North Carolina Newspapers

Watch The Label , On Your Paper. As It Carries The Dete Your Subscription Expiree THE ENTERPRISE Advertisers Will rind Our Col umns A Latchkey To Over 1.600 Homes Of Martin County. VOLUME XLIV?NUMBER 28 W'Uliam$lon, Martin County, ISorth Carolina, Tuenlay, April 8, 1V41. ESTABLISHED 1899 Town Board Issues Call For Nominating Convention April 17 Discus Varied Program At Regular Meeting Here Lat?t Night A call to life for town politics was sounded by the commissioners in reg ular session last night when they ordered a nominating convention held in the courthouse at 8 o'clock on the night of Thursday. April 17. The order finds quietness prevailing over the political front, but there's no telling what will follow as the biennial high spot in town politics is reached. An announcement by his honor. Mayor Hassell, is expected momentarily, but members of the board are remaining quiet. The con vention is scheduled to nominate candidates for mayor, and the five positions on the board. The election machinery was set up last night with J. E. Pope as registrar, and R T Griffin and J T. Price as judges of election. The registration books are to open next Saturday, and the election is to follow on the first Tues day after the first Monday in May. The commissioners last night pledged the county commissioners their cooperation in rounding up dogs unlisted on the books for taxation. Possibly a dog census will be held, the authorities agreeing that all un claimed dogs should be disposed of along with a few that turn over gar bage cans and run at large. by the town will put up a $400 serv ice deposit for the lights at the ball park, the project being rated as a self-liquidating one. It was pointed out that under the arrangement, the ball club can purchase electricity at the rate of one cent a kilowatt where as it would cost five cents under pri vate contract. A new parking system for the town's main street was proposed, and it is understood that a slight varia tion in the parking angles will be tested It was proposed to establish parallel parking on one side of the street and leave the 45-degreC angle system untouched on the other side, but a 35-degree angle for both sides will be put into practice instead. A one-way drive for Tassell lane was ordered and the board plans to surface the lane running off Church Street between the Barnes and Crockett homes. Bids for a deep well will be receiv ed by the commissioners at a special - session?tomorrow morning at 1Q_ o'clock, the board being advised that arrangements had been effected for carrying on the street and water department improvements in coop eration with the Works Progress Ad ministration Plans for financing the completion of the Negro recreational center building were considered, but they will be delayed pending required ac tion on the part of the sponsors. ? Trainees Leave For Fort Bragg Today Ten young Martin County men left here shortly before noon today for Fort Bragg where they will play their parts in the defense of the coun try. In the group were, Robert Bail ey. Steve Elias Stevenson, Thomas LeRoy Taylor. Willis Robert Cran dall. Dallas Gaylord Waters, Eddie Gurley Leggett. Ben Ollie Cobtfrn, Johnnie Thomas Mobley, William Daniel Peel and Jimmie Linasey Dickens. All ten of the trainees re ported on time to round out the first quota call for white men from this county this month. William Ernest Davis, Charlie Vemon Whitehurst, William Edward Ross and Marion Oscar Hyman were called as replacements, but they were not needed. Seventy-four young men from all over northeastern North Carolina left the bus terminal here this morn ing for Fort Bragg. They are being Joined by twenty more at Wilson. The contingent, traveling in three big busses, was the largest to move through here since the first quota . was filled last December. ^VF'ifJefii colored trainees are sched utedto leave the county on April 17, and they Will be followed by four white trainees on the 18th Organize Red Cross Production Center Perfecting it* organization this week, the Martin County Chapter of the Red Cross is now making ready to launch a production unit here within the next few days, Mrs. A. R. Dunning, chairman, announced this morning. Materials for the produc tion center have been shipped, and operations should get underway shortly, 'Ars. Dunning explained. The production unit organization is, as follows: Mrs. A. R. Dunning, chairman: Mrs. G. H. Harrison, vice chairman: knitting, Mrs. Victor Champion and Mrs. Robert Everett; sewing, Mrs. Cortez Green and Mrs. Francis Barnes, cutting, supplies and planning, Mrs. L. B. Harrison and Mrs. H. L- Swain; county sewing su pervisor, miss Lora Sleeper; junior red cross. Miss Madge Glazner; work room and equipment, Mrs. John Ward and Mrs. Ray Goodmon, pack ing and shipping. Mrs. Abner Brown and Mrs. C. G. Crockett. I Blue Mold Reported in Plant Beds on Martin County Farms According to reliable but unoffi cial reports blue mold has made its appearance in Martin County tobac co plant beds in the Hassell-Hamil ton area, the disease aggravating a situation that has already been de scribed as serious. Their plants ranging in size hardly larger than a thin dime, farmers, questioned this week, stated that they could not tell even if the mold had uttacked their plant beds. It is a little bit early for the disaese in this county, many be lieve, but reports from Georgia and the border state that the mold is spreading rapidly The disease was positively identified in Robeson County the middle of last week, and in Georgia where the farmers start ed transplanting operations last week I a serious plant shortage is feared. Reports from this county, as a whole, maintain that the plants are | late and that even with favorable I weather and without blue mold at tacks, transplanting will be delayed i at least two weeks. Only two types of treatment have . State extension workers are said to have offered their services in helping check blue mold, but as far as it could be learned this morning, the office of the county agent has : not arranged demonstrations in this county. | been proven effective in controlling blue mold. One is a spray treatment using a yellow copper oxide solu lion. However, the spray treatment is only effective as a preventive, and will not cure the disease after it has attacked the plants in a tobacco bed The other treatment is by fumiga tion with either benzol or a chem ical known as paradichlorobenzene. commonly ca41ed "PD.B" It will control the disease after the plant bed has become infected. Few Registrants Are Plaeed In First Class REFERENDUM A referendum on peanut pro duction control will be held throughout the producing areas on Saturday, April 26. according to information received here last week-end from Mayon Parker, president of the North Carolina - Virginia Growers Peanut Coop erative. The date for the referendum was fixed by the Agricultural Adjustment Administration fol lowing a meeting with Mr. Par ker and representatives of grow ers from other states in Atlanta last Friday afternoon. A special communication announcing the date for holding the referendum c xplained that with a favorable vote "pegged price will con tinue." Without favorable vote, "law says there can be no pegged price or diversion program." Contagious Disease P Cases Shoot Upward The spread of contagious diseases in Martin County last month reach ed a new high for recent years, ser iously affecting the sehool attend ance in some sections and almost causing a shut-down of one or two school plants. As far as it can be learned, few if any deaths followed the wave of whooping cough, diph theria, measles and a few allied dis eases of a communicable nature. Sixty contagious disease cases were reported according to the records filed with the county board of health. And strange as it may seem in the Oak City section where the authorities were said to have con sidered closing the schools on ac count of measles not a single case of the disease is included in the health department's records. Following is the health depart ment's March report on contagious or reportable disease: one tubercu losis case among the white popula tion in Williamston; fifteen cases of whooping cough, five in Roberson ville, six in the Williamston rural community and four in the town of Williamston, all white; thirty-seven cases of measles, Williamston, 13 white and five colored; Roberson ville, 14 white; Palmyra, one color ed; Everetts, four white; diphtheria, three white in Williamston rural community; three chickenpox, one white near Williamston and two col ored in Jamesville; one scarlet fever near Williamston Old Welfare Board In Final Session Meeting in final session here yes terday, the Martin County Welfare Board handled routine duties and made ready for the recently appoint ed group. Seven new old age assist ance applications were approved and two others were increased. Si* new aid to dependent children cases were accepted and one grant was increas ed At the present time there are 204 aged persons and 162 dependent chil dren receiving aid in the county un der the welfare program. Tendering his resignation. Rev. E. C. Shoe issued a formal statement, expressing his appreciation for the opportunity of having served as a member of the board, and pleaded ing the work of the department in the future. Appointed by the county commis sioners, Mr. I. Mayo Little officially enters upon his new duties as a member of the board next month. Mrs. Wheeler Martin, re-appointed by the State department, was elect ed chairman of the county unit for the next two years. Mr W. .Robert Everett, a third member, was re elected by the county welfare board. The budget for the coming year was discussed subject to approval of the county commissioners. Board Investigates Claims Of Thirteen Men To Dependency Hoard Announce* Clu**ifi<-u lion* After Kximiiiiiii^ tt2.? Otic*lioiiutiirc? . ??? Literally swamped with work and detail, the Martin County Draft Board office last week-end announc ed the results of the classification of 425 registrants handled earlier in the week. One hundred and twenty three men 43 white and 80 colored were placed in the No. 1 A group, the list having appeared last week. Two white men were placed in Class I D, one white man in Class 2-A, and 277 men 147 white and 121 col ored were placed in Class 3-A. Sev en white men were placed in Class 4 F These classes represent 400 registrants, the remaining 25 ques tionnaires either are pending or were cleared by death or enlistments Willie Thompson, colored, answered the supreme draft call, a call that everyone will answer, sooner or la ter. Eleven men whose order num bers ranged from 400 to 825 had en listed in the service. Final classifica tion of thirteen others is being de layed pending an ..investigated of de pendency calims. In the latter group, the board does not say the dependen- j cy claims are unfounded, but the an- ! swers in the questionnaires offered insufficient proof of dependency and j the welfare office will ne asked to j check the claims. Following is an explanation of the classes into which registrants are di vided, based on answers in the ques tionnaires: Class No. 1?Those persons avail able for immediate training and serv ice in the land or naval forces sub ject, of course, to physical examina tions. Class No. 2?Those persons defer red because the public interest is best served by them staying at then regular work. Class No. 3?Those persons defer red because others are dependant upon them for support. Class No. 4?Those deferred from military service either by the law it self or for physical disability, or oth er reasons. The classifications, effected by the draft board last week, appear as fol lows, excepting those in No 1 -A which appeared last issue: White?Clam I I) Benjamin Everett Manning, Wil- I hamston; James Davenport Walters,! Jamesville, and Chester Grant Sears, j Hamilton White?Class 2-A William Council Haislip, Hamil- ; ton; White?Claw 3-A Marvin Henry Leggett. Robert Clarence Barber, Richard Milton , (Continued on page four) German Drive Into Yugoslavia Gaining On Blitzkrieg Scale Dangerous Vt t-?lge Driven In to Vti|tui>la\iu By Crack German Troops Touching off a, spark ?> produce a raging inferno of the Balkan powder | keg. Germany since last Sunday i morning has pushed steadily for- . ward into Yugoslavia, late reports declaring that Hitler's crack troops had driven a dangerous wedge into ! the little country, and pushed on to Aegean sea to separate Greece from j Turkey, her potential ally Hitlers men were said to have driven pos- j Sitily eighteen miles into Yugoslav j territory Conflicting reports are, coming out of the new war arena, aud while the Greeks and Yugoslavs | are offering a stubborn resistance it is feared that German forces are moving slowly but steadily forward | in their drive. Two Greek forts are said to have fallen, but the others are holding firm Advance re|Hirls state that preparations are already under way to abandon Salonika, an im portant port in World War No. 1. The Allies now declare that the port is of no great importance, indicating that the withdrawal of forces from that area is to be expected , In the air a terrific battle is rag-1 ing in the Balkans, over Kngland and | along flu- CI-:"""-1 P"rt-i "f France No reliable reports on the losses have been released, the Germans claim ing they bad destroyed nearly 2001 planes since the attack was launch ed against Yugoslavia Sunday Brit ish land forces are not yet in the thick of the fight, but they are said to be moving into line, and the Brit ish and Greek air forces are said to be battling the Germans in the new wai zone. The Rumanian oil fields are also said to have been bombed along with strategic enemy centers in Bulgaria and Hungaria. After Belgrade. Yugoslav capital, was de clared an "open city," the German | air forces raided it several times and I wrecked large portions of il Ger man annum also swept over Eng- j land by the hundreds last night j In Africa, Axis forces are scoring | new gams, and it is now claimed | that' Derna. 161) miles souh of Ben gasi, has fallen. Despite delayed action by Hitler m invading Yugoslavia, supplies are still "nn till way," to bard Greece, and it is declared that ma- I terials are moving to Yugoslavia. The question now is, will the Greeks and ! Yugoslavs hold out, or will it be an other Dunkirk for the Allies in the Balkans Turkey's reaction to Ger man gains in the Balkans is anxious- , ly awaited, and eyes are also look- | ing to Soviet Russia. The recent turn of events in the Balkans is bringing greater action in this country in support of the aid to-Britain plan, and defense work is | gaining momentum. Arrangements are being made by the Navy Depart nient to effect a closer cooperation | 111 a plan for repairing damaged Brit ish warships in American navy yards. ] Tension on the strike front is slack- ' enmg. and key plants, including the Albs Chalmers factories, wi re re opened today. Germany is said to be moving big , guns into land positions apparently in an effort to bottle up the British fleet in the Mediterranean That and the drive in Africa coupled with the march into Yugoslavia offers a dark picture for Britain and her allies at ttu* present time.. FAKM PLANS Final notices are being issued this week by the county agent's office to farmers advising them that if they are to participate in the 1941 soil conservation pro gram they must sign a set of farm plans or work sheet not la ter than next Tuesday. Approximately 1.500 farmers have already signed the work sheets, leaving about 100 or 150 unsigned. All but about 8 or 10 farmers in this county signed work sheets and participated to some extent, if not all, in the soil conservation program last year. Draft Registration List Survey Slimes More Than 1,000 Names Missing From Tax Rooks Tlie names o( 1,076 Martin County j men between the ages of 21 and 35. inclusive, are missing from the tax books, according to a report just re Icaaed by Commissioner C D. Car starphen following a preliminary survey of the draft registration list in this county. That the number will be materially reduced is fairly cer tain when identity is definitely de termined in each individual case and when changes of address made since last October are consider. But even then the list of careless or willful tax dodgers will hold to an unusual ly high figure Commissioner Carstarphen, releas ing the findings of the first check up, points out that a cross check of I the townships will be necessary be-1 fore the willful tax dodgers can be definitely ascertained. Following the completion of the draft list survey, the tax authorities are now working on the election boohs Information has been gained ? for only one township at this time The first check indicates that 35 per sons in Bear Grass registered for the last May primary but did not regis tor for taxation. A check of the elec- i tion books will likely be completed this week, and then the authorities will check the automobile register for missing names and automobiles According to a check of the draft 1 registration the names of 484 white I and 592 colored persons subject to I taxation are missing from the list The number of names, listed by ad-1 dresses, follows: i White Jamesville 28 Jamesville No 1 33 Williamston 84 Williamaton No. I 45 Williamaton No. 2 83? Williamston No. 3 81 Everetts 8 Ftobersonville 17 Kobersonvillc No. 1 38 Kobersonville No. 2 25 Parmele 3 liassi'll 5 Oak City 15 Palmyra No. 1 9 Hamilton 10 Hobgood No. 1 3 Bethel No. 1 3 Washington No. 1 2 484 County Commissioners Calling For Detailed Report From The Department 01 Health Officer Increased Catches Reported At Jamesville Fishery Today Operating at a loss during the past two weeks, the commercial fishery at Jamesville yesterday reported in creased catches and today the plant is gradually pushing to a normal schedule. However, the operations are not as successful so far this year as they were last. This morning, the large seine was dipping as many as 1,000 herring, a few perch and shad from the river ut a time, and indications are now pointing to larger catches from day to day until a peak is reached some time next week. The plant at Camp Point placed in operation last week has been operating with much diffi culty. the report sating that trees and snags in the river there have damaged the seine repeatedly. Im proved operations were reported there ywtfiday and today. and it is now believed that normal operations can be expected from now until the end of the season or about May 10 One report from the fishery at noon today stated that while the catches are fairly small, they are much larger than they \vcre~iast week and that the operator is more encouraged over the outlook for the remainder of the season. Customers, up until yesterday, were taking fish from the battery as fast as they were caught, but pack ing operations were started on a small scale this week The number of visitors to the fish cry is increasing from day to day. and throngs- are expected to view the plant in operation Easter Mon day. Committees iNamed By Eduealion Board Croup Appointment Urged By Nearly 400 Jamesville Citizens Jiliili'H C. Minimum |{c-fl<Tlr<l 'lit Ilt-a?l (oililly School* For Vnothcr Tt-rm ? Originating in what some describe as a hot but still friendly political stir-up in Jamesville, a petition car rying the names of 292 Jamesville district citizens partly upset a norm al schedule of procedure in the regu lar meeting of the Martin County I Board of Education here yesterday. All the details could not be had im mediately, but there was an appar ent move in the district to oust the Jamesville faculty in its entirety with |Kissibly one or two exceptions Learning of the plan a short time I ago, citizens in the district started I what is recognized as a counter ? move, and they presented a mighty strong front before the education board. fThirty-two Jamesville citi zens with Messrs. W. W Walters and Charles Gurkin and Mis Walter Brown and Mrs Spencer as their! chief spokesmen, appeared before the meeting in person and present-j d a petition carrying the names of 292 citizens. In addition to that pe- 1 tit ion, the delegation offered a sup- ' plomentary support in the form of a petition carrying the names of 102 high school pupils. The main petition addressed to the county education board, reads, as follows "We, the undersigned citizens and patrons of Jamesville school, have enjoyed the progress made by our school under your leadership. There fore, being anxious to see our school go forward, we hereby ask you gen tlemen to appoint as our school com mittee men that have the ability and the confidence of the people. We heartily endorse Mr C C Fleming, Mr. F. W Holliday and Mr Elmer Modlin.'" For nearly three hours, the board wrangled over the appointments for the one district, making every ef fort to satisfy the people and main tain a spirit of cooperation for the school which, records show, has a creditable racing in the county sys tem. But the situation, aggravated by recent events, was badly tangled, and its solution can only be deter mined in the course of future events The petitioners scored in the nom ination of Mr C C. Fleming who only a month or two ago resigned. C (Continued on page four) The amount of money releas ed to farmers participating in the 1910 soil conservation pro gram is still climbing to new high record figures in this coun ty. Through last week-end, 2. .'113 checks representing 1,320 ap plications and amounting to $114,8.r>2.30 had been received by the office of the county agent for distribution among Martin farmers. Approximately 250 ap plications for payments are still pending, and it is estimated that the total amount received and to he received under the 1910 pro gram will approximate $130, 000.00, not including cotton adjustment payments. si ii i < i Victims 01 Vi recks Escape I it in jured Automotive power was consider ate of human life and limit, hut it centered its attack on dumb animals and property in the county last week end.-No one was hurt, but a mule was badly broken up in an accident between Hassell and Oak City, and a fillApg station front, corner Pearl i? W antr Washington Streets here, was ripped from its supports. No accur ate report on the damage could be had immediately, but the loss will run well over $250. Bonnie Bryant, colored, vv as lound ing a curve m the upper part of the county when a loose mule from the Frank Haisiip farm darted into the road last Saturday night. "I was meeting another car and did not see the mule until I was right on him," Bryant said. Three of his legs were broken, the mule was later shot. Cars driven by I) I) Ba/.emore and Clarence Rogers crashed at the Pearl Washington Street intersec tion early Sunday evening. The Rog ers car swerved and entered Pearl Street The Ba/emore car went out of control and tore into tin1 old fill ing station front on the corner. No one was hurt and very little damage resulted when a Courtney furniture truck and a car driven by a youth named Mobley crashed on the prison camp road last evening. Library Aid Plans Discussed Monday State plans for aiding rural hl)rary projects were discussed at length in a meeting of county citizens and Miss Murjorie Heal, of the State Library, held in the office of the county su perintendent of schools here yester day According to reports corning from the meeting, the State will offer $ 1 000 for library work in the county, and the county will be asked to raise ' a similar amount. It is possible that library units will be established in Robersonville and Williamston and be served from the two points. It is also understood that plans were con sidered for joint county operation of a library service. Under this plan the cooperating counties would employ a full-time librarian and purchase a bookmobile for the distribution of books into the strictly rural com munities. C Local opinion is that it will be dif ficult to maintain the latter system, than it possibly;wouId he better for the existing units to continue their present plans of operation which could be supplemented by State aid. l)ol\e Further Into IVrsouul IVojiertv Listings In County \|i|irov?? \ |?|?ropri;it ion For Sclf-Li<initiating Trurlirr ;iur at KoIm?i?*oii\ill** That public health appropriations by the county may be curtailed or cut off in their fill n i*t\ loomed as a [strong possibility in the regular 'meeting of the Martin County Board ot Commi lonei lure yesterday. With only a hist October report of activities available to them, the com missioners discussed the health de partment freely, but limited its ac I tiou to an order calling for a detail ed report each first Monda> showing .1 schedule of ditties handled by the j department for the preceding month. While the discussion did not reach I the point where a change is the de partment personnel was considered I advisable, it was apparent that the commissioners want to know more I about health work in the county be nlable additional au propriatioiis The work of the depart 1 nieiit w as recognized, and one spokes man explained that the money had not been lost, but it was apparent that the organization could be im proved possibly by a closer coopera [lion cm the part of the department head and the hoard of health Few cases connected with the department were mentioned, but it was pointed >ut that Venerea I-disease clinics were mentioned, but it was fHiinted out that veneral disease clinics in. one ?enter bad dropped from over 100 down to around 50 and that little was being clone about it The meeting, for the most part, : w as free of worry for the commis sioners and what was scheduled to be a comparativel> short session was 'not adjourned until almost 0*30 in the evening Tax problems held a i place on the calendar, hut little was done at the session. Asked to recon sider the $5,000 increase in the Tar ,11. . I A | in r 11111 ? 111 pnipiTty e.-iliiation the commissioners went into execu tive session and studied a cost sched ule and income repent filed by the owner. No change was ordered, and the propel t\ remains cm the books at $33,500 | IVrsoiial propei ty listings flared 'up again, and it is. reasonably cor I lain that the authorities will review schedules submitted by the William ! ston Peanut Company, and it is al S'b expected that independent deal o*>-*uid buyers will he asked to sub nut inventories as of January 1. De tailed listings also will likely be ask ed of tobacco dealers, j In their tax round-up, the board [ordered all church properties of an income producing type to be placed | "ii the tak books Homes, stores and othe r types of church property of a i revenue hearing nature have not J hecn subjected to public taxation in 1 the past While it is possible for the authorities to go back five years 'and assess the properties for taxa tion, the commissioners decided to "hitch on" to the holdings beginning this year. A $12,000 appropriation for the struction of a tcaeherage in Rober sonvilie was approved by the com missioners at the request of the hoard of education The project, rat ed .i self liquidating project, is to be financed through the State Literary building fund, it was pointed out. IManning an indoor circue, the Wil liamston Lions Club w as granted the permission to stage the event free of county taxes Wil liamston authorities were given permission to lay an eight-inch wa ter line across the court house prop erty, the board granting the request with the understanding that the lawn be left in good condition by the town. 'ormulate Plans l or Peanut Vote Plans for an educational campaign in connection with the peanut refer endum to be held the last Saturday in this month will be formulated at a meeting of peanut growers in Tar boro tomorrow morning at 9:30 o'clock. Called at the suggestion of peanut growers who anticipate a strong opposition to production con trol in those areas where peanut bases have not been established, the meeting in the Tailmiu high scfroot auditorium is expected to fire first gun in this section in behalf of the program. Representatives from all the peanut-producing counties are urged 4o send representatives to the meeting. It is generally believed that a campaign to acquaint the grower* with the proposed control program will be launched in all of the pea nut crginties beginning possibly next week. Complete details of the peanut campaign will be released following the Tarboro meeting.