North Carolina Newspapers

Watch The Label On Your Paper, Aa It Carriee The Date Your SubaCTiption Expiree. THE ENTERPRISE Advertiser! Will Find Our Col umn! A Latchkey To Over 1,800 Homee Of Martin County. VOLUME XLV?NUMBER 1 Williamtton. Martin County, North Carolina, Friday. January 2, l')42. ESTABLISHED 1899 Automotive Taxes Reach A New High Figure in Past Year Most Families Now on Wheels But Not Certain How Long Ownership Will Last North Carolina motorists, farmers, truckers and other motor vehicle owners paid in 1941 a record-break ing total Of $40,385,000 in auttmo tive taxes to the state, S. Gilmer Sparger, Secretary, North Carolina Petroleum Industries Committee, Raleigh, said recently in reviewing the remarkable expansion of auto mobile ownership and use in this State. Of the total automotive tax revenue, an estimated $31,266,000 was derived from gasoline taxes, and an estimated $9,119,000 from registra tion and other fees. "It almost is unbelievable, but the State of North Carolina in 1941 re ceived in revenue from automotive taxes an amount exceeding its total annual tax revenue from all sources less than two decades ago. In other words, car owners are now paying to the state more money than every body used to pay in taxes to the state just a few years ago. In 1923 the State's total revenue was $16,187,859, as compared to the estimated $40, 385,000 tax bill of the motorists for 1641." Registrations of automobiles and trucks in the state increased by 11 per cent in 1941, according to esti mates from preliminary figures, and at the close of 1941 an all-time high number of motor vehicles were op erating on the highways of this state. More than half of all the families in the state now own automobiles. A substantial part of the increased registrations of motor vehicles took place among families with incomes in the neighborhood of $30 a week or less, continued Mr. Sparger, add ing that now approximately half of all the cars on the highways of this State are owned bv families in the lower income brackets. "Expansion of automobile owner ship during recent years has been chiefly downward through the low income families," said Mr. Sparger. "During the past decade the life ex pectancy of an automobile has in creased from eight to twelve years. That means the average car made today has years of added usefulness that arn av:n!hln tn fmiljag who TWn afford to buy only second, third or fourth hand cars. This has brought modern magic carpets, battered and dented somewhat but still service able, to the masses. The result is that in the United States there are more low-income families owning cars than there are car-owning fam ilies, rich and poor, in all the rest of the world. "iteceni sxuaies ol car ownersnip in this state reveal not only that about half of the cars are owned by families with modest incomes, but also that more used cars are sold than are new cars. After the original own er, an automobile often passes to the possession of three or more families before it is finally retired to the junk heap. "This remarkable trend of increas ing ownership of older cars among the low income families in this state has almost escaped notice. Yet stud ies indicate that approximately half of the cars operating on the high ways of North Carolina are five or more years old and that these cars have an average cash value of less than $190.00. Not only did the number of auto mobiles increase in 1941, but owners of all cars tended to use their ve hicles more. Preliminary figures for the year, said Mr. Sparger, indicate that motor vehicle owners used 19 per cent more gasoline in 1941 than they did in the previous year. A sub stantial part of that gain in con sumption was from the increase in automobile registrations, and the bal ance Of the gain results from the wheels of all motor vehicles on the highways generally moving more than in 1940. During the past five (Continued on page four) Red Cross Sewing Room Ships Goods - Completing its first sewing quo ta, the Martin County Red Cross Chapter production unit today ship ped its last box of articles to the Red Cross Export Depot at Jersey City. Reviewing the activities of the production center in the Woman's Club hall here, Mrs. A. R. Dunning, chairman, stated that the following articles had been made and shipped for use in the war-torn areas: M sweaters, 25 shawls, 10 pairs of socks, 45 mufflers, 12 caps or beanies, 24 bed shirts, 50 girls' skirts. 13 boys' shirts, 15 convalescent robes, 10 hos pital pajamas, 14 women's dresses, 20 layettes and a number of hoods. Expressing her great appreciation to all those who aided in preparing the articles and in meeting the first production unit quota, Mrs. Dunning stated that a second quota would be asked for soon and that she sincere ly hoped that every one will assist in the work. "If you cannot come to the sewing room, you can sew at home," Mrs. Dunning said, adding that everyone is busy, but that this is our war and that we dare not fail todo our part Dr. Chas. Lenard Will Head Missionary Work In War A rea Dr. Charles A. Leonard, who for j many years was Baptist missionary t to Manchuria and for the last year has been a missionary to | the Hawaiian Islands, last week at tended a meeting of the administra tive committee in Richmond, and was delegated to go to Honolulu to carry out the plans of this committee in regard to th? missionary war ro lief there. The administrative committee ap propriated $25,000 to be used to aid the missionaries to carry out their work under war conditions. This money is to be spent immediately and another $25,000 has been ap propriated to be used if necessary. liie committee is under the direc tion and supervision of the Foreign Missions Board. January 25th has been set aside as the day on which the churches will be asked to make the offering for this special work. The board has said that it is urgent ly necessary that this effort for se curing the money be completed not later than February 15th. Dr. Leonard will leave for Hono lulu as soon as arrangements for his passage can be made. It is expected that Mrs. Leonard will accompany Dr. Leonard to Honolulu. If passage the Leonards will possibly go by a transport. In addition to its immediate work, the War Emergency Council, created by the Board last week, is calling upon the Southern Baptists for a $200,000 emergency relief fund. The call will be issued the 25th of this month. It is understood that the Mis sion Board has been requested to transfer $10,000 set aside for work in Japan to the Hawaiian mission for emergency service in the islands. Horizontal Increase In Tobacco Acreages ALIVE AND WELL 1 s / Reported lost in action in the Pacific on December 7th, Aus tin Randolph Jackson is still alive according to a message re ceived by his mother. Mrs. Ora Jackson Burnett, in Jamesville late yesterday afternoon. Com ing from Honolulu, the mesaage offered few details but stated that a letter will follow. While the message came too late for a Christmas present, the young man's mother was over come with Joy when the news reached her so unexpectedly yesterday afternoon. Radical Upsets Are Expected to Fol low Rationing System No Mumbling or Grumbling Expertrd uml Little Will Be Tolerated There'll be little or no mumbling and grumbling about it, but radical upsets in our more-or-less luxury plans are almost certain to follow the rationing systems, the first of which goes into effect next Monday Where filling stations and dealers once sold I five tires they will be allowed to sell I only one in the future, and the pur- i chaser must show a mighty good rea son why he should have the tire. Tin will be rationed after the same fash- | ion, and it is quite possible that the old cypress shingle, at one time a main source of income along the banks of the old Roanoke, may come | back into style even in the fire dis tricts. These and oIHeFiTems will "be on the rationing list, but the effect of the new system is interesting to an ticipate. Il Ts possible that some jobs will have to be surrendered, because when their tires are worn out and they can't drive their cars to work those employees living a block or two from their work will have to resign. It has been suggested, jokingly pos sibly, that some of Williamston's lawyers will set up their offices right in their homes and reduce the num ber of court terms to save steps to and from the courthouse. Talk of gasoline rationing a while back was followed by a marked trend of self-locomotive vehicles, mainly the bicycle. Now, with the rationing of tires it is possible that the trend will turn toward sleds or vehicles equipped with ovals sawed from gum logs. While the rationing system may become serious it is not so serious at the present time. An automobile dealer says he could possibly sell ten new cars today, but if he had more ** (Continued on page four) Record Sale Of Car License Tags ??? What is believed to be a record in automobile license tags was report ed by the local bureau ol the Caro lina Motor Club in the offices of the Chamber of Commerce on Washing ton Street here today. Rushed during several days this week, the bureau had sold up until early today 3,720 car tags, S7S truck plates and 430 tags for trailers. Only a few?27? tags had been sold for farmers' trucks. Bureau Manager "R. H. Smith stated that farmers were not very much interested in the "cut-rate" tags when they learned that special affidavits had to be signed and oth er details handled before the par ticular type of plates could be had. According to highway patrolmen not a single motorist has bean ar rested in this immediate territory for operating cars carrying old tags. Official Notice!)! Ten Percent Boost In Crop Is Awaited A?l\ir?ul>ilily of Itu'i-raxiug I') 12 I'rodiirlinn Doubl ed in Some Quarter* Flue-cured tobacco acreages will be increased ten per cent for 1942, according to unofficial information received here this week. The an nouncement, traced to the United Stales Ijepartmeni ot Agriculture in Washington, comes somewhat as a surprise after numbers of farm lead ers had taken steps to have penalties increased in an effort to hold the new crop to the 1941 figure*. The advis ability of increasing the acreage this year is doubted in some quarters, and lit has been suggested that the in crease comes only after pressure had been brought by some "forces" for kr larger production.? Falling out of a clear sky, the pro posed increase in tobacco acreages I will, it is firmly believed by some, directly conflict with the "food for I freedom" program. However, it has been pointed out, that tobacco may I possibly be preferred over food and raiment The announcement also comes ,close behind reports showing large inventories in dealers' and manufacturers' hands. Up until a short time ago huge stocks destined for transport were said to have been piling up in Atlan tic storage houses. Apparently those stocks are moving because the an ticipated increase in domestic con sumption will hardly offset the loss of foreign markets. The report from Washington an nouncing the proposed acreage boost stated that the increase was being planned to meet a record demand for cigarette tobacco and to maintain normal reserves. The national marketing quota for this type of tobacco was raised from October to 679,800,000 pounds. The 1942 planting allotment was increas ed from 762,000 acres to 842,500 acres. The department said that since es tablishment of the national quota in October, the demand for cigarettes had increased more than had been anticipated. For the last half of this year the consumption of cigarettes, the outlet for four-fifths of the flue (Continued on page four) 1 Men Over 28 Years To Be Reclassified In accordance with instructions received here, the Martin County Draft Board will meet next Monday to reclassify all men who were de ferred on account of age limits. The order affects those men between 28 and 35 years of age, inclusive. It is understood that all those men in the above age group who were previous ly. deferred on account of their "ad vanced" ages will be made subject to call according to their respective order numbers. According to a review of the class ifications released some tuna ago, there are not very many men in the age group who will be subject to immediate call since most of the group were deferred for other rea Secrecy surrounds most of the draft board activities these days, but it was learned that the draft ma chinery is being speeded up to a fairly fast pace. It is also understood that men heretofore deferred on ac count of illiteracy will be made sub ject to call. This order, if it is with foundation, will likely make a large number avalable for service sub ject only to examination by the Army personnel. Heretofore many men have been deferred in this coun ty because they had had only limit ed educational training. REMEMBRANCES By CBAS. SMALLWOOD Williamston, N. C. DURING 1870's and '80's This time it was Williamston's wharf which had concluded to go into smoke. The wharf, the freight house, and all that was in it. But few folk got to this fire, it being a mile away from the town proper, and likely all had burned before anyone built, and the "landing," once Wil liamston's first point of contact with the world beyond, still holds exist ence above the roaring river, the waters of which still loan passage to boats of burden, which vie with their competitors, the railroads, the truck roads, and now the air-roads. Just as the ox of old, still occasion - ally finds its job to do, in spite of the mighty caterpillar of steel, which lays its own bridge through muck and mire Speller's Ferry across the Roan oke was the one and important con nection between Williamston and far away Windsor, ten mileo over the swamp, and the counties to the northwest. It was an all-day trip via Speller's Ferry from Williamston to Windsor and back; and hardly any one had business beyond this. In those days, people whose lands touched the river, used their swamps as hog-runs. Each farmer went to and fed his dime oner a day. usual - ly between day-break and sunrise. Each drove learned its owner's call, and none but his drove came to his call. It was said that many a hog caller on one side the swamp, heard and learned the calls of the callers on the other side of the swamp, but the density of which prevented each from ever meeting or even seeing the other through a life-time of calls. Which verifies the old adage, "so near and yet so far." River-life on the Roanoke, and in its vast swampy floodlands called "islands", was momentous of old Wil (Continued on page four) Regional Library Association Ends Its First Hall Year TrMlountv Service (iirciiluleH NiNurty B.000 Bonk* inp; the Period The Regional Library Association, consisting of Beaufott, Hyde and Martin Counties, has completed six months of service, during which the Bookmobile has made three com plete rounds, traveled 2806 miles, registered 564 borrowers and circu lated 7599 books. Tin- region has spent $1334 90 for books, $1160.59 for bookmobile, salary, office equip ment, insurance and so forth. This splendid beginning could not have been made had it not been for ihe generous aid furnished by the Wash ington public library which gave it a home, and the WPA who have furnished the drivers and clerks (six in all) along with the counsel and support of the library directors. Miss Elizabeth House, the region al libiai ian, lias been untiring in her efforts to make books available in [?very section and cross-roads of the participating counties. ^ WPA library work in North Carolina, made a tour of our area; Finding our work in such a healthy state, she recommended upon her return to Raleigh that our area receive two thousand volumes from the WPA li prary service to supplement our jwn collection in addition to four hundred volumes already advanced. In addition, Miss Marjorle Beal, di rection of the North Carolina Library Commission, is purchasing a $150 collection of children's books which will be made available in our area is soon as they arrive. With a constantly growing collec tion of books hte second half of the first year of our unit bids fair to make the whole year of cooperative enterprise one of genuine progress ind service. The library board solicits the con tinued understanding and coopera tion of books the second half of the mly in this way can* the service be enlarged and improved. With this jnity of effort good books can be come the means of relaxation and ?nlightment during these troubled lays hofnre us. HOG KILLING j While possibly worried over the war and the more or lew common drawbacks common to the individual. Martin County farmers are not worrying over their food supply for the cur rent year. Hog- killings are un derway on a very large scale at the present time, and up until the unusually warm weather during the past 24 hour* it was about as common a sight to see large numbers of hogs hanging on the racks as it was to see the weekly wash on the lines in the rural communities. The meat supply while no larger possibly than it was last year, is more than ample to care for local needs. Rainfall Last Year Reached A New Low Point In This County Despite a near-record fall last month, the year just ended goes I down in history as the driest on rec ord in Martin County Weeks and weeks came and went without a j cloud making its appearance, and while some feared the river was go- j ing to dry up it was almost gener ally agreed that the dust bowl was moving from the West. -?While the war was admittedly ser ious, the dry season was also admit tedly serious, but despite the dry weather bumper crops were produc ed and the section enjoyed an unus ually prosperous season. Farmers, their wells depleted, experienced much trouble hauling water for their stockand hcrme consumption. ~ and" small grain crops were possible only on a rather small scale Between the war and the dry weather, there was | much to talk about. Exhausting the J war topics, the populace would turn i to the weather. Both were timely dis ' judge R. L. Coburn Working Over Time In Recorders Court C;ills I liirlcrn (lanes in l-oii^ Sfiwiun Held IjjkI Mnndav Since occupying the recorder's bench in the county a short time ago, Judge R L. Coburn has been work ing over time to keep the docket up to date. Last Monday with Assistant Solicitor Wheeler Martin prosecut ing the docket, Judge Coburn call ed thirteen cases and held the tri bunal in session until well after the lunch hour before clearing the dock et. Even then the session tfas short and the number of cases small for a post-Christmas period. Cases called in the court follow Charged with disorderly-rrmrirrct, Walter Wallace Bailey was sentenc ed to the roads for a period of sixty I days. Bailey had been in the court i only two weeks previously on a : charge of reckless driving. At that time he was Sentenced to the roads for a period of sixty days, the court having suspended the sentence upon guaranteed good behavior. Advised he had broken the trust, the court invoked the old sentence Ernest Lee pleaded guilty in the case charging him with reckless driv ing, and was sentenced to the roads 1 for a period of thirty days. The court i suspended the sentence upon the payment of a $15 fine and costs of the court. The case charging Goldie Ilyman with selling tenant's crop was nol pressed. Pleading guilty in the case charg ing him with drunken driving, Hoy I). Harrell was fined $50, taxed with the cost and had his operator's li cense revoked for one year Ernest Godard was found not guil drunken driving. William II. Saunders was sentenc ed to the roads for thirty days in the case charging him- wHli destroying j personal property. The case charging James Johnson with trespass was .nol prossed. Edgar Taylor was found not guil- i ly in the case charging him with car- . lying a concealed weapon. The case charging John Bennett A third defendant, Richard Bennett, pleaded not guilty, the court contin uing the action under prayer for judgment. ? A continuance until January 5 was granted in the case charging Stan? ley Ayers and Robert Robcrson wHh disorderly conduct and assaults with i dead ly weapon. Charged with an assault with a (Continued on page four) INcw Year Ushered In Quietly H< jre The New Year was issued in quiet ly here as compared with the noise ind general celebration of a year jgo. There was much noise to be sure, but the weight of war and the jncertainty 1942 holds in store seem ?<1 io check ihe observance iiidiKiiig the passing of the old and the com ng of the New Year. Little homage \yas paid Old Man Nineteen-Forty-One, for only an oc casional firecracker w^s popped be fore the midnight strike. Regardless jf the gloom accompanying 1941, the nerry-makers apparently renewed their hopes and for a few minutes . loyously heralded the coming of the Sew Year. Bells, mill whistles, fire crackers and\automobile horns were ieard in a ragged unison. While a /< .11 before the mfTry-makers wound town only after arTKuuf~or more of whooping and snorting, the celebra tion yesterday morning was well Tagged out within ten or fifteen min ites. Receiving a call just 23 minutes be fore the old year was spent, the fire jcpartment sounded its alarm to break ?the clear midnight air. But ittcompanying its sound were indl-' rect warnings that in some future ttay possibly in 1942, men, women ind children would be scampering o sheTlerrighl here in Wllliainston it the sound of the siren. cussion topics, and while the war was far more serious, the weather came in for at least half the talk. The precipitation for the year was recorded at 31.76 inches or a little over sixteen inches below the aver age rainfall for the previous ten year period and almost five inches below the previous low of 36.60 inches recorded for the year 1933. The rainfall hud year ?was 23.65 inches below the record, of 55.41 inches recorded for the year 1936. With one exception?4.94 inches in June-?the 4.54 inches of rainfall last [month was the largest recorded dur ing 1941 The annual precipitation for the past eleven years follows: r 1931?48.00 inches; 1952-44 91 inches; 1933?3660 inches, "l934 52 16 inches; 1935 49.99 inches; 1936 -55 41 inches; 1937 43 62 inches; 1936 53 70 inches; 1939?55 46 inches; 1940?37 69 inches, and 1941 31.76 inches. I!N HKVKKSK Patriotism. so willingly and extensively advanced in the pur chase of savings stamps during the holiday season, is about to reverse itself, certainly in some instances. Reports from the local post on ice slate uuii quite a few l?ersons. mostly children, are surrendering their stamps for cold cash. No official report on the actual number returned could be had, but the stamps were being turned in fair-sized numbers in the small albums. And then there was a report telling about a housewife who became angry with a grocery clerk because he would not ac cept the savings stamps in ex change for groceries. Farmers Assured 01 Price Floor For All Basic Crops F\l?-n?ioti of Farm I'ro^raiu 'I'o Croviili' Itrni-fil* For No\l Five Yrarc Despite so-called economy drives mow underway or proposed in Con gress, it was virtually made certain this week that farmers will not be left out in the cold, that definite steps have already been taken by the President to continue for five mole years the program that has put billions of extra dollars into agriculture's pockets. In approving the bill calling for a five year-ex tension of the program. President Roosevelt entered one objection. He was of the opinion that the program called for excessive loans on pea Russell, both of Georgia, who spon sored the peanut provision, said this difference between the administra tion and Congress could be worked out without serious difficulty. "The President's signature vir tually assures fanners a floor under the basic crops during the wartime emergency," Senator Russell said. Other farm-minded legislators pointed out that farmers had col conservation payments during the past six years, an average of amount $500,000,000 annually, while the price-supporting loans had increas ed market prices received for cot ton, wheat, t*orn,?tobacco and rice during the past year , Authority for both the payment and mandatory loan programs was and the measure signed by the Pres ident extended these until January 1, 1047. Congress must vote funds for fu lure benefit payments later, but Sen ator Russell said that mandatory loan program continued, automati cally. Under this, the Commodity Credit Corporation is directed to make loans at 85'per cent of the par ity price. Russell pointed out that the gov ernment loan agency could call upon the Treasury for any deficiency in its loan funds, so that price-support ing loans were automatic President Roosevelt, in a brief (Continued on page four) County Schools To Reopen Op Monday Enjoying a full two-weeks tor the Christmas holidays, the several thousand white children in this coun ty will return to school next Monday morning, the office of the superin tendent stating this morning that ac tivities will be advanced on regular schedules. Losing some time during the early part of the term, all colored schools in the county have already rfopened. School authorities are looking for a normal attendance when the plants reopen, the superintendent stating that he saw no reason why every child should not be back in his seat next Monday morning. No estimate on the number of fam* the* moving into and out of tha sev eral districts could be had today. Manila Falls Into The Hands of Japs At I O'Clock Today Important Statement Eagerly Vnaitcd from VI hit#* limine Late Thin Afternoon Angry hordes pouring out of Ja pan swept down the island of Luzon and occupied the city of Manila in "the Philippines at 1 oVTock this morning to accomplish what military authorities had expected for days. The im po riant naval base of Caviife was evacuated, a terse report stat ing that American forces had with drawn from the base, taking much equipment and destroying tha re nuundir AiiU'Mi'un" wounded men were removed to safety. While the loss of Manila is a ser ious blow, its fall does not necessar ily mean that the fighting is over on Luzon island. General Douglas Mc Arthur and his mqnv taking up new positions, are stilL offering a stub born light against the invaders. "The fall of Manila, while serious, has not lessened-defense of other- positions," a late report stated. While Manila was falling into the hands of the ravishing Japanese hordes, the Japs were effecting landings on other islands, includ ing points on the west coast of the Malav;? Pi'nimaiU Tin* serious situation in the Phil ippines is apparently approaching the critical stage rapidly. While news from the Philippines is terribly disheartening, encouraging reports are coming out of Burma where General W-avell is heading up a large army with the possibility that relief will soon be made possi ble for hard-pressed Malaya. Commentators, discussing the sit uation in the far Pacific, are of the opinion that General McArthur will continue to offer a strong opposition in the Philippines as long as possible, giving the combined forces of the Unted States, Britain and the Dutch Kast Indies more time to prepare for a big battle for Singapore. Some of the observers believe General McAr thur will engage the yellow Japs for quite a while. In the Battle of Singapore, the United States will be expected to throw its naval power into action. The Dutch have a large air force, and the British are expected to furn ish the manpower; A tough struggle is autii i pa led, the "reports stating tha t Japan, regardless of losses, is em ploying tactics similar to those used iy the Germans. Important and big news is eager ly anticipated from the White House late this afternoon. The nature of the anticipated statement was not disclosed, but it is highly probable that it will center around the Allied War Council. It is also probable that the statement in addition to an nouncing the progress of the supreme war council will also declare that no separate peace will be considered until Hitler and tin' contemptible. low clown yellow Japs are destroyed or whipped to the last frazzle. Russia continues on the heels of fleeing Germans on the eastern front, a late icport stating?~ttiat~t1jrr"invad ers have been driven back to within !?5 miles of Smolensk where the Nazis w ill probably offer to make a dete rmined stand.."Dozens-of German livisions have been destroyed in the retreat, and the Russian situation looks most encouraging. In Libya, the strong Axis base of Bafdia has been captured, the action freeing more than 1,000 British pris oners and leaving the Germans and Italians only a few scattered forces to qffcr opposition. ' Board To Ration Tires In County The seriousness of the war situa tion was brought home to business today when automobile sales were frozen and air-tight rationing plans for automobile tires were outlined for rationing boards in a meeting at Windsor at noon today. Two of the boards named in this county were eliminated, George W. Jeffries, leading the discussion at the Windsor meeting, stating that ?once there won't be but eighteen tires avnilahle for automobile own [?rs in Martin County this month it would be useless to have more than [>ne board. Messrs. J. A. Everett, H. L. Roebuck and C. C. Martin will handle the rationing work in this county and they will meet from time to time to consider applications for tires. It is understood the board will hold its first meeting next Mon ?hr i : Ordinary car owners cannot buy tires, it is understood, and when the allotment is exhausted no one can buy tires. Preference is given to doc tors, ambulance owners, police, san itary and public health forces, mail carriers, passenger and school busses and farmers' trucks. More details on the rattening sys tem will be made public as soon as possible, but for the present the sit uation can be regarded as extreme ly serious. Messrs. S. C. Griffin, A. J. Man ning, R. L. Perry. Allen Osborne, Charles R. Gray, Cartwright Taylor, J. A. Everett, H. L. Roebuck and C C. Martin represented this county at the meeting.