VOLUME 38.
THE SMITHFIELD HERALD TUESDAY, APRIL 8. 1919.
Number 28.
LIST TAKERS WERE
NAMED YESTERDAY
County Commissioners Had Busy Day.
Appropriated Five Hundred Dollars
for Celebration of the Home Com
ing of the Boys Who Wore the
Khaki—Board Accepts Invitation to
Attend Road Meeting at Wilson
Next Monday—School Elections
Ordered.
The County Commissioners met
here yesterday in regular session
with all members present. Several
matters were taken up and disposed
of.
An election for schools was ordered
to be held in Beulah school district No.
1, at an early date.
An election for roads was also or
dered to be held in Bentonsville town
ship. The call for the election will be
published later.
An election for revoking the special
tax for schools was ordered held in
Pleasant Grove public school district
No. 6, on May 13. Registration books
will open April 11 and close May 3.
The registrar is Victor Penny, with
B. I. Stephenson and Jett McGee poll
holders.
The Board nominated W. L. Fuller
and Andrew J. Fitzgerald to be the
Board of Appraisers and Review un
der the new revaluation act. The
County Supervisor will be named by
the State Tax Commission.
The following list takers were ap
pointed list takers for this year:
Wilson’s Mills—John A. Wilson.
Clayton—L. H. Champion.
Cleveland—F. M. Weeks.
Pleasant Grove—Ed. S. Coats.
Elevation—J. Shep Johnson.
Banner—J. G- Smith.
Meadow—Walt V. Blackman.
Bentonsville—Calvin Lee.
Ingrams—John C. Keen.
Boon Hill—H. A. Watson.
Beulah—A. G. Hooks.
OneaJs—J. M. Maden.
Winders—Hunter Barnes.
Pine Level—L. E. Creech.
Smithfield—Robert E. Smith.
Micro—Joe D. Creech.
The people of Selma are planning a
reception to the boys of Company C,
119th Infantry, when they come home.
Not only are they planning to give a
celebration for this company, but they
want all the boys who wore the khaki
to be present in this great meeting. In
order to help, in this home-coming
celebration Dr. G. D. Vick was present
yesterday and asked the Board for an
appropriation. The Board granted the
request by making an appropriation
of $500. This is to be a county cele
bration in honor of the returning he
roes who answered the call of their
country to fight the Hun.
The Board received an invitation
from the Board of Commissioners of
Wilson county to attend a meeting
with the boards of all the adjoining
counties at Wilson next Monday af
ternoon at three o’clock to consider
the road cmestion. There is much in
terest in North Carolina at the pres
ent time to improve the roads of the
State. The Federal government con
tributes one-half the expense if the
roads are built under government su
pervision, the State pays one-fourth
and the county one-fourth. This
meeting at Wilson is to plan for the
counties of Johnston, Wilson, Nash,
Edgecombe, Pitt and Wayne to work
together on the road proposition.
The County Commissioners accept
ed the invitation and will meet the
commissioners from the other coun
ties at Wilson next Monday.
GOVERNMENT OVERTHROWN.
In Hungary and the Foreign Minis
ter Assasinated—Don’t Like So
viet Government.
Vienna, April 7.—The Hungarian
government at Budapest has been
overthrown, according to numerous
reports in official circles the newspa
pers say. Bellakan, the foreign min
ister, it is reported, has been assassi
nated. The reports do not say how
the attempt was made or whether it
was organized by the Socialists or the
Bolshevists.
Nuremburg, Bavaria, April 7.—The
Bavarian National Council of Social
Revolutionists have by a vote of 42 to
8 decided not to have a Soviet govern
ment in Bavaria.
“SLEEPING SICKNESS” IN .
ROBESON IS REPORTED
Two cases of “sleeping sickness”
have been reported from the Rozier
section of Robeson county. A colored
man and a colored woman have had
the disease, according to Dr. R. C.
Rozier, who treated them, and are get
ting litter. Each slept fer several
days, and while they have not finally
recovered., they can now control them
selves. Both had an attack of influ
enza before they were overcome by
the new disease.
LIVE NEWS TOPICS.
The strike of textile workers in
Columbus, Ga., was ended Thursday
by a vote of the workers, J. J. Thomas,
an organizer of the United Textile
Workers, has announced. The work
ers who went out nearly two months
ago, demanding an eight-hour day,
will immediately apply for re-employ
ment, Thomas said. There are about
8,000 workers in that section. Since
the strike began many have returned
to work and mills have hired outside
help. The mill owners, it was under
stood, will re-employ all those for
whom they have openings.
* * *
Additional credits of $85,000,00 in
favor of France and $25,000,000 in fa
vor of Italy has been announced by
the Treasury Department. These
brought France’s total to $2,702,477,
800 and Italy’s to $1,521,500,000, and
the grand total of the Allies to $9,
008,999,340.75.
* * *
Though the war is counted over, the
English government is still spending
five and one half millions a day on
war alone—and that figure is in
pounds sterling* remember. Great
Britain’s national debt stands at 7,
450.000. 000 pounds, or $37,250,000,000,
as against a pre-war debt of 653,000,
000 pounds. The interest upon this
debt today is from $50,000,000 to
400.000. 000 a year.
♦ * *
Lieutenant Colonel Frederick W.
Diekman, commanding officer of
Southern Field at Americus, Ga., and
Major John W. Butts, executive offi
cer, were killed last week in the fall
of an airplane in which they were
making a flight. Colonel Diekman
was the son of Major General Dick
man, commanding the Third Ameri
(an Army of the Expeelitionary forces.
A Proud Record.
While at every session of the North
Carolina Legislature attempts are
made, and too often succeeded, to in
crease the causes for divorce and to
make easy the legal separation of
married people, it is gratifying to
learn that statistics for the year 1916
show that the divorce rate in North
Carolina was the lowest of any State
in the Union. South Carolina, which
has no divorce laws, does not figure,
and the Districts of Columbia, which
has a lower rate but is not a State,
leave our State the place of honor in
holding sacred the marriage relation.
The divorce rate in this State was 31
for each 100,000 population. New
York, strange to say, is the next low
est—32 per 100,000. The highest
rate is, of course, Nevada, Montana
and Oregon, where divorce is easy,
and to which States many non-resi
dents go solely to obtain divorce. It
is estimated that in the count’ y at
large one in every nine marriages is
terminated by divorce. The marriage
rate in 1916 was 1,050 per 100,000
population, while the divorce rate was
112 per 100,000.—Statesville Land
mark.
Nation Wide Day for Prayer Named.
Members of the Methodist Episco
pal Church, South, will on April 16,
pray for a church-wide and spirit-led
revival in America. The Methodists
are not planning any close communion
in the matter, but are asking all
churches and church people in Amer
ica to join them.
Conditions of the times in which we
are living and the great need of the
world for spiritual rejuvenation are
the factors which have suggested this
idea of the special day for prayer to
the Methodists. Leaders of the de
nomination hope that the idea will
spread rapidly throughout the coun
try so that by the time April 16 ar
rives every Methodist, Baptist, Pres
byterian and all other Protestant de
nominations will be praying for the
great spiritual awakening throughout
the world.
The Methodists have particularly
caught a vision of the need of this
revival because of the Centenary
Movement of that curch, a movement
to revivify all of their congregations
from one end of Methodism to the
other.—Centenary News.
J. Dwight Barbour to Head Loan
Campaign.
Mr. J. Dwight Barbour, of Clayton,
has been selected as County Chairman
in the Fifjth Liberty Loan Campaign,
which opens the twenty-first of this
month. In the selection of Mr. Bar
bour those in authority made a wise
choice, for he is in every way capable
of pushing the campaign to a victo
rious conclusion here in Johnston
county. A man of large affairs him
self he is willing to give of his time
at his country’s call and he is enthu
siastically behind the movement. To
the end that Johnston county shall go
over the top with her quota of the loan
Mr. Barbour will lend his every ef
fort.—Clayton News.
PROF. R. A. MERRITT
DIED FRIDAY
Passed Away at His Home in Greens
boro—Lived in Smithfield Several
Years Ago—Was First Superin
tendent of Turlington Graded
School, Having Been Elected to
'i hat Position in 1903.
The people of femithfield learn with
great regret of the death of Prof R.
A. Meiritt, who died at his home in
Greensboro yesterday. The following
account of his death appeared in Sat
uray’s News and Observer:
Greensboro, N. C., April 4.—Prof.
R .A. Merritt, formerly of the faculty
of the State Normal and Industrial
College, died at his home here this
afternoon following an illness of four
years. He is survived by his wife,
formerly Mabel Coltrane, and two
small sons. Deceased was secretary
of class, of 1902 at the University of
North Carolina and as such published
first class bulletin of the institution.
He was a member of Phi Kappa. His
father, J. Y. Merritt, still lives at
Chapel Hill. After his graduatior,
he was superintendent of the Turling
ton School at Smithfield. From
there he came in 1906 to the State
Normal (now North Carolina College
for Women.) He taught psychology,
held important faculty positions and
was highly regarded in the college and
city. He was a deacon in the First
Avenue Baptist church. The funeral
will be held Saturday afternoon.
Prof. Merritt came to Smithfield in
the fall of 1902 as a teacher in Tur
lington Institute. After teaching with
Prof. Turlington one year the school
be-au’e Turiington Graded School.
Prof. Harper, who was then at Kenly,
was chosen superintendent and Prof.
Merritt principal. Soon afterward
Professor Harper was elected to a
profesorship in Elon College and re
signed the position. Prof. Merritt was
then Chosen superintendent and or
ganized the first graded school ever
in Johnston county. He was a teacher
of no mean ability. As a school man
in Smithfield he was very successful
and three years later was honored by
election to a position in the State
Normal College at Greensboro.
Professor Merritt made many
friends here. He was a true Christian
man, strong and faithful to every
task, loved and honored by all who
knew him.
Professor Merritt was a brother of
Mr. R. P .Merritt, in charge of the
county recreation work in this county.
Funeral of Mr. Merritt.
The funeral of Robert A. Merritt
was held yesterday afternoon at five
o’clock from Forest Avenue Baptist
church, of which the deceased was a
member, the services being conducted
by the pastor, Dr. L. L. Carpenter, as
sisted by Revs. C. S. Kirkpatrick and
R. Murphy Williams. The interment
was in Greene Hill cemetery, the pall
bearers being J. A. Matheson, W. C.
Jackson. A. H. Johnson, J. S. Moore,
O. Joe Howard, C. J. Angle.
German Casualties in War Reaches
Total of 4,362,454.
Berlin, Thursday, April 3.—Prus
sia’s huge losses in officers and men
during the war are indicated by a
staff officer, who writes in the Lokal
Anzeiger. He submits figures com
piled from the official casualty lists to
show that 32,454 active officers at the
front were killed, wounded or miss
ing out of a total of 34,350, and that
more than 4,330,000 soldiers were kill
ed, wounded or missing out of 10.178,
000 who actually fought at the front.
Contends that these figures belie
stories that the Prussian officers did
not attack with their men and asserts
that while their losses were particu
larly heavy in the first two years they
were much less in the later years, be
cause the officers had to be saved for
general staff work.
The figures show also that Germany
counted little on a long war, for the
Prussian mobilization contemplated
3,700.000 soldiers to which approxi
mately 6,500,000 had to be added be
fore the end.
Means Sues for a Million.
Alleging conspiracy to send him to
the gallows, Gaston B. Means, who
was tried last year at Concord for the
murder of Mrs. Maude A. King and
acquitted, has filed suit again the
Northern Trust Company for $1,000,
000.
The declaration filed by Means al
leges that the Northern Trust Com
pany, through the co-dcfendants
sought to secure the conviction of
Means for the murder of Mrs. King. It
is further allged the defendant corpor
ation sought thus to control the $3,
000.000 King estate and reap vast
profits therefrom.
PRESIDENT ESCAPES
INFLUENZA ATTACK
Mr. Wilson’s Physician, Rear Admiral
Grayson, Says Submission to Or
ders Saved Him From a Serious
Illness—Latest News From Paris
Says the President’s Condition is
Much Improved.
Paris, April 5.—The President has
come very near having a serious at
tack of influenza, but by going to bed
at once by my direction he has ap
parently escaped, but is still neces
sarily confined to his bed,” said a
statement issued at 4 o’clock this af
ternoon by Rear Admiral Grayson, the
President’s physician.
President Wilson was “slightly bet
ter” at noon today, an official bulletin
on his condition said. His cold, how
ever, was still pronounced enough to
cause a slight temperature.
Colonel House visited him this af
ternoon. After this call Admiral
Grayson again closed the President’s
door to callers, insisting that the pa
tient must not be disturbed more than
was absolutely necessary.
While the afternoon bulletin showed
an improvement in President Wilson’s
condition, all precautions are being
taken against anything which might
lower his vitality. ,
The President read a little in the
course of the day and chatted with
Mrs. Wilson, but contented himself re
ceiving from Colonel House a brief ac
count of the proceedings of the Coun
cil of Four.
While callers were not permitted,
messages in large numbers were re
ceived extending sympathy both per
sonal and official from friends, the va
| rious members of the conference, and
diplomatic representatives.
Paris, April 6.—President Wilson
remained in bed today, although an
official bulletin said that he was much
improved this morning.
The President slept well during the
night, and had a normal temperature
J (hen he awoke.
The official statement issued this
morning said:
President Wilson had a good, night,
and his temperature is normal. He
is much better, but remains in bed to
day.
The President was so far on the
road to recovery that Admiral Gray
son permitted him to receive late to
day the other American Peace Com
missioners.
The cold from which Mr. Wilson has
been suffering appears to have been
broken, and unless complications
ensue, it is probable that he will be
able to resume in part his.work on
Monday. The fever has disappeared,
but the President is still weak, and it
is not expected that he will leave his
room before Tuesday.
TROTZKY ORDER FLEET
TO ATTACK THE ALLIES.
London Hears He Has Sent Command
to Russian Warships in Baltic.
Situation Worse in South.
London, April 5.—Leon Trotzky, the
Bolshevik Minister of War and Ma
rine, has ordered the Russian Baltic
fleet to put to sea and attack the Al
lies, threatening to, have all the crews
shot if they disobey the order, says
the Mail.
The situation in southern Russia
has become distinctly worse from an
Allied viewpoint, mainly owing to a
shortage of food, according to dis
patches to the Press Association. It
is not feared that military reasons will
compel the Allies to evacuate Odessa,
bu here is a possibility, ij, is said,
that the city will become so short of
food that it will be unable to support
an occupying force.
20.478 LIBERTY MOTORS MAD*.
Contracts Amounting to $266,961,771
For Engines Cancelled.
Washington, April 5.—Production
of Liberty-12 airplane engines for the
army reached a total of 20,478, final
deliveries having been made by the
manufacturers during the week end
ing March 21. A statement issued
today by the War Department shows
deliveries by the manufacturers on
war contracts as follows:
Packard Motor Car Company, 6,500
engines; Lincoln Motor Company, 6.
500; Ford Motor Company, 3,950;
General Motors Company, 2,528; Nor
dyke-Marmon Company, 1,000.
The statement says contracts for
additional airplanes, engines, and en
gine spare parts to a value of $266,
961,771 had been cancelled. The total
value of air service material contracts
cancelled up to March 22 was $500,
000,000.
“Giving wedding presents is a con
stant strain on my purse," sighed the
cynnical bachelor, “still, it is more
blessed to give than to receive.”
PLEASANT CHAPEL ITEMS.
Miss Rose Bryan' left Wednesday
en route for her mountain home at
Marshall.
Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Hatcher are all
smiles. It’s a girl.
Misses Hester Smith and Annie
Smith, of Goldsboro, spent the week
end with Mrs. Alice Eason and attend
ed the commencement exercises at
Pleasant Chapel.
Little Mary Catherine Eason is a
welcome guest in our midst after hav
ing spent the winter with her grand
mother, Mrs. Mary Smith, of Golds
boro, while her mother has been teach
ing at Pleasant Chapel.
We are sorry to note that Mrs. Wil
lie Gordon is quite sick. We hope for
her a speedy recovery.
The flu is in our midst again. Mr.
James Batten’s people are in with the
flu.
Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Price spent the
week-end with Mr. J. Pittman near
Lowell Mill.
Quite a number of our people at
tended the union meeting at Micro
and Beulah.
Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Eason spent
Sunday with relatives in Live Oak
section.
The children of Pleasant Chapel
school were treated to chocolate can
dy last Thursday by their teachers,
Mrs. Alice Eason and Miss Rose
Bryan, for promptness. Just think
of an enrollment of 95 pupils and not
a tardy—what other rural school can
go ahead of the new school along that
line that hasn’t stringent rules.
Prof. L. T. Royall was a welcome
visitor to our school March 28.
We have had the motion pictures
twice at our school. We as a section
are grateful to our teachers, who
helped to get the motion pictures at
our school. The community highly
appreciates the pictures. Our dis
trict was organized to look after
community work in connection with
the pictures. The following persons
were elected: Mr. T. H. Helm, chair
man; Mr. Isham Hatcher, M. G. H.
Edwards, Mrs. Alice Eason, Commit
tee.
The Pleasant Chapel basket ball
team wishes to call Brown School cor
respondent’s attention to the error in
announcing their score. It was 7 to 4
and not 7 to 3 as printed. Also that
no other match game has been play
ed. Brown team came on Saturday
after Chapel's ball came Friday, but
no match game played as reported.
Miss Graham Smith returned to her
home last Saturday, having spent the
winter with her sister, Mrs. Alice
Eason.
CORRESPONDENT.
Selma, Route 3.
Mr. Lawrence Barbour Dead.
Mr. Lawrence Barbour, son of Mr.
and Mrs. B. A. Barbour, died at his
home a few miles from Clayton, last
Saturday night, of influenza-pneumo
nia. having been sick for about a
week.
Mr. Barbour, who lived near Oak
land church, was about thirty years
old, and one of the most promising
young men of his neighborhood, and
was a man who wan generally liked
and respected by those who knew him.
He is survived by his wife and several
children, a father and mother and sev
eral brothers.
The funeral services were conduct
ed Sunday afternoon by Rev. J. E. La
nier, interment being made in the
cemetery at Baptist Center.—Clayton
News, 3rd.
Raleigh to Have “Flying Circus.”
Raleigh is one of the cities selected
over which Victory Loan air flight
has been scheuled.
The “battles” in the sky will con
sist of two stages. Slow flying Amer
ican planes will be driven by a fleet
of capital German fokkers, which in
turn will be attacked by speedy Amer
ican planes piloted by American,
French and British “aces.” Battle
formations will be duplicated, a sharp
skirmish will ensue, and a guaranteed
alHied victory will wind up each per
formance. Victory Ix>an literature
will be scattered over every city visit
ed by the “flying circuses.’*
War Motion Picture.
“The Price of Peace,” a wonderful
motion picture which is being used
throughout the country during the
Victory Loan campaign, will be seen
in a number cf North Carolina cities.
Lieutenant Burgess, of the 113th Field
Artillery, of Raleigh, has consented to
serve as State film chairman for this
war loan.
Woman’s Missionary Council M. E.
Church.
Approximately 250 visiting dele
gates are attending the sessions of
the annual conference of the Woman’s
Missionary Council of the M. E.
Church, South, now in session at
Memphis, Tenn.
PEACE TREATY TO
BE READY SOON
London is Very Optimistic on Peace
Program—The Great Powers Are
Agreed on the Leading Issues—
Italy and the Jugo-Slav Question
Still Open.
London, April 5.—I learn on the
highest authority that there is every
prospect that the peace treaty will be
ready by next Wednesday or Thurs
day. The statements, current in cer
tain quarters, that there is disagree
ment between France and England on
essential points may be dismissed as
without foundation. On all the lead
ing issues there is complete agree
ment, which will be embodied in the
document which is now receiving final
consideration by the Council of Four.
There is agreement with regard to
the status of the Saar coal fields and
reparation to France for destruction
in the invaded territory. A basis for
a solution of this later problem on
equitable terms, acceptable to all con
cerned, has been arrived at and only
remains to be incorporated in the final
treaty.
There is still outstanding the ques
tion of the Adriatic coast, where Italy
has been at odds with the Jugo-Slavs.
There are, however, no unsettled ques
tions that present very serious difficul
ties. That of Danzig has been set
tled. The Allies’ right to uso the
port for the landing of the Polish di
visions has been formally maintained,
but to hasten the arrival of the troops
it has been decided to use the land
routes as proposed by Germany. The
use of Danzig is, however, still open
should the necessity arise.
I understand that Lloyd George, af
ter the peace terms are agreed upon
and before their final signature, will
return to London and make a state
ment to the House of Commons and
then return to Paris for the final for
mal stages of the treaty. It will be
found that the Premier and Mr. Bal
four have insisted on the fullest rec
ognition of the rights of Great Brit
ain in regard to indemnification
Have a Real Home on Your 1 an* w
A farm with an unpainted house
standing in an open field in the glar
ing sunshine, with cotton rows run
ning up near to it, no green grass, no
trees, nor shrubbery, and not a flower
blooming around it, is a place the boys
and girls of the family will embrace
the first opportunity to escape from.
Especially will this be the case
with the girls if the interior of the
house corresponds with the exterior,
for much of the beauty and comfort
of the home depends on the women
having a chance to beautify the inte
rior. The farmer in such a place as
I have described may by the most
rigid economy accumulate money, and
may get a reputation among his
neighbors as a good farmer, simply
because he has made some money.
But he has missed life, real life, and
has simply been grubbing after filthy
lucre. He has failed to make a home,
and from the old house that was sim
ply a shelter, the boys and girls will
leave him to himself after a while,
and would not be manly boys nor wo
manly women if they did not. . For
the boys and girls are catching the
spirit that is abroad in the South, and
will leave the old shelter and be
making real homes for themselves.
Painting the house is not only add
ing to its appearance but is important
in adding durability to the woodwork.
A dwelling should be painted every
three years at least.
Then make a pretty grass lawn
about the house, especially a good
sweep of grass showing from th#
front windows. While trees and
shrubbery are important and desira
ble, do not smother the whole front
with trees, but keep some open lawn
there and plant tree and shrubbery as
a framework for the lawn. In our
Southern homes we use the porches
more for shade than the trees, and we
do not want the breeze smothered out
by too thick planting of trees.
Flowering shrubbery along the base
of the house greatly helps the appear
ance of the house itself, and with a
variety that bloom in succession from
early spring till late summer the
shrubbery can be made very attract
ive and interesting. Then to the sides
of the dwelling have some flower beds
largely of the hardy herbaceous plants
that come up aj\d bloom every year,
with some of the summer flowering
bulbs like the old Madonna lily and
gladiolus, and on the shady side of the
house a bed of the lily of the valley.—
The Progressive Farmer.
To give happiness and to do good,
there is our only law, our anchor of
savation, our beacon light, our reason
for existing; our religions may crum
ble away; so long as this survives, we
have still an ideal, and life is worth
living.—Amiel.