FAY FAT WAS >6 BOND DAT -UN NU4M THE ENTERPRISE OVU Tilt TOP FOR VICTORY attk UNITED STATU WU BONDS-STAMPS VOLUME XLV?NUMBER 96 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, December 4, 1942. ESTABLISHED 1899 First Lower Grade Tires Are Allotted By Ration Board ??? Rules and Regulations Chang ed But No Big Improve ment Is Expected ? Numerous changes have been an nounced in rules and regulations governing the rationing of automo bile tires ,but members of the coun ty rationing board in session here yesterday explained that after all the rubber picture still looked plen ty dark. It is apparent that many of the old tires recently turned in by own ers possessing more than five tires per car will be made available through the allotment plan, but when and how no one seems to know. Under the old regulations, tires for pick-up trucks were charged against truck tire allotments even though they were the same size as those used on most automobiles. Now, the tires allotted for pick-up trucks will be charged against passenger car al lotments. Briefly stated, it appears that the second-hand tires turned in by passenger car owners will be made available mostly to pick-up truck operators. The December tire quotas for the county are impressive, but because they have been increased it does not mean that actually more new tires will be made available. Heretofore, obsolete tires were not charged against the monthly quotas, but be ginning this month they will have to come out of the regular car tire allotments. There is some encouragement in the new truck tire allotment, but the need for truck tires is possibly great er today than it was when the quo tas were, not quite so large. Narrow ed down to a final accounting, the rubber situation will be relieved on ly in proportion to the number of second tires that will be made avail able in the round-up of idle tires, that allotments will be made much the same as they have been made in the past. New truck tires were allotted yes terday to the following: Martin County Board of Educa tion, two tires and five tubes for service truck and busses. Martin County Transfer Co., Rob eraonville four tires for common car rier. John A. Manning, Williamston, two tires or hauling lumber and peanuts. John Gurkin, Williamston, two (Continued on page four) Officials Of County To Start Their New Terms Next Monday Few Changes in Official Fam ily But War May Alter The Personnel Their administrations given a stamp of approval in the recent elec tions, most members of the county's official family will start another new term next Monday along with one newcomer. While politics left the county's governing personnel un changed, voluntary withdrawal in one case created an opening for a newcomer, but it is quite possible that the war will effect a change or two. It is one of the few times in the county's history that there were no political changes in the county's gov ernmental personnel, the action be ing recognized as highly compli mentary to the officials. --The group entering upon a new term next Monday are experienced and well seasoned in public affairs, all of them having served at least one term while several have literal ly grown up with the county. While Coroner S. R. Biggs, ap pointed to the high office of coroner on January 3, 1927, holds the long est consecutive record of service as a member of the official family, County Commissioner Joshua L. Col train follows him, a close second in years served Coroner Biggs is start ing his ninth term next Monday and he is being reminded not to forget to subscribe to the oath of office at that time. Clerk of Court L. B. Wynne is starting his third consecutive term, and Sheriff C. B. Roebuck is begin ning his seventh full term. The sher iff was appointed on June 11, 1929, to fill the position made vacant by the death of his father a few days prior to that time. Since then he has led or held a leading place on the rcgul&r democratic ballot. R. H. Smith is beginning his sec ond term as treasurer. Paul D. Rob erson is starting his first regular term as county solicitor, but he has served in that position following his appointment last January after D. E. Johnson resigned for war work. A. Corey is going in for his second term as county surveyor. The county board of commission era has a long history in its personnel elect, but the war is about to upset It for at least one member. Re-elect ed for his second term Just recently, Commissioner C. D. Carstarphen has two assignments for next Monday. He is scheduled to take the oath of November Bond Sales Set Record In County REGISTRATION Plans have been completed for registering the first 18-year olds in this county on Friday of next week. All young men born on or after July 1, 1984, but not after August 31, 1924, are sched uled to register during the week beginning Friday, December 11, but not later than December 17. Registrations will be handled in the county draft board office on the second floor of the law yers' building across the street from the town hall on the desig nated days between the hours of 9 a. m. and 5 o'clock p. m. Those young men born in the months of September and Octo ber, 1924, will register during the week beginning December 18, and those who were born in November and December, 1924, are to register during the week beginning December 28. Allies Are Fighting An Up-Hill Battle In Tunisia Near Tunis Germans Getting Some Sup plies Through ami Hohl Control in the Air With the Germans holding an ad vantage in the air for the moment, at least, and with the Axis getting through some supplies despite heavy ship losses during the past twenty four hours, the present situation in North Africa is not very encourag ing for the Allies. Major battles, al though limited in scope, are in prog ress about 19 miles west of Tunis, late reports stating that the Allies are fighting an up-hill fight there and without air support. The Ger mans, using flame-throwers, were pounding the Allied forces with heavy bombers, one report indicating that the Nazis were making a slight advance in the Tebourba area. Heavy fighting has been in progress there during the past few days, and the area has already been designated as No Man's Land. Several strong Ger man counter-attacks were repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy there but the Nazi hordes, reinforced are making another drive into Allied positions. , , Sixteen Axis ships, including sev eral transports and supply units have been sunk enroute to Tunis, but despite those sinkings the Germans were able to get men and supplies through to reinforce their forces. The Allies are making extensive prepara tions and it is rumored that a li^rge scale drive to wipe the Germans out will possibly get underway shortly. Over in Russia, the Germans are showing a stronger resistance and the Russian action to throw the Nazis out of Stalingrad is apparent ly slowing down a bit. However, it is still believed that the Russian pinc ers movement will be earned to con clusion and that tens of thousands of Germans will be trapped Appar ently the Germans do not expect any such development for they are slow in withdrawing from Stalingrad. A big British transport, loaded with men going home on_leave,^ was reported sunk last Tuesday with a heavy loss of life. In the Southwest Pacific, the Japs this week failed in another attempt to regain Guadalcanal. The yellow scoundrels lost nine more ships boosting their total losses to 51 in that area, not counting 80 other ships either sunk or damaged in the latest encounter. American ship losses now stand at 26 in that area. Few details have been released, but five American transports were sunk in the North African drive nearly a month ago, but apparently loss of life was small. In New Guinea, Allied forces are battling furiously to dislodge the Japs at Buna. The manpower question, the con sideration of labor as a factor in de termining farm prices and the order ing of the dissolution of the WFA holds the newslight at home^ It is I now rumored that Paul McNutt will (Continued on page foui) ABOUT COMPLETE The annual Martin Carat? Farm Bureau membenhip drive is Just about complete, Secretary John Eaflas announcing follow ing a meeting of the organisation Wednesday night that 1,1(7 members had been signed up. It Is believed that there are a few unreported memberships and that when all reports are in the membership will pass the goal of 1JBM members. The membership this year was increased by about Mi members over the organisation's strength in the county a year age- Messrs. Chas. U Daniel, the president, and Geo. C. Griffin are repre senting the oounty bureau at the natlanal meeting in Chisago. More Than $147,000. Worth Of Securities Sold During Period Will Have To Increase Sales in Current Month If Quo tas Are To Be Met While the nation as a whole re ported a decrease of nearly eighty million dollars in war bond sales last month, Martin County pushed ahead to set a new record, incom plete reports indicating that nearly $150,000 worth of the war securities had been bought and delivered to a record number of purchasers all ov er the county during the period. Holding close to the $50,000 mark in previous months and supported by a comparatively few patriotic souls, bond sales were pushed to the record figure last week during "Wo men's War Week." No complete re port on the extensive drive handled by the women could be had immed iately, but it is understood that a large portion of the sales is traceable to their efforts. Possibly half the sales or more than $28,000 handled by Williamston financial institutions was prompted by special events dur ing war bond week. In Roberson ville, three-fourths or more of the sales handled by the post office and bank there were reported during the special drive. In a latest report, Mrs. Paul D. Robcrson, county chairman for "Women's War Week" stated that bond sales there during the week ap proximated $75,000, that one sack of flour auctioned at a rally in the school there brought $10,000 Rober sonville reported approximately $88, 000.00 worth of bonds sold during the month. The two banks, post office and building and loan association in Williamston reported sales in the sum of $58,725.00, making a grand total of approximately $147,043.75 for the month. While nearly all of the sales were handled in Robersonville and Wil liamston, other communities sup ported the drive. Farm Life citizens accounted for some over $13,000 worth and Hamilton reported sales amounting to $9,570.25. The sales set a new record, but they will have to be materially in creased if the December quotas are to be met. The United States Treas ury is calling for bond sales in the sum of nine billion dollars during the current month. To support that call, every man, woman and child in the nation will have to participate in the bond buying program. Heretofore, most of the bonds have been bought by a comparatively small number of citizens. It is estimated that not more than 20 per cent of the people in this county are buying bonds, and officials point out that to raise the nine billion 80 per cent or more of the people will have to offer their support to the program. The movement to get every wage earner to invest ten per cent of his salary in war bonds has met with marked success over the nation, as a whole, but comparatively few sal aried-workers in this part of the State are cooperating on that basis. Convinced that the 10 per cent fig ure will not raise enough money to successfully prosecute the war, treas ury authorities are asking the salar ied people to invest more than 10 per cent of their earnings in bonds Others are asked to buy bonds to the limit, to cut down on their lux uries and even deny themselves some necessities in order to promote the war program. Two Bound Over In Hit And Run Case Charged with hit-and-run driving, Turner Hines and Clinton Smith were bound over to the superior court under bonds in the sum of $500 each by Justice John L. Hassell this week. The defendants waived a pre liminary hearing, and the case was scheduled for trial without formal testimony. Hines or Smith, it could not be learned which, was driving a car that figured in a crash with a motorcycle on Washington Street here last October 10, resulting in ser ious injury to Edward Latham and Henry Mizelle. The two men were just recently released from a hospi tal. Justice Hassell had a fairly busy week handling other cases and clear ing the docket created in the usual week-end round-up. Vernon Brockwell, drunk and dis orderly, was fined $5 and taxed with the costs. Roy Lanier was fined $2.50 and taxed with the costs in the case charging him with public drunken ness. Drunk and down, James R. Hin ton was fined $3.50, costs added. Brinkley Bond, charged with hunting without licenses, was fined $2.50 and taxed with the costs. Joe Roberson, Paul McKeel, B. F. Bowen, Oscar Jones, Harry Lee Wig gins and Cecil Pippen, all charged with disorderly conduct, were each taxed with $7.80 case coats. UNCLE SAM BATTLING TO UPHOLD America's Freedom THE 51ST WEEK OF THE WAR Operations on all fronts against the Axis are progressing favorably, Sec retary of War Stimson said. He sum marized the situation as follows? (1) The Germans have failed in all of their main objectives for the year in Russia and will have to with draw from wide areas unless they can stop the Russian counter-offen sive. (2) The allies are building up strong assault forces in Tunisia to oust the Axis, but the enemy there will "offer strong resistance." (3) American and Australian troops have cornered substantial numbers of Japanese troops between Gona and Buna in New Guinea. (4) Although weather conditions make extensive activity difficult in the Aleutians, American fliers are doing everything possible to harass the enemy. Navy Secretary Knox said it is unlikely the Japanese can get rein forcements into Guadalcanal. Aus tralian troops, advancing on Buna, have smashed Japanese counterat tacks, while allied bombers blasted enemy gun nests and mortar em placements, Gen. MacArthur's New Guinea headquarters reported No vember 28. Japanese naval forces, however, despite heavy losses, have landed "strong, fresh reinforce ments" on the Buna-Gona beach head. Earlier allied airmen sank two and probably three troop-laden de stroyers and definitely sank one other destroyer and two smaller vessels. Communiques during the week re ported allied forces in North Africa destroyed 100 Axis planes and 21 medium tanks at the cost of nine al lied planes destroyed and four dam aged. The War Department estimat ed U. S. army and navy casualties from the initial landings in the North African operations? Army, killed, 350; wounded, 900; missing, 350; Na vy, killed. 10; wounded, 150, miss ing. 150. Rationing President Roosevelt, in letters to Rubber Director Jeffers and Price Administrator Henderson, stated "wo must do everything within our pow er to see that the mileage rationing program starts December first be cause victory must not be delayed through failure to support our fight ing forces." Expanded passenger car tire and tube quotas for December to meet needs in the first month of mileage rationing?the plan under which virtually all passenger cars become eligible to apply for needed recapping services or replacement tires?were announced by the Office of Price Administration. The total of passenger car tires and recapping services combined is 2,301,342 for December, against 1,285,189 for No vember. Rubber Director Jeffers stated that unless tires are conserved in the U. S. by nationwide gasoline rationing until synthetic rubber production (Continued on page four) Officers Take Still In County This Week ??? Raiding in the Free Union section of Jamosville Township this week, ABC Officer J. H. Roebuck and fed eral officers captured a 50-gallon gas drum still and poured out 400 gal lons of beer. Leonard Boston was arrested near the still, and his fath er, Robert Boston was arrested a short time later when officers found about 12 gallons of liquor and a five gallon keg of molasses in his home. The boy, given u hearing in Plym outh, was released under bond in the sum of $300. Last Saturday, Officer Roebuck visited Milton Pierce, an invalid living in Free Union, and found about six gallons of liquor near his bed and ready for sale. He will be indicted shortly. Pierce, explaining that he had to sell liquor for a living, declared that he would continue to sell it, that no one could do anything with him. 1 KEROSENE Ration board employees and several volunteers are working day and night In an effort to make kerosene and fuel oil cou pons ready for distribution In the county Just as soon as possi ble. Definite dates for distribut ing the coupons cannot be deter mined at this time, but it Is hoped they will be ready by the latter part of next week. More volunteers are urged to report to the agricultural build ing and help prepare the cou pons. The work is very easy, but much time ts required in prepar ing one coupon book. The office will be open this evening at I o'clock and volunteers are urged to report and assist the work. Volunteers may also report at any time during the day. IsCirge Quotas Are Announced But Tires Are Not Available Tire quotas for cars and trucks in this county were greatly increased for the current month, but even with the liberal allotments motor vehicle operators are almost certain to find the general situation relieved to a great extent Hundreds of certifi cates of purchase will be issued this month in the county, but actual sales will be limited, it is believed, to a comparatively few cases. New tires, while limited in quantity, are avail able, but there are few or no Grade III tires to be had in this immediate territory just now. Distribution plans ! are not known, but orders placed some time ago for the lower-grade tires have not yet been filled. The county has been allotted thir teen new car tires and thirty-three tubes, thirty-one Grade II car tires and 123 Grade III car tires. One hun dred and twenty-one car tire recaps are also included in the quotas for I December. Fifty-five new truck tires j and twenty-six tubes are being allot- , ted in the county this month along with permits for recapping twenty truck tires. The increased allotments do not I reflect a general improvement in the ' rubber problem. The Grade II tires i ! were the cheap or low-priced tires j befoe the war, and it is understood the Grade III tires are made entire-1 ; ly from reclaimed rubber. Taking all the old surplus tires. j the government is trying to bright en an otherwise dark picture of the rubber situation. Holders of A and B gas ration books are eligible for Grade III and recapped tires, but the requests will be met according to needs. This means that there will be no general distribution of tires. The Grade III tire is either a used one, a recapped one or one made principally from reclaimed rubber. Defense workers and others direct ly connected with the war effort are eligible for Grade II tires This type of tire is a new one or one that has been driven less than 1.000 miles. In the trade they are generally known as third, fourth and fifth line tires. Holders of C gas books are eligible for Grade I tires, but it is indeed ap parent that the quotas will not meet the demand, meaning that only doc tors, mail men and a few others will be able to get tires of that typo. Busy Day For County Officials Next Monday Preliminary Plans For Listing Taxes To Be Considered Fen llavr Applied for Lining Properly in llie Various ToHnahipH Scheduled to wind up the old year's business and charged with the duty of lifting the lid on the 1943 tax program, the county commissioners with other formal and routine du ties can expect a busy day at their regular monthly meeting here next Monday. Since all the members are succeed ing themselves, it makes little dif ference when they subscribe to the oath of office or whether they will wind up the old term business as members of the old board or as mem bers of the new. One of the first du ties on the list for the Monday ses sion is the appointment of a solici tor for the county recorder's court. Work in the court will possibly be delayed a few minutes pending the appointment of a solicitor and while the appointee and the incoming judge subscribe to the oaths of of fice. Submitting himself in the last May primary, Paul D. Roberson, Robersonville attorney, holds a valid claim to the appointment and it is expected, more or less, as a routine matter. After subscribing to the oath of office before Clerk of Court L. B. Wynne, the commissioners will re organize. It is also expected that E. S. Peel will be appointed to succeed himself as county attorney, and that John Bland will be renamed as sup erintendent of the county home. Routine business will receive due consideration, but the main business of the day will center around plans for the 1943 tax year. The appoint ment of a tax supervisor is scheduled and it is likely that applications for the list-takers' positions will be con sidered. Commissioner C. D. Car starphen will not be at the meeting as he is scheduled to report to an Army induction center for physical examination and possible military service. Just what effect his absence will have on the day's program is not known, but it is possible that the quorum will take some action since the time is short for completing plans for the 1943 tax program. The appointment of a tax supervisor is (Continued on page four) Sickness Increases In This Community Scattered reports coming from sev eral members of the medical profes sion and from individuals reveal that sickness is increasing in this com munity. The situation is not at all alarming at this tme, but the number of cases of illness should be suffi cient to serve as a warning to every one to guard his health. Ti is pfi??ihie that the. "sulpha" drugs will stem an influenza epidem ic before it approximates even any thing like the peak reached nearly a quarter of a century ago, but some doctors are pointing out that there is a far greater number of colds now than usual and that there is a grad ual upward trend in the number of tick cases. One doctor last night re ported five cases of pneumonia among children under five years of age. Another doctor said that he had 8?en more pneumonia cases in recent weeks than he had seen in recent years. And most of those cases were among children. Ranking medical authorities have stressed nutritional values, and ap parently for a good reason. HOMIt SCHOOL Representatives of the United States Army are opening a two day bomb school in the Hotel George Reynolds this afternoon. Between 75 and 100 special ci vilian defense officials from all over eastern North Carolina are in attendance. .Major llerrin, of Raleigh, and Captain Leonard, of Atlanta, are conducting the classes. In addi tion to making a study of various types of bombs, the school will go into detail as to how certain types of bombs should be han dled. S| MH'ial Two Weeks Term of Court Will End Sessions Today Jury Putimlly Hearing S I 000 Alienation of Affro tioiiM at IVchciiI Time The two weeks special term of the Martin County Superior vCourt is drawing to a close today. Adjourn ment, it was pointed out, is dragging but despite incongruous testimony and contention, the court is expected to quit late today upon the comple tion of the $15,000 alienation suit brought by J. R. Griffin against J. L. Ross. Suspending sessions Tuesday and Wednesday while Judge R. I). Dixon was testifying as a witness in anoth er county, the court resumed activi ties here yesterday morning. In the case of Dixie Motors against R. S. Critcher, the plaintiff was awarded a judgment in the sum of $75. Dennis Barber was awarded a judgment in the sum of $200 in his j case against Tom Bunting. The $15,000 alienation suit was ' called yesterday morning about 10:30 o'clock and at noon today the witnesses were still undergoing grue some. cross examination which was j marked by objections and rulings and side issues. "It is quite possible that the case will drag into Sunday morning, but under ordinary circum stances it could be completed this afternoon." a court observer said at noon today. He added that the case could have been cleared even before that time under ordinary conditions. Griffin accuses the defendant of breaking up his home. The defend ant, father of the plaintif's wife, maintains that he acted in the wel fare and interest of his daughter, that he did all he could for the cou pie. The court, its session interrupted first by the Thanksgiving holiday and next by th^enforced absence of the judge, has attracted very little attention SUGAR CARDS Another appeal la being di rected to those persons whose sons or relatives are rntering the armed services, urging them to surrender surplus sugar ra tioning cards. The service man needs no sugar rationing cards, and reports state that there Is a plentiful supply of sugar for them. The ration cards left be hind when one enters the serv ice are to be surrendered to the rationing board either in person or by mail. About one out of eight service men are surrendering their ra tion cards. It Is quite possible that the lists will be cheeked, and holders of the idle cards will eliminate potential trouble It they surrender them new. Army Accepts Less Than Half of Last Group of Draftees Twenty-nine Martin County White Men Rejected Recently Calling some over a half hundred white men a short time ago, the Army accepted only 25 of the group. Several others had previously join ed the Navy, and they with the 25 represented about half the 32nd call received in this county. Quite a few of the men had made the trip to the induction center and had been re jected previously, but some of them were accepted recently Lance Dut ton Hardy, the first Martin County man to be drafted and who was re jected upon his first visit to the in duction Center, was accepted recent ly. It is understood that he is the fourth son to enter the service. Ordinarily when men are rejected by the Army now, they are placed in the 4 F classification, meaning they will hardly be called for any kind of military service. However, it is un derstood that a few of those recent ly rejected were placed in a classifi cation known as 1-A remedial. No explanation could be had. but it is believed that the number of reme dial cases, is so great that the Army can't handle them at this time and that the men were sent back home until the congestion is cleared up. The men, it is also understood, are subject to recall. Running short of physically fit single men. hundreds of draft boards filled their recent quotas with men who had previous ly been placed in I B and 1-A rem edial classifications, and the Army could not handle the rush at one time. Just how many men returned to this county recently are in the 1-A remedial class could not be learned immediately. The names of the twenty-five men accepted, recently are, as follows: Lance Qutton Hardy, Joe Thom as Thompson, Jr , William Cecil Rob erson, Lloyd Monroe Hassell, On ward Lloyd Gardner, George Wash ington Taylor, Carlton Edward Har dy, William Harcom Capps, Thomas Edward Purvis, Eli Staton Stalls, Herman Randolph Whitley, Willie Bullock, Joseph Hubbard Saunders, Jr., Dennis Mizelle, Lawrence Lilley, Gentry Wood row Mills, Macon Dewit Barber, Jesse Robert Griffin, Mer lin Carson, George Washington Rev (Continued on page four) ft Post Observers At Jamesville Awarded Arm Bands Tuesday Need for (iivilian Defense Work Stressed at Meet ing in Auditorium The work of twenty-eight observ ers at the Jamesville observation post was recognized at a public meeting held in the school auditor ium there last Tuesday night when Civilian Defense officials, aided by Attorney Kemp D. Battle, of Rocky Mount, ably stressed the need for a continuance of defense activities on the home front Interested in the de fense of their country, more than 200 patriotic citizens in the community^ were present for the special meet ing. Presided over by Chief Observer C'has. Davenport, the meeting was opened by the high school glee club singing "The Star Spangled Banner," and Principal Britton offering a prayer. Representatives from the First Fighter Command were in attend ance upon the meeting from Norfolk and showed a picture and offered 4 word description telling how the ob servation work was aiding defense. It was pointed out that the ground observers were making it possible to send thirty planes into actual com bat service for every one held at home. In other words instead of keeping so many planes at home for patrol duty, the Army is able as a result of the observation post ac tivities in the nation to release thir ty out of every thirty-one planes for actual service in the combat areas. This accomplishment, in itself, is ample reason why the posts should be maintained and properly manned without interruption and without complaint, according to the spokes man from the filter center. The main address was delivered by Kemp D. Battle, Rocky Mount attor ney, who is devoting long hours each weeks to the war program on the home front. He reviewed the war from the time Hitler inarched Into Poland in 1939, and cited our com placency. "For three years, Hitler was on the winning side. During the past three weeks we have been win ning, but certainly we can't flatter ourselves by even thinking we'll be able to push the war to an early con clusion. "In olden times, the people back home knew little about war on the battlefront for it was fought more or less independently of the home front. But now no army can fight alone. People back home can't es cape the war. Our boys are in it, and more will be in it, and we are going to be in it back home. The civilian , (Continued on page lour)