North Carolina Newspapers

EreggSi nrUTT 17XTT17D DD TQI? l^r-subJipuo^rrt^l JL I I tv/ JC^-L^I X i^lx w -KlXi^jlJ Advertiser* Will Find Our Col umn* A Latchkey To Over 1,900 Home* Of Martin County. VOLUME XL1II?NUMBER S3 Williamtton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, July 2, 1940. ESTABLISHED 1899 County's 1940 Tax Rate Is Fixed at $1.45 No Appropriation For Sewing Room Project In Budget > ? Comiuiegionert* Receive Many Requests For Roads At Meeting Monday ? Martin County1* tax rate lor the new fiscal year was fixed at $1.45 by the board of commissioners in reg ular session here yesterday, the fi nal adoption of the budget being de layed pending the submission of a financial schedule to the general i public. The rate, same as it was for the fiscal year just ended, was adopt ed by the commissioners before funds were definitely allocated to the various departments. A preliminary review of the bud get figures shows slight reductions in the general fund and bond prin cipal-interest requirements. The de crease in the general fund require ments makes possible a reduction of about two cents in the tax fate, but the decrease in that department was virtually offset by increased de mands coming from the welfare di vision and general poor fund. De spite this increase in the poor fund, the authorities are of the sincere opinion that the appropriation will not prove adequate in meeting the anticipated increase in demands. No appropriation was included in the budget for a $2,800 sewing room project for the new fiscal year, the action of the authorities automatical ly closing up the room which has proved of marked value to eighteen or nineteen seamstresses and hun dreds of others who received wear ing apparel manufactured in the sewing room. The commissioners ex plained that the project could not be financed by the county without a boost of at least two cents in the tax rate, and they had virtually ruled against any rate increase at a spec ial meeting of their body last week. Meeting for a discussion of the bud get figures last week, the commis sioners delayed action in the mat ter, hoping at that time that suffi cient reductions could be effected' in other departments to care for the $2,800 in the list of appropriations. Those reductions were not to be found during a diligent search over the week-end, and the sewing room is to suspnd activities. An official budget estimate, based on an assessed property valuation of $12,200,000, will be made public within the next two or three weeks. Aside from the budget, the com missioners heard much about the condition of the roads, several del egations appearing before them in behgjf of improvements on various roads. Supported by a petition carrying -OS names, a Cross Roads group ask ed the commissioners to plead with the State Highway and Public Works Commission for a surfaced road from Highway No. 64, near the coun ty home, to Cross Roads, a distance of about seven miles. 'Thirteen petitioners appealed to the hoard memhers, urging them in have the road from No. 90 Filling Station on the Jamesville-William ston Highway to the Griffin Road improved. Another request to the commis sioners was for the improvement of a road leading from Luther Hardi aon's farm in Jamesville Township to the highway. And still another request was re ceived by the commissioners for the improvement of a road leading from the Parmele colored school to the highway, the petitioners pointing out that the children now have to cross four railroad tracks when they go to and from the school Fabian A. Barnhill was appointed constable for Cross Roads Township, the term to expire December 1, 1940. Bond in the sum of $900 was tender ed by the appointee. Clarence Wallace, disabled war veteran, was relieved of filling sta tion taxes. Board Of Education In Regular Session ? Meeting in regular session here yeaterday, the Martin County Board of Education handling a routine schedule of duties, cleared its desk and moved to Parmele to inspect the new colored, school building now un der construction there. The members remained in session for quite a while awaiting a delega tion from Everetts for a discussion of the application for the re-estab liahment of a high school in the county town. Through some misun derstanding, the Everetts group did not appear until in the afternoon when a meeting with the board of commissioners was arranged. Reports from Parmele state that work on the new building there is progressing rapidly .The foundation has been finished and the building is complete up to the first floor. In the WPA forces, cooperating with the county in the construction of the building, have made thousands of cement blocks that will be used In the structure. Temporary Shift in Battle Fronts Follows Invasion of Rumania by Russia, Delaying Promised Blitzkrieg Against British Isles The death-dealing blitxkrieg expected by the British Isles ov er the week-end according to Adolf Hitler's promises, did not materialise, Russia's Red Army stepping into Rumania to ap parently effect a shift in the bat tlefronts for a temporary per iod, at least. Activities in Eu rope today are In a greater mud dle than ever, and it is now be lieved that the raging conflict has gotten out of Hitler's and Mussolini's bounds and that war within war will follow before the present week is spent. While its full meaning is not known, the Russian invasion is recognised as a valuable aid to England Just now, and that Hit ler and Mussolini are greatly worried over the developments of recent days and hours. It would appear from late re ports that Germany is openly or secretly moving equipment, mostly planes, to Rumania for that country's defense. Whether developments there will bring a German-Russian clash remains to be seen, but the stare is ap parently being set for an ex panding war front that will pos sibly see the Balkan powder keg explode with a renewed fury and with greater human suffer - tag Russia has already advanced far enough into Rumania to dis turb the flow of supplies into Germany from Rumania, and) that alone is recognised as the greatest gain in months for Brit ain in her drive to establish a blocade around Hitler Gaining little from a military standpoint, Germany has estab lished claims to have establish ed her foot on British soil by oc cupying two small Channel Is lands between France and Eng land. The alleged capture of the small areas was effected by parachute troops. Bombing raids by both Germany and England continue, but no gains of any importance have been made by either side, one report stating that a number of civilians had been killed In a day-light raid over England yesterday. Although Germany is tem porarily occupied with the Rus sian-Rumanian situation she is advancing what might be an effective bloeade against the British Isles. German submar ines. inactive these past several weeks, are being heard from more often, and it is believed that that type of warfare will constitute the first phase of the blitzkrieg attack on the last post of civilisation between Ameri ca and the German barbarians. Unofficial reports stale thai Germany had destroyed near ly 200,000 tons of British ship ping in recent days, that Eng land has destroyed thirteen Ital ian submarines since Mussolini stabbed the Allies in the back. Late reports state that tension in the Balkans is not so great since Hungary has been virtual ly forced to refrain from at tacking Rumania. Second Roundup Of Drunks In County Over The Week-end! Fight* and Loud Diftturbuncea Mar Week-end Peace of The Community Fights, knife attacks and drunks cept local police and county officers >n the run during the week-end. the county jail blotter recording the lames of six alleged violators of the aw. Five of the six were charged with >eing drunk, one report declaring hat three had "puaoud out" und were bund lying along the highways. A iixth person falling into the hands )f the law stands charged with vio ating the liquor laws. Other disturb inces were reported and arrests are ?xpected shortly. A climax to the week-end disturb ances was reached Saturday about uidnight when John Pruden, 40 pear-old Eden ton Negro, was trap ped on Washington ^Street following i fight between Pruden and Bill Ifrews. While Crews fell into the lands of the law about 10 o'clock following a Washington Street fight. Pruden went to his temporary home, racked his earthly belongings and Chowan County. Friends of Crews readily agreed to help officers catch lim, and they established a watch in the railroad just off Watts Street. In due time, Pruden made his way iown the railroad and was overhaul *d by the two men, friends of Crews. After talking a minute or two, one if the two men grabbed Pruden's luitcase and started running up Watts Street. Pruden, anxious to re cover his earthly belongings' and fearing harm at the hands of the (Continued on page six) Merchants Perfected Organization Friday GENERAL HOLIDAY ) A lone 'not schedule with nothing special to do will fea ture the Wednesday afternoon and inly 4 holiday for general business workers here. No cele bration has been booked here, and as far as It could be learn ed no programs are being plan ned In this immediate section. The only features on the en tertainment card locally will be a baseball game tomorrow eve ning at g:15 o'clock and anoth er on Thursday night at the same McNary Is Candidate For Vice President After spending a greater part of the week handling arrangements and electing a nominee for the Pres idency, the Republican National Con vention in Philadelphia was unani mous in its selection for a vice-pres idential nominee. Senator Charles L, McNary, of Oregon, accepted the nomination, but it was apparent that lit'did not seek the secondary spot in the party's political line-up. Candidates for the presidential nomination refused the second place, and McNary was drafted for Wen dell L. Willkie's running mate. Chamber Commerce Holds Regular Meet Here That Evening Directors Plan Cooperative Campaign with Tobacco Board of Trade The organization of a Williams ton Merchants' group was perfected at a meeting of the local chamber of commerce held in the agricultural building last Friday evening when the directors expressed a willing ness to cooperate with the tobacco board of trade in advancing the to bacco market during the coming season. No definite plans for launching an advertising campaign for the to bacco market were adopted. Howev er, the meeting discussed a tentative program which will await a meet ing of the tobacco board of trade. The secretary, Billte Clark, and Frank J. Margolis were named as a committee to meet with the board of trade iD an effort to effect a clos er cooperation in advancing the market during the season opening September 3. The tobacco board of trade is expected to perfect its or ganization within the next few days, and it is possible that the directors of the commerce organization will (Continued on paga tlx) Timely Questions a ndA nswers On the Tobacco Referendum timely questions and answers hav ing to do with the tobacco referen dum to be held on Saturday, July 20, are submitted for consideration by Martin County farmers, as fol lows: What are important facts in the present flue-cured situation? How will (he Situation be affected if marketing quotas ARE voted? If quotas are voted for three years, domestic manufacturers can pay fair price! for their tobacco without fear of excessive production during the period. ?If quotas are voted for tnroe years, the export trade will be more like ly to make purchases a} reasonable prices, and the government can bet ter give maximum support to prices for the export grades. Under three-year quotas growers could make their plans without fear of drastic changt*s from year to year. Non-cooperators could not profit at the expense of cooperating grow ers. If quotas are approved for only one year rather than three years, allotments would be less stable, prices would be strengthened less and the support given to the export side of the market would be less. Who is eligible to vote in the ref erendum and what questions will be voted on? ? Any farmer who will share in the proceeds of the 1940 tobacco crop. There will be three questions on the ballot used in the referendum and each eligible farmer will vote by marking only one of the questions. Any eligible farmer who is for quotas for three years will mark Question 1. Any eligible farmer who is against quotas for three years but for the quota for one year will mark Ques tion 2. Any eligible farmer who is against any quota will mark Question 3. Heavy Liquor Purcha*e$ Hade To Head Off Taxea Learning that a tax increase would become effective on July 1, con sumers made heavy liquor purchases Tn most of the ABC stores through out the wet territory last Saturday In Raleigh, the stores were jammed at times when as many as two and three hundred customers lined up to make the maximum purchases, in many cases. The stores there report ed their largest sales. Sales in the local store last Satur day were double those of the Satur day before, but the business for the day did not approach anything near a record, one report stating that bus iness had been considerably less fol lowing a mill fire here recently Child Seriously Hurt In Accident The five-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Vance Moore, 0(4near Hamil ton, was seriously hurt when the car in which he was riding turned over near Scotland Neck the latter part of last week. Reports reaching here stated that the little fellow's head was caught in the door of the car, and that he was rendered un conscioua. Mrs. Moore, driver of the par, and three other children riding with her, were bruised and shocked but not badly hurt. Driving toward Scotland Neck, Mrs. Moore was said to have turn ed around to correct one of the chil dren in the back seat. The car ran off the road and in trying to steer, it out of a sand bed she lost control The child was carried to a Rocky reported slightly improved the child's condition is still regarded as serious, according to last reports re ceived here. ' Tobacco Curing Season Is Started In This County Tobacco harvesting ia getting underway In the county this week, but the special task Is off to a mighty slow start, accord ing to reports coming from far ed living in nearly every sec tion of the county. Farmer Bud Mobley, of Cross Roads, said last week-end that he would harvest the lugs from about three acres today. As far as it could be learned, Mr. Mob ley Is the first Martin fanner to harvest any of the ltM crop. Fanner Howard Taylor, also of the Cross Roads community, plans to harvest his first barn this week. The crop, as a whole. Is from two to three weeks late, and harvesting activities will hard ly get underway In this county on an appreciable scale before the middle or third week In this month, depending upon the wea ther conditions. According to reports, the crop broken, Is about as good as It Is over the section. A late crop Is being reported in Georgia where the outlook is hardly as good as It was last Tobacco Markets Open In Eastern Belt September 3 Annual Meeting of the United I State** Tobacco \t*t*oria tion Heart* Fieklen The local tobacco market along with others in the Eastern Belt will open on Tuesday, September 3. for the 1MQ marketing season, accord - ing to a schedule of opening dates determined by the Tobacco Associa tion of the United States in annual meeting at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, last week-end. The opening here is almost two weeks later than the one last year. Opening dates for markets in oth er belts were announced, as follows: Georgia, August 8, South Carolina, j August 20, Middle Belt, September 17; Old Belt, September 24. and dark fired Virginia. November 25. In connection with the plans for opening the markets, the associa tion sales committee recommended , that the daily selling period should not exceed six hours. Addressing the meeting James S Fieklen, president of the organiza tion, said that tobacco growers in this country were facing the immed iate prospect of losing from two thirds to three-fourths of the total tobacco exports. He continued: "If it develops that neither Great Britain nor the countries now occu pied by Germany can import any of the 1940 crop, which seems like ly, and the other countries of the world do not increase their pur chases, and it seems unlikely that they will?China being a possible exception?our total exports will drop to approximately 120 million pounds, of which other types will account for 50 million pounds and flue-cured 70 million .pounds" He said that "it is not known whe ther exchange will be provided for the 170 million pounds of leaf which British firms hold under option. "It is possible that a production quota may be put into effect restrict ing the output to a lower figure for the duration of the war," he eontin ued. "If credit arrangements can be made, and 1 hope this will be possi ble, whereby payment in the form of exchange is not required to take de livery of the tobacco under option it seems less likely that a quota will be invoked. "How much of this lost business will eventually be regained depends entirely upon the outcome of the war. An ultimate loss seems inevit- j able. It is purely a question of the extent of the loss." Under present disturbed condi tion, Fieklen said, "it appears jjrob able that the Commodity Credit Cor poration will again find it necessary to buy from the 1940 crop probably confining their purchases to the ex port types as they did last yrar. "While such action on the part of the government seems fully warrant ed and absolutely necessary now, it must be remembered that we can not operate indefinitely under a pol icy of piling up surpluses in the hands of the government without bringing an ultimate day of reckon ing. "A referendum has been called (Continued on page six) Board Approves High School For Everetts Interested Patrons Now Await Action By State Authority Tentative PIuiih (lull For Second Visit To Kuleifth On July I Bill Patrons of the Everett* School dis trict, interested in the rc-establish ment nf their hiah school, came a step nearer to their goal here yes terday when they appeared before th Martin County Board of Commis sioners and asked that adequate room be provided for the higher grades. The board passed a resolu tion ordering the transfer of funds from the maintenance of plant fund to the capital outlay fund in the 1940 41 budget to provide necessary facil ities for housing the high school de partment. The resolution was pass ed on the condition that the re-es tablishmcnt of the school is sanction ed and approved by the State School Commission. Getting their "ducks in a row" back home, the interested school pa trons are now expected to reappear before the commlsstun nrRaleigh on Thursday, July 18, to further sup port their claim. As far as it could be learned here no arrangements have been made for advancing the (Continued on page six) FIRST BLOSSOM The recent dry weather may have delayed crops in general but apparently cotton has been growing right along.'The first blossom of the season was dls played here last Saturday by Farmer Ira Rogerson who pick ed It from his fields a short while before on the old Kiddick farm near Wllllamxton. The flrxt blossom is two days later than the flrxt one last sea son and a week later than the flrsi one found In 1938. Town Calling For Delinquent Taxes Holding a brief session here last evening, the local town commission ers issued a call for delinquent taxes, the authorities directing the tax col lectors to start a drive for the past due accounts. It was not definitely stated whether legal proceedings will be advanced to furelose accounts. Two members of the board, Messrs. L,. P. I.indsley and N- C. Green, -ware unavoidably detained and could not be present for the meeting, and no discussion of the new fiscal year budget was held. Budget problems will be delayed until an audit is completed some time during the cur rent month. Mass Meeting Favors (>roj) Control Program Population Count In Martin County Cains 12 Per Cent Population increases were gen eral throughout this county for the ten-year period ending last April 1, according to a prelimi nary census report released this week by Denton W. Lupton, su pervisor. Washington. Jumping from 23.338 in 1330 to 26.094 as of April 1. this year, the popula tlon shows a gain of 2.696 for the ten-year period or a gain of al most twelve per cent. A considerable portion of the gain is centered in Williamston where the population figures show an increase of nearly 46 per cent over the 1930 count. The increase in Williamston Is not quite half of the total gain for the county, this fact indicat ing that the upward trend was fairly grneral over the county. A break down of the figures has not been released by the supervisor other than for the town of Williamston where the count jumped from 2.731 in 1930 to 3,996 this year. Complete fig ures for the several incorporat ed towns and for the districts are expected within the next few days from the office of the district director. Church Attendance Continues Decline, Minister Reports Slight (..ilii INoti<'?'<l in Nilm Imt Vttriiding \ urioti Siiiulav School Bv RKV. Z. T. PIKIMIOH PrenbyU-rian MInistrr Then- was an?mireuse?*4?m? per cent in Sunday School attend , a nee and an increase of 33 per cent j in the attendance upon the Young ' People's services. In the only pray er meeting attendance reported there was an increase of 00 per cent, the Holiness Church reporting 80 in attendance. There was, however, a decrease in J churclv attendance both at the morn ing und evening services. Following is the report hy?the churches: Church 8.S. Y.P. A.M. PM Baptist 104 13 102 40 Christian 111 0 HO 32 Episcopal 18 43 Holiness Methodist 1 1ft 77 10 70 48 Presbyterian 20 34 Totals 440 41 320 120 Prev. Sun. 420 30 352 152 Taken as a whole there were (55 more persons in attendance upon the various sei'vieen hud Sunday than tin Sunday before Why not make the increase great er next Sunday? No Sunday holiday trip offers greater enjoyment or serene peace of mind than the^hours of worship Nearly 200 Farmers IK 'ar Dai I and Su cur TP Here l^ast Evening r Tlir?*<'-N rur IViiitrniii To Of IW Slul>ili/.?*<l ami \crcajit' (,(n?i!a? ^Holding a mass meeting in the ^ntintv rrviirthniivn h.?V^ lost nighfr 200 Martin County farmers and bus iness men unanimously endorsed a three-year tobacco control program and "'clearly intimated that they would cooperate in placing this court ty in the control column by a vote approximating 100 per cent. Led by Messrs Haywood Da 11, the old crop campaign waf horse. and B. B Sugg, of Greenville, the meeting displayed u marked interest in the program. But the group was warned that indifference could not be shown if the referendum on July 20 is to | he won. Several warehousemen and I business leaders appeared before the meeting, including* Messrs. Mayo Little. D. V. Clayton and Sam E Everett. They urged the farmers and others to show a keen interest in the I serious problem now facing the to bacco territory. In speaking to the meeting, Mr. Sugg stated that his topic was not a j pleasant one, that we faced a serious crisis. "But I do hot feel that the sit uation is hopeless." he assured the large crowd. He reviewed the trials and tribulations of tobacco farmers from 1931 up to the present, and told how an appealing plea to the gov ernment had been answered. "The tobacco situation today is far more serious than ever before, including the early thirties, but there is one escape," Mr. Sugg said. "If we vote for a thryc-year program the gov - ernment will again furnish aid. and ntrw?that export business1 to eight or ten countries has been wrecked by Germany, we can place a greater value on the government's willing ness to help us," he sipd. 1 am mil trying In mislead one," he told his listeners, "but if the plan 'is defeated I dare say that conditions right here will he worse than there were during the Civil War," he added. "It is likely that the auction markets will remain open j no longer than one day, and no help I from the government can be expect ed if the program is defeated," the I speaker said The loss of acreage due to a brok ?n program was reviewed, Mr. Sugg 'pointing out that thousands of acres had been lost to old growers. He pre sented an appealing case for Great Bil'tain when he said that her defeat meant more to us than we even real ?e He referred to the welfare of the <gcd, tTTo women a/id cl? iIdren ? the conquered territories, and asked. "What will become ui the Imperial Tobacco Company and our kindred across the seas if Germany wins? How can we be indifferent under such conditions? How can we remain indifferent when the removal of the Imperial from our markets means iulfei ing lor us. !n|' nui women and hildren? "The tobacco trade is despondent, >ut the situation is not hopeless. We mist do something and that some King is to voir for a three-year pro [rarii. If wr stand?together we will vifl.^'Mr Sugg concluded. "The present crisis is to be solved jy us," M r Dai I said in taking the loor. "And if we vote for a three program, d 1 guaranteed is good a price as last year and no ?-eduction in acreage. If we vote for i one-year program, we will receive . STS money f?nH ? ten per rent re iuction in acreage. If we defeat the (Continued on page six) ? Mrs. Frank Bowen Dies In Hospital ??? Mi*. Sadie Bowcn, widow of Frank Bowcn, died in a local hospital this morning at 2:30 o'clock following an illness of only a few hours. Suffer ing a stroke of paralysis at her home in Bear Grass late yesterday afternoon, Mrs Bowcn was removed to the hospital for treatment, death cuming peaceably a few hours ia ler. She had'been in apparently her usual health up until she was strick en. The daughter of the late Stanley and Jane Chcsson Riddick. she was bom in Washington County 63 years ago. She married in early woman hood and moved to this county where she spent a greater part of her life in the Bear Grass community. She was a member of the Christian church in Washington County for forty years. Mrs. Bower led a sim ple but beautiful life, and waa held in high esteem by all who knew her. She is survived by one daughter, Mrs. A. C. Harrison, of Bear Grass, and a brother. C. G Riddick, at Washington County. Funeral services will be conduct ed tomorrow afternoon at 2:J0 o'clock from the home by Rev. War ren Davis. Interment will follow in the Bowen family cemetery in I Grass.