the story does not end there: in fact, it only
begins. There are left to suffer the dependents,
the family, the relatives and friends on both
sides. The wage earner and bread winner is
gone. Whole families are thrown upon society
for sustenance. We all foot the bill. There are
expensive trials for which the public must pay.
It is all wasteful, senseless, pitiful.
What is the cause? Who is to blame? What
is the remedy? Rather a large order, that. Hon
estly, we cannot answer those questions even
after hearing that sermon. The sermon left us
with an awareness of those evils and their
awfulness, but except for a wholesale religious
. revival, no solution, which in our faltering way,
we term practical. And by practical we do not
mean the cold use of sauare and rule: rather a
tangible, workable solution which could change
He’s Got His New Skates ————— By Albert T. Reid
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a mass of ordinary, partly good, partly bad,
weak, plug-uglies, in which the writer is in
cluded.
We offer no cure-all We suggest one or
two first aid remedies which might see the pati
ent thru the worst of it.
It is right and proper that the pulpit should
take cognizance of conditions. There is no bet
ter way to make us aware of the facts. Their
method of handling the case is individual; some
doctors tell the patient he’s going to die; others
break it gently; still others keep him ignorant
of the fact. And all methods work in some
cases. Regardless we all agree the patient must
be told he is a very sick person. Publicity, from
pulpit, press, desk and stand.
1 his is already working. (Jn all sides can
be heard citizens in all walks of life discussing
the situation, trying to figure out causes and
solutions. This is a most wholesome sign.
There is always a disposition in times like
these to blame the officers. Because of the
hardships, dansrers and thanklessness of their
iobs, we have always sided with the officers.
They are most important to society and the
least considered. We do believe, however, that
in emergencies their strength should be increas
ed. When orders Dile in at a mill, more people
are put to work. When a periodical crime wave
approaches, peace officers should likewise be
increased. Not only that, but they should also
be made to realize that public sentiment is with
♦Tern and their work, made more difficult in
Hmes of stress, should be complimented when
1 nO“VTT| OCT.
Merchants, business and professional men,
real estate dealers, property and home owners,
will all agree with us that it is fine to have a
lively town, but fatal to possess the reputation
of being a sinful, lawbreaking, dangerous town.
Roanoke Rapids is a lively place in which to
live or visit. It must not be permitted to drift
into the other category.
Audits Investigations
Systems
E. C. Morrissette
Certified Public
Accountant
Green Bldg.
Weldon, North Carolina
Federal and State Income
Tax Service
ZOLLICOFFER
—And—
ALLSBROOK
Attorneys at Law
IMPERIAL THEATRE BLDG.
Dial R-324 Roanoke Rapids, N. C.
W. C. WILLIAMS
Funeral Director
FUNERAL PARLOR
UP-TO-DATE EQUIPMEN1
AMBULANCE SERVICE
TACIFUL ATTENTION
DAY—Dial R-340
NIGHT—Dial R-389
Roanoke Rapids. N. C.
Eyes Examined and Glasses
Fitted. Office near Roses 10c
store. Up stairs. Hours 9 to 12
and 1 to 5. In every day except
Mondays.
Dr. E. D. Harbour
Optometrist
Roanoke Rapids, N. C
Dr. E. P. Brenner
CHIROPRACTOR
Roanoke Rapids, N. C.