Five-County Area Has Total Farm Income Of $54 Million
* For The Greatest In History, According To County Agents
r arm incomes ior m
five of the counties surround
ing Roanoke Rapids—Halifax,
Northampton, Warren, Hert -
ford and Greensville Counties
—will amount to a record
J| breaking total of $54,076,100, it
' has been estimated by county
agents in the various counties.
According to the agents’ es
timates, the 1948 incomes will
be the greatest ever to come
into the five-county area o n
gross farm products alone, an
estimate Which is borne out by
recently-released U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture figures in
gw which the entire United States
will hit an all-time high i n
farm production.
Most of the income, it is fig
ured will be spent in this area
for the production of crops,
cost-of-living items on the farm
people involved, building re
pairs, farm equipment and oth
er items. The increased in
come promises bigger incomes
in retail outlets throughout the
area and highlights the fact
that the section is predominat
ly agricultural in nature i n
spite of recent industialization
parts of the five-county
area.
Peanut is King
Figures from the five coun
ties indicate that peanuts ac
count for the largest slice of
the income—$17,103,000—and
also use the biggest propor
tion of the land under cultiva
tion—126,500 acres. Northamp
ton County can rightfully lay
claim to the title of “peanut
capital” of the area, with an
estimated farm income this
year of $5,670,000 from pea
nuts alone, according to County
Agent W. O. Jameson.
Many of the peanut figures
for 1948 are, of necessity, es
timates because of the un
usually late harvest season
this year. An extremely wet
fall has kept peanuts stacked
in the fields awaiting dry wea
ther so they can be threashed
and marketed, however most
of the county agents have a
greed that there should be
little loss of the crop itself
because of the unusual wea
ther conditions.
Cotton Next in Line
Once the areas leading crop,
cotton has in recent years slip
ped from its position of domi
nance, however it promises to
be on of the chief money
crops in this section during 19
48, with a gross of $13,689,500
expected from the growing of
cotton on 73,500 acres in five
counties. Most agents have re
ported an increased yield in
all cotton grown in their coun
ties.
Halifax County, with an es
timated cotton income of $5,
300,000, leads the field, accord
ing to County Agent W. Ov
Davis. In yield per acre, also,
Halifax has a reported 1.25
bales-per-acre on 25,000 acres
of land.
Tobacco Prices Good
Ranging from 9,000 acres in
Halifax to 450 acres in North
ampton County, bright leaf to
bacco continued to be a good
source of farm income in the
five-county area by account
ing for $11,690,400 this year on
the 21,700 acres under cultiva
tion. In spite of a reduction
in acreage allotments among
tobacco growers, the total in
come this year was high be
cause of increased yields and
prices which ranged as high
as an averaage of 51 cents a
pound for the crop. Markets
flourished and farmers were
generally pleased with the
prices brought by their offer
ings.
Tobacco accounted for the
largest slice of income in War
ren County, according to Agent
Frank W. Reams, bringing in
about $4,500,000 this year. To
bacco lead the field in income
in Warren County alone, run
ning behind peanuts or cotton
in the other four counties.
Corn up this Year
Due to intensive cultivation
and new methods of growing,
corn production moved into a
front-line position in the five
county area this year to total
an income of $6,153,200, and
in accounting for 125,000 acres
of cultivated land the corn crop
was the second most widely
grown crop in the area.
Yields were reported increas
ed in every section, ranging
from about 30 bushels to the
acre in some of the counties
to as high as 42 bushels to th-*
acre across the Virgil'
in Greensville County, *
ing to a report from t
Agent Stanford L. Vassa cj,
Halifax County, which C*
the five-county area in
income, held the lead in t
production, with an estima
income of $1,920,000 from ci
on 40,000 acres. On the fai ••£
of R. Hunter Pope near E\ £
field a test acre of corn ha .
a yield of over 142 busheld o:
Dixie 17 hybrid variety for
what may be a high yield in
the state for the year.
Swine Still IMPORTANT
Livestock production, while
not a major source of income
in any of the counties report
ing, was found to be on the in
crease in the area. Estimat
ed income from swine ran to
$3,300,000 and some income
was reported on other live
stock sources. Dairying was
given as a source of income
in Warren and Greensville
counties and other stick rais
ing is being encouraged in all
the counties. An income of
51,500,000 from swine is esti
lated for Halifax County.
Small grains, soy beans and
me truck crops accounted
the balance of the estimat
incomes in the counties.
• le 1948 crop, it was point
ut by County Agent J. W.
,> ntine of Hertford County,
“the most expensive in
^ 'to produce”, but Ballen
^ V; \d other agents said the
should make this one
of the most prosperous farm
years ever known in this sec
tion. None of the agents said
they would agree willingly to
a return of 1932 farm price
levels.
Farmers generally through
out the section said they wera
pleased with the prices their
crops had brought during the
year, and many of them said
they intended to try for even
bigger and better crops in the
days ahead.
Egypt's Prime Minister
Is Victim Of Assassin
Disguised As Policeman
Cairo, Dec. 28—(AP)—Prime*
Minister Mahmoud Fahmy No
® krashy Pasha was assassinated
this morning.
Police said he was shot by a
student disguised as a police of
ficer.
The slaying occurred in the
ministry of interior where the
Prime Minister was on the way
to his office. Witnesses said the
assassin empted his revolver at
Nokrashy Pasha and that five
bullets struck him. One went
wild. He died five minutes la
ter without uttering a word.
Other persons in the building
at the time said the assailant
approached Nokrashy Pasha and
shook hands with him before
drawing the gun.
The killer was arrested im
mediately.
Nokrashy Pasha had been
Prime Minister most of the time
. since the end of World War two.
Last year year he went to the
United Nations session in New
York to plead Egypt’s case for
evacuation of British troops from
the Suez Canal zone.
He sent Egyptian troops into
Palestine when the British man
date over the Holy Land ended
^ to combat what he called ag
* gression by “Terrorist Zionist
The Moslem brotherhood ac
cused him recently of weakness
in prosecuting the Palestine cam
paign.
Slowly Rising
Temperatures
Ending Cold Wave
_ By the Associated Press
W Slowly rising temperatures to
day broke winter’s first freez
ing spell in the Carolinas.
At least five deaths were at
tributed to the after Christmas
cold snap. Three were in North
Carolina, at Charlotte, near
-Newton and near Tryon, and
two in Charleston County, South
Carolina.
The forecast called for cloudy
fl weather today and tomorrow,
with occasional rain beginning
in the west portion tonight and
spread over the states to
morrow.
Weather
North Carolina — Increasing
cloudiness today; cloudy to
night and- Wednesday; ocas
ional rain Wednesday beginn
• ing in west portion to
night; slowly rising tempera
tures.
Truman Blasts
Soviet Again
In Address
Kansas City, Dec. 28—(AP)—
President Truman declined to
elaborate today on his dis
closure that “certain leaders”
behind the Russian iron curtain
are anxious to send the “cold
war.”
Presidential Press Secretary
Charles G. Ross told reporters
Mr. Truman does not intend to
name the men within the Soviet
Government advocating an “un
derstanding” with the United
States.
The President’s surprise reve
lation in a luncheon speech yes
terday and his new indictment
of the Russian government for
blocking peace efforts spawned
widespread speculation as to
whether it heralded new moves
on the diplomatic front.
Ross said the President told
him he had nothing to add to his
off-the-cuff luncheon address be
fore approximately 200 Missour
ians gathered to honor Eddie
Jacobson, former partner of Mr.
Truman in a haberdashery
store.
The press secretary turned a
deaf ear to all inquiries as to
whether there was any informa
tion indicating a “revolt” within
the top ranks of the Russian
leadership.
Without a prepared manu
script and in the absence of an
official white house stenograph
er, Mr. Truman fired a straight
from-the-hip indictment of the
Soviet government for:
1. Refusing to keep the agree
ment Premier Stalin made a
Yalta and Potsdam.
2. Using a “system of morals
that are not morals.”
3. Opposing agreements which
might pave the way for preserv
ing the peace in troubled spots
everywhere.
4. Making it clear that “con
tracts are not sacred” in its
dealings with the United States
and the western powers.
An Indication Of
Chinese War End
Peiping, Dec. 28—(AP)—Many
government soldiers are among
the shoppers at Peiping’s famed
open air market these days.
They are buying civilian
clothes.
Britain Calls For Immediate
Cease Fire In Palestine And
Withdrawal Of Israeli Forces
Paris, Dec. 28— (AP)—Britain
Jh called today for an immediate
” cease fire in southern Palestine
and withdrawal of Isaeli forces
in the Negev.
British Delegate Harold Bee
ley submitted a resolution pro
posing the cease fire and Israeli
withdrawal as the Security
Council debated Egypt’s charge
that Israel had violated the
truce with attacks Dec. 22 a
. gainst Egyptian coastal posi
0 tions in Southern Palestine.
Britain sought American sup
port for the measure, and for a
proposed resolution declaring Is
rael the aggressor. The text of
the latter proposal as sent to the
State Department in Washing
ton last night.
Beeley urged that the Securi
ty Council’s truce supervision
■ommittee be instructed to meet
0 an. 6 at Lake Success to report
in compliance with the cease
are ajy} withdrawal orders.
rnese proposals wuuiu uc u«a
ed on the Security Council’s
truce orders of Nov. 4, which
Beeley said must be enforced.
Under that resolution, Israeli
forces were to withdraw to posi
tions occupied before their Oct.
14 advance and acting Mediator
Ralph J. Bunche was author
ized to fix no-man’s land to pre
vent contact between Egyptian
and Israeli troops.
“This would be the first step,”
Beeley said, “in restoring the
authority of the Security Coun
cil and of the United Nations it
self in Palestine.”
Britain was willing in the past
to apply sanctions under the
U.N. charter against aggres
sors in Palestine and can be a
gain in the future, Beeley said.
M. Fawzi Bey, Egyptian dele
gate, charged Israeli actions in
the Negev displayed a "premed
itated, most systematic and
carefully synchronized” de
I fiance of the council.
Services For
Mrs. Foreman
Are Tomorrow
Weldon—Mrs. Martha Rudolph
Foreman, a native and lifelong
resident of Roanoke Rapids
Township, died yesterday morn
ing about 12:30 a.m.
She was the wife of the late
Edward Lee Foreman.
Mrs. Foreman was bom in
Roanoke Rapids Township on
June 27, 1904 the daughter of
Dr. Charles R. Gurkins and Mar
tha E. Simmons Gurkins.
She is survived by one daugh
ter, Mrs. Martha Pate of Roa
noke Rapids, one granddaughter,
Libbie M. McDonald, and one
adopted son, Charles G. Lester.
Funeral services will be con
ducted from the home Wednes
day at 11 a.m. by the Rev. Ed
mund E. Berkeley, rector of the
All Saints Episcopal Church of,
which Mrs. Foreman was a mem-;
ber.
Th body will be taken to
Washington by the Rowe’ Fu
neral Home for cremation.
Broughton Names
Women To Staff
Raleigh, Dec. 28—(AP)—Sena
tor-Elect J. Melville Broughton
announced today the appoint -
ment of two women to his staff.
Mrs. Edna G. Denson of Rocky
Mount is his research assistant,
Broughton stated, and Miss Eve
lyn Covington, a native of Ala
mance County now residing in
Raleigh, has been added to his
secretarial staff.
Mrs. Denson, a graduate of
Brenau College, has served since
1946 on the staff of Senator O’
Daniel of Texas.
Miss Covington worked in Gov
ernor-Elect Scott's Raleigh head
quarters during the recent gub
ernational primary and in the
Democratic state headquarters
during the election ^campaign.
ROANOKE RAMBLINGS
By PAT NANTZ
Eugene Lehman, Jr., a stu
dent at Presbyterian Junior Col
lege, Maxton, is visiting in his
home during the holidays. .Gene
is a ’47 graduate of the local
high school. ..
It has been announced that
there will be a practice game
in the armory, Thursday night
at 8 o’clock between the high
school Jax and the town team. . .
I haven’t found out yet which
team will be doing the practic
ing since both of them need it.
The Jax have lost the last two
games they played by a large
margin; and the Independents
will be playing their first game
of the season.. .so both teams
could stand the practise.
Just a reminder that the Art
Club will meet tomorrow even
ing in the home of Mrs. Shirley
Pierce, 436 Cedar Street, at 7:45.
This club, started about three
weeks ago by E. C. L,angford,
has been showing encouraging
progress. When it was begun
practically no one understood
exactly what type of club it
would be, since it went under the
name of the Art Club. It seems
that most people thought it
would be merely the study of a
lot of art and artists which they
couldn’t understand. . .but now
almost everyone knows that it is
an informal get-together of citi
zens wh<^ like to sketch, paint
with oil and water colors, or
draw with charcoal.. .and there
are considerably more mem
bers. Membership is still open
to anyone who wishes to join
and improve or practice his
knowledge of art...
I don’t know how it happened
to get started, but a lot of people
here were looking the town over
for Bill Alligood, a former and
very popular citizen of our fair
city.. .even I was doing it. Some
how it got out that Bill was visit
ing with Mrs. Robert King ov
er the Christmas holidays and
quite a few people tried to locate
him.. .just goes to show what a
little popularity can do for you
whenever you return to your ol’
home town, .the only catch is
that Bill was made of the stuff!
For the information of those
of you who happened to have
moved here since 1943, Bill was
a designer for the Rosemary
Manufacturing Company, the
recreation director of that mill,
a columnist for the Herald (he
wrote that column called “Rose
mary Recreation.. .By Bill”)
he formed the Romanco softball
team, which by the way has
done pretty well so far in keep
ing up the record they made
when he was here, and he also
was rated one of the best car
toonists around this part of our
your own opinion from this just
the kind of man he was. In
1943, however, he left to make
his home in Mount Holly, where
he became personnel manager
of the mills there and recreation
director of the same. So, to
those who have looked for him
since Friday, you may stop
now.. .but maybe he will find
time to come down some time
for a visit. And for the informa
tion of those who remember that
he left here with his wife and
one little girl, I’ll let you in on
something. . .he has another
daughter just a few months old..
just in case you want to send
your congratulations to him...
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Billups
of South Rosemary have return
ed to their home here after hav
ing spent some time in West Vir
ginia with their daughter, Mrs.
Josie Matkina.,,
Airmen Are
Rescued From
Greenland
Washington, Dec. 28 —(AP)..
—Air Force headquarters an
nounced today the rescue of 13
airmen who had been strand
ed on the Greenland icecap.
Thtey were picked up by a
C-47 from an air base 270 miles
northwest $f the crash scene,
the Air Force said.
The C-47, which was special
ly equipped with skis for the
landing, is returning to its
base. Bluie West Eight. It is
due about 12:10 P.M. (EST).
The C-47, which was equip
ped with jet-assist take-off ap
paratus, presumably will re -
fuel at Bluie West Eight and
take the rescued men to La
brador.
It was not immediately cer
tain how many men were res
cued. The Air Force’s count
has been 13. An official said
today, however, that the num
ber may be only 12.
Funeral For
Mrs. Sykes Is
Held Today
Funeral services for Mrs. Mary
E. Sykes, 73, will be held at her
home in Weldon, Tuesday after
noon at 1 o’clock. Burial will
be in the Cedarwood Cemetery,
Roanoke Rapids.
Mrs. Sykes passed away at
her home in Weldon, Sunday
night. She is survived by two
sons, Ernest of Roanoke Rapids
and Roy of Weldon; one brother
T. Davis of Elizabethtown; four
sister, Mrs. O. J. Harris of Hope
Mills, Mrs. Ella Johnson of St.
Paul; Mrs. Mandy Davis of Eli
zabethtown; and Mrs. T. F. Nor
ris of Lumberton; one grand
child.
Mrs. Elliot Roosevelt
Slashes Her Wrist
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Dec. 28—
(AP)—Faye Emerson Roo
sevelt, beautiful actress wife of
Elliott Roosevelt, slashed her
left wrist with a razor early
today in the couple’s Hyde Park
home, Sheriff. C. Fred Close said
last night.
The sheriff quoted Dr. H.
Sherman Hirst, who treated the
31-year-old Mrs. Roosevelt, as
saying he understood the wound
was self-inflicted and that she
had to be restrained from in
juring herself further.
But Roosevelt, reached by tel
ephone, said the injury resulted
from an accident.
“There is nothing to it,” he
added. ,
Institute Reports
Wholesale Meat
Prices Are Down
Chicago, Dec. 28—(AP)—T h e
American Meat Institute says
the general wholesale price of
all meat in the nation has drop
ped about 19 per cent since the
mid-September peak.
The Institute said the retail
price of meat declined 13 pet
cent since the mid-Septembei
peals. __ #
Western Powers Set Up
Controls To Bar War
Production In The Ruhr
New Peace
Rumors Are
Heard In China
Nanking, China, Dec. 28—(AP)
—A new crop of peace rumors
blossomed stromgly in China’s
capital today.
Several highly placed sources
hinted on plans to reorganize
the government as a prelimin
ary to a negotiated peace with
the Chinese Communists. Top
officials vehemently denied the
reports.
Despite denials, usually well
informed sources insisted they
were “very certain” that impor
tant developments looking toward
a new national leadership and
probably peace could be expect
ed' before New Year’s day. 4 j
This is a reversal of the view
that was generally accepted yes
terday. Then almost everyone
felt communist publication of a
list of “war criminals” to be
punished by a “peoples court”
knocked out possibility of peace
talk.
today, the only thing that ap
peared fairly certain was that the
decision of fight on or permit
peace talks rests with President
Chiang Kai-Shek, whose name
headed the Communists list of
“war criminals.”
Chiang is under strong pres
sure to stepdown, probably un
der the excuse of physical ail
ments. This would permit Vice
President Li Tsung-Jen to take
over and explore the possibility
of peace talks. Similar rumors
have arisen periodically for the
last six months.
BPW Spokesman Urges
Merchants To Have
Floor Show Ready
Mrs. Mary G. Mills, chairman
for the Business and Professional
Woman’s Club’s New Year’s Eve
dance today urged all local busi
nesses who wish to participate
in the floor show to be held in
conjunction with the dance to
have their participants present
at the Armory on Thursday ev
ening at 7:30 for a rehersal.
She said any merchant or busi
ness in Roanoke Rapids who has
not previously signified an in
tention of participating in the
floor show may still enter by
having participants present for
Thursday’s rehearsal. She said
a number of businesses will join
in presenting the show of good
wishes for 1949 at the Club’s
dance Firday evening.
London, Dec. 28—(AP)—T h e
Western powers set up today a
strict international control sys
tem to bar German’s industrial
Ruhr V( alley from war produc
tion.
The Ruhr was ordered to pro
duce solely for peace.
Their decision was announced
in a formal communique as the
climax of a six-week conference
here attended by representativ
es of the United States, Britian,
France, the Netherlands, Belg
ium and Luxembourg.
It contained no admission of
Russia as a partner in the in
ternational control board to be
known as the “Ruhr Authority.”
An American spokesman told
a news conference at the em
bassy the agreement probably
will go into operation in two or
three months. He said a mili
tary security board provided for
in the agreement also will begin
functioning within that time. The
spokesman said the Americans
regard the pact as an executive
agreement which will not need
congressional approval, as a for
mal treaty would.
~ __j
many a place on the board as
soon as it develops a legal go
vernment. The Germans will
have three votes-the same as
the United States, Britian and
France will have and two more
than each of the Benelux coun
tries which they overran in World
War two.
It set up an international sys
tem of inspection—the frame -
work of an industrial police—to
keep the Ruhr from becoming
once again a war-making indus
trial machine as it did under
Hitler and Kaiser Wilhelm.
It left unsettled the dynamite
laden question of ultimate own
ership of the Ruhr’s industires
—a plain concession to France.
The French want international
ownership. Britian prefers Ger
man public ownership. The
United States favors private en
terprise.
The agreement was for an in
definite term, leaving open the
possibility that the Ruhr might
forever continue under interna
tional supervision.
Seven Earthquakes
Hit Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nev., Dec. 28—(AP)—
Seven earthquakes hit Reno with
in four and a half hours last
night—the third one causing “a
good deal of jiggling” in Reno’s
42-year-old City Hall and bring
ing prompt adjournment of a
city council session. There were
no reports of damage.
Military Court Convicts
Woman Of Killing Soldier
Husband During Quarrel
Marourg, uermany, uec. <so—
(AP)—Mrs. Wilma Ybarbo of
Malden, Mass., today was sent
enced to 20 years in prison for
killing her American soldier hus
band in a bedroom quarrel.
The U. S. Military govern
ment court of three American
Judges convicted Mrs. Ybarbo of
killing Sgt. John Ybarbo of Gol
iad, Tex., “with malice afore
thought.”
The 23-year-old defendant h^rd
1> changed the expression on her
pale face as she heard the ver
dict.
The court rejected her plea
that she shot her husband in self
defense. The judges also re
jected the possibility she was so
overcome by passion that sht
1 was beyond self control when
she pumped three pistol bullets
1 into her husband af%r a quarrel
me coun. s lengrny opinion mu
not specify the degree of the
crime for which she was con
victed. It held her guilty of the
rough equivalent of manslaugh
ter under German law or second
degree murder in the U. S. code.
The court overruled her claim
“She had only to call for help
or go into the next room for aid.
In the circumstances she was
not justified in taking a human
life.”
The verdict was announced by
Judge Dewitt White of Morgan
town, W. Va., the presiding judge
of the three-man tribunal.
The other judges were John C.
Campbell, Alhambra, Calif., and
Eldon V. Soper of Glendale, Ca»
lif.
The deliberated six days, hav
ing announced a deadlock just
baton CkdMHb
1948 Farm Estimates And Leading Income Crops
Halifax Northampton Warren Hertford Greensville
Peanuts ..$5,040,000 $5,600,000 $ 63,000 $3,850,000 $2,480,000
Cotton . 5,300,000 3,740,000 2,805,000 994,500 850,000
Tobacco _ 4,050,000 243,000 4,500,000 2,417,400 480,000
Corn -. 1,920,000 1,680,000 927,380 875,840 750,000
Swine ..1,500,000 1,250,000 50,000 200,000 300,000
Others 1,075,000 20,000 1,000,000
TOTALS _$17,810,000 (12,513.000 $9,420,380 *8.357,740 (5,860,000
JOE, VETERAN CHIMPANZEE ACTOR of the films, looks down his nose at Jimmy Stewart,
Frank JenkS and Eddie Albert as he is rolled to Joan Fontaine by his trainer for a movie,
scene. Joe (fpr story purposes) has flown in from New York and is supposed to be air sick.'
84h Year—No. 90 Roanoke Rapids, N. C., Tuesday, December 28, 1948 5c Daily; 10c Sunday