WAR BOND DAT «*tP 9HSSHK9—UVI KKiM THE ENTERPRISE OVEX TNI TOP FOR VICTORY UNITED STATES WAN BQNDS'STAMPS VOLUME XL\ I—NUMBER 39 Williamaton, Martin County, N^rth Carolina, Friday, May 14, 1943. ESTABLISHED 1899 War Turns To Air As Las! German Soldier A frim ^ .■» Churchill Will Hardly Reveal Invasion Plaus In Talk This Afternoon -♦— Following the surrender of the last Axis prisoner in Tunisia this week, marking the close of a great victory for the Allies in Africa, the war has turned to the air in a big way. Devastating raids were direct ed against Germany Wednesday night when the RAF made the heav iest raid of the war on Duisburg, Germany’s largest inland port. Thir ty-four planes were lost, but little was left of the target. The raid was followed yesterday by another car ried out by American forces over northern France. Maintaining a day and night schedule of attack, the RAF was over Berlin, the Ruhr and Czechoslovakia last night with an other powerful punch from the air. The Britishers lost 34 planes, the same number lost in the Wednesday night raid. Preliminary reports coming from the fight in Africa state thatthe Germans lost around eOO.OGo from the beginning to the end. that about four times as many Axis pris oners were taken than the number lost to the Axis. No report on Al lied losses has been released, but ac cording to some sources, the losses were heavy during the early stages of the campaign and toward its close last week. ' A report on the American air raid said: The Fortresses dropped “many tons” of bombs on the air field at St. Omer, one of Germany’s most im portant in western Europe, and ob literated an aircraft factory and re pair shops at Meaulte, both in north ern France. British and Canadian bombers, in cluding the largest force of four engined planes ever sent into the air, shattered Duisburg, the Reich’s big inland port, with almost 2,000 tons of bombs early yesterday, touch ing off tremendous explosions and starting fires visible for 150 miles. While the British and Canadians rocked Duisburg, Russian planes, striking at the Germans from the east, bombed railroad objectives at Warsaw', Poland’s capital ,and its suburb of Praga on the Vistula river, Moscow radio announced. Fires still were burning in Duis burg yesterday when the formation of Fortresses from tjie eighth Unit ed States Air Force took up the at in davligh* A joint comm'^fc, que issued headquarters and the Air Ministry described the raiding force officially as “strong.” The big Boeing bombers were es corted by RAF, American, Domin ion and Allied fighters. They en countered opposition over Meaulte, where an important aircraft factory was “obliterated.” The formation’s only losses were suffered over Meaulte. Three bombers and five (Continued on page six) Daily Vacation Bible School To Open Here Next Monday WlW. I The eighth I fninn paj-ly Va cation Bible School will begin Mon day morning at 9 o’clock. The direc tors of the school are anxious tha ail cf our boys ann girls in town wh‘ are not employed or otherwise pre vented from attending will enrol either at your Church School Sun day morning or at the Vacatiot School Monday morning. We believt that both parents and students ari interested in the opportunities whicl this school affords, and that they wil do everything they can to make it i success. These days from May 17-21 will give as much actual Bible studj time as will be had by most students in the course of a whole year in the Sunday School. Competent and ex perienced teachers and workers have been secured from the various church schools participating. Regularity and punctuality in attendance are neces sary in order to get the most out ol the school. The Beginners (ages 4-d) will meet at the Episcopal Church. First week. --vv .. • -"**•**»?*:T -■"Learning about God’s love . an' - j care.” Second week, ‘‘Stories abcvu - ; Jesus.” t The Primaries fages 6-8) will mee > at the Legion Hut. Subjects: Firs - week, “Bringing our gifts.” Seconi I week, “Jesus uses His gift of stor; telling.” i The Juniors (ages 9-12) will mee ■ at the Baptist Church. Subjects: firs ‘ week, “Learning of God from Hi i Word ” Second week, “Learning o God from Jesus." The Intermediates (ages 13-17 i will meet at the Christian Church Subject for both weeks. “Learninj from the Great Teacher.” The hours are from 9 a. m. to 1 a. m. Arrangements are in the making for handicraft work for both boy: and girls.; The first faculty meeting will bt held at the Methodist Church Sun day, 5:30 p. m, A full attendance o: the workers and teachers is mucl desired. .Shortage Of Gasoline Calls for Lower Ration IMPROVED Heavy and general rains in this section the early part of the week have greatly improved the crop outlook, and farmers, a bit depressed just a few days ago, are all-out optimists now. Ham pered by blue mold, strong winds and dry weather, tobac co transplanting is now at a cli max in the county, general re ports stating that most of the crop will have been placed in the fields by the early part or mid dle of next week. The blue mold disappeared, for the most part, overnight, and the supply of plants, while short in some areas is believed sufficient to care for all needs. While a bit late in some in stances, crops, in general, are growing rapidly and are look ing “fine.” Denv Man Gasoline j Ration for Duration —»_— Checking tire records against mile age driven on “B” and “C” rations, the county war price and ration board this week denied Floyd Spruill, of RFD 1, Williamston, all gasoline rations for the duration. It was the first case where the check ers found that the consumer was ex ceeding his book allotments, and it (Continued on page six) j Predicts Tightening Of Gasoline Rations Throughout Section OPA Officials Declare Public Consumption Must Be Cut To Meet War Needs The pressing war needs for limit ed gasoline supplies in the East de mand that all applications for sup plemental and special rations be granted on the basis of bare neces sity, C, C. Martin, of the Martin County War Price and Rationing Board, reported today following a meeting of ration authorities and board representatives in Elizabeth City yesterday. The importance of examining the applications closely and of adhering strictly to the mileage rationing regulations in issuing all gasoline rations was emphasized at the meet ing. The session ‘..'as one of a series arranged by the State OPA office to with rationing Terstbe various provisions of the regulations. “It was made very clear," said Mr. Martin “that every gallon of gasoline we give one man is taken away from someone else. It's up to us to see that the fellow who needs the gasoline most gets it. That’s the whole idea of rationing ” The Eastern gasoline situation as depicted at the meeting offers little hope of increased supplies for civil ian use this summer, Mr. Marlin said. The gasoline shortage develop ed in the East, it was pointed out, because tankers which normally brought in 95 percent of the East’s petroleum were withdrawn for mili tary service. In the last year over land facilities—tank ears, barges, pipelines—have been increased until at present it is possible to bring in more than 1,000,000 barrels a day. Completion of more pipelines, and other facilities may raise this rate to an average of more than 1,500,000 barrels a day—approximately our normal rate of consumption—by the end of this year. But this does not mean “driving as usual,” OPA’s Richardson from the Washington office emphasized, because war demands have greatly increased our gasoline requirements. Tremendous quantities of gasoline are needed now for the battle fronts uoroad, and for running war plants and operating food producing farms at home, it was stated. Right now large shipments of gas oline are being withdrawn from the East Coast ports to supply the Allied fighting forces on two continents. These withdrawals are vital to vic tory, siww the same n-K-jnhgr of ships Ssa&a* JnsmTarc 1am1' distant ciui'i ports would be able to transport one third less petroleum. -«•- <:e t-a'" afggg'-Jei i'mj ' —the milita Lttdas&%,'r azoSS^gfJ (Continued on page six) County Land Tax Sale Smallest in Many Years Only 279 Delinquent Accounts Advertised For Sale On June 7 . „— Total of $4,139.53 Reported Unpaid on Real Estate As of May 12 —■■■■ ■ >*»(,;• v *'■♦*••* • •. • Martin County today is advertis ing its delinquent tax list, Tax Col lector M. Luther Peel pointing out that the number of unpaid accounts is the smallest in a quarter of a cen tury or even more. The list while showing some owners of real prop .«•»».***•/ stilU.'n «• fiftaacia! ilects unusuauy neaitny conditions j existing on the money front, as a j whole, for taxpayers , Starting oui*&ui a total levy of $213,252.46, Collector Peel has re duced the amount to $4,139.53 due on real property and about $6,500 still due on personal holdings. Quite a few of those who have not yet paid their personal property taxes are in the armed services, and payment is hardly to be expected at this time. The unpaid accounts on real prop erty will be materially reduced be fore selling time on Monday, June 7, and the personal property list will be considerably reduced during the coming months Even though the schedule has been advanced by several months, there are only 273 delinquent accounts on the real property books to date. There are approximately 8,000 names on the tax books, and when the de linquent list is reduced to 279, the collector is obliged to be nearing the bottom of the barrel. By actual count and figures, the 1943 list shows no great improve ment over the list for 1942, but the (Continued on page six) CAMPOREE Between 75 and 100 Boy Scouts from three counties will start ar riving around 3:00 o’clock this afternoon for a district campo ree on the high school grounds. Lots have been staked by Jim Uizle, of the East Carolina Area Boy Scout Council, and plans for the event are Youths are expected here from Plymouth, Jamesvilie, Rober sonville and Windsor. William ston will have about twenty-two representatives at the camporee, Scoutmaster Marion Cobb said this morning. In Parmrfc StliooJ Commencement exercises at the school in Parmele this week was one of the most successful in the history of the institution. Spirituals and pa triotic selections by the speech choir and the graduates, such as “The Civ ic Creed", “Educational Significance of the American Flag,” “The Soul of America,” “A Progressive Dem ocracy,” “What Price Honor.” A vision: “Patriotism and True Democracy." A Fireside Talk was given by the principal. Special music was render ed by the glpo club David Hender son was awarded the prize for being the best all-around student in the school. Henderson has also been ac cepted in the Navy. Phillip Powell was rewarded a prize for making the most progress in culture and refine ment. Special mention was made with reference to Professor W C. Witherspoon, who left for Fort Bragg to be inducted into the service- of Uncle Sam. Called To Richmond By Death Of Relative J. J. Reinhardt, well known in Vir ginia musical circles and brother-in law of Mr. Geo. Thorpe, of William ston, died suddenly at his home in the Virginia capital last Tuesday night. He had been in declining health for a number of years As a boy, he attended the Richmond schools and studied the violin under the Into John Kessnieh, becoming, at the age of six, soloist with the old Mozart Association. He was later a violinist in the Mozart Orchestra and a choir singer at St. Paul’s Church. Funeral services were conducted yesterday afternoon from St. Paul’s Church by Rev. Dr. Vincent C. Franks. Mr. and Mrs Thorpe were celled to Richmond by ms death, and they attended the services. ' Admits Killing Man When Given Heari m r Luke Parsley Placed Under Bond for Fala! Slabbing of Percy D. Ashford Breaking a remorseful silence just t long enough to plead guilty, Luke t Parsley, young colored man, war giv ! on a preliminary hearing before Justice J. L. Hassell here Tuesday evening at 1 o'clock tn the case charg ing the man with the fatal stabbing ■ of his brother-in-law, Percy D. Ash ’ ford, not/far from the Williamston Package /Manufacturing Company plant last Friday night about ten o'clock. Parsley, said to have come | here from Wilmington not so long ago, stared into/space as two w it nesses offered tl/dr testimony. Bond was fixed in the sum of $1,500. Noth ing was said about, meeting the was returned 'to jail to await trial during the one w eek term of Martin County Super ior Court convening here on June 14th. Hanson Eborn, star witness for the State, briefly reviewed the uMriBMM leading up to the fatal attack His story. “Preacher,” the witness ex plaining that was what they called Ashford, “came to our home and was sitting on the porch talking with us. His wife called him, presumably to play some records. He tarried a few minutes and during the mean time, Preacher’s sister, accompanied by her husband, Luke Parsley, came along. She asked Preacher to go with them up town They said a few words, and Preacher started to his home. Parsley called him back and had something to say about every time his wife went some place some of her folks had to trail along. Ash ford told Parsley to go on with his (Parsley’s) wife, that he did not want to go. Preacher started home again, and Parsley called him a sec ond time. A few words were spoken, and I heard Parsley strike him. Ash ford offered no fight and ran a short distance and fell. He died about ten minutes later.” Eborn’s wife told about the same story, but according to her testimony Parsley asked Ashford that if the Parsley woman came back crying would he have him put in jail? “And if I hit you, you’ll have me put in jail, will you?” Parsley asked Ash ford, the witness said. “About that time Parsley struck the little man,” the witness added and held her hand about four and one-half feet from the floor to describe tile height of Several other witnesses for the State were present along with a goodly number of spectators, but Justice Hassell considered the evi dence offered by Eborn and Eborn’s wife sufficient to support the $1,500 required bond. Total Of Six tv-five •i Tires Are Allotted By Board Monday 3 Urge NiimWr Applications Curried Over for Later Consideration Holding its first meeting follow ing appointment a few days ago, the special tire arid car panel of the Martin County War Price and Ra tion Board issued its first car and truck tires and tubes this week. The panel exhausted the quota right up to date, leaving a fairly large num ber of applications for consideration at a later meeting. As compared with approximately 300 issued by the ra tion board a week ago, the special panel allotted only 65 tires this week, including 33 new car tires, fifteen new truck tires, eight truck fecaps, and nine Grade III tires. Apparently the true facts sur rounding the rubber tire situation are not known except to a few. There may be enough tires to meet all ne^ds, but retail dealers declare that they are having difficulty in finding and. buying Orar**' -Chef- feu-' br-ders -fef'GrsWe”! -Sfe, ■ att"' coming in short already. The stock of No. 1 tires is fairly large at the timey' UMW—teiw’" ture deliveries. Grade I tires and tubes were al lotted to the following: J. C. Norris, Williamston, one tire and one tube. E. C. Edmondson, Hassell, two tires and one tube. W. E. Early, Oak City, two tires and two tubes. G. C. Godard, Jamesville, two tubes. Joe Everett, Parmele, two tires and two tubes. M. B. Barefoot, RED 3, Williarns ton, one tire and one tube. Harrison Oil Co., Williamston. one tire and one tube. Mrs. Lula M. Coburn, Parmele, two tires. Kelly Rawls, Robersonville, one tire. Paul Bailey, Everetts, one tire. C. G. Coltrain, Williamston, one tire and one tube. E. B. VanNortwick, Robersonville, three tires. (Continued on pagt, six) Registrants In ‘C’ Group Are Warned Of Changing Status R~ distance is also understood that men dis charged from the Army because of their "advanced’ 'ages must find es sential jobs—farming or some occu pation more or less directly associat ed with the war program—or face recall to the service. As for drafting fathers, class are to be expected possibly in July, or certainly by August. Under a new ruling, draftees, after passing the in duction examination, will he given furlough to return home and straighten out his affairs. Martin County Youth Missing In War Zone Eli Clayton Rogers Reported Missing In Action Since May 1 Son of Mr. and Mrs. Eli Rop;> «*rs, of Near Williamslon, lias Good Service Record Technical Sergeant Eli Clayton Rogers, 24-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Eli Rogers, of near Williams ton, was reported missing in action this week in a telegram addressed to the young man’s parents. The terse message, signed by the Adjutant General, Washington, D. C., reads, “I regret to inform you that the commanding general, European area, reports your son, Technical Sergeant Eli Clayton Rogers, missing in ac tion since May 1. If further details or information of his status are re ceived you will be promptly noti fied.” Stationed with U. S. forces in the war zone, possibly in Great Britain, young Rogers was a member of a t ;x quit- possi ble that his plane was forced down either in isolated territory or behind enemy lines, that he is still alive. While eagerly anxious over the safe ty of their son, the parents are still hopeful It is possible that he was forced down somewhere in France while on a bombing raid, but his mission was not revealed and few details are to be had at the present time. Volunteering his services on Sep tember 24, 1941, several months be fore this country entered the war. young Rogers received ids basic training at Camp Lee, Va. A few months later, he was transferred to Sheppard Field, Texas, where he completed the prescribed airplane mechanics course of instruction at :he Air Corps Technical School on April 25, 1942. About three months later he was made a corporal at Mac Dill Field, Fla., and was a member af a bomb squadron. On July 14, 1942, he completed the course of in struction prescribed for aerial gun ners (flexible) at the Army Air Forces Gunnery School, Tyndall Field. His promotion to technical sergeant followed a few months la ter. It could not be learned when he left for service overseas, but it is understood he hud been in North Africa several months. He never ,WhiVmn~‘after en tering the service, but he never com plained, his letters always reflect ing a cheery disposition and offer lamesville Youth Receives Promotion In The Army -® Successfully completing the flex ible aerial gunnery course at the Army Air Forces Flexible Gunnery School, Laredo Army Air Field, La redo, Texas, Edwin Horace Carson, )i Jamesviiie, iast Saturday receiv ed the coveted aerial gunnery wings. Mow a sergeant, young Carson is digible to take his important posi tion as a member of an Army air forces combat crew. The son of Mr. and Mrs. O. G. Carson, of Jamesviiie, the young man entered the service less than a year ago. He was graduated from high school and attended college for two years. LAST ROUND-UP A last round-up of dogs for vaccination against rabies has been scheduled in this county for Saturday, May 29th, at Dr, A. J. Osteen’s office on South Haughton Street. Final notice is being given those owners who did not have their dogs vacci nated at the community dispen saries to meet the terms of the law. Approximately 2,000 of the canines out of an estimated 3,500 in the county have been vacci nated to date. According to those estimates, it’ll be dog day in YVilliamston on May 29th. How ever, it is possible for the owners to make special arrangements to have their dogs vaccinated on other days. Pvt. Simpson Writes From Vacation Land Martin Coun ty are getting along just fine,” Pvt. J. Paul Simpson writes from ‘‘vaca tion land” down in Florida. Enter ing the service just a short time ago as one of the first group of married men to leave the county for the Army, Pvt. Simpson said, in part: “First, I want to thank you for the Enterprise. I thoroughly enjoy it. We especially enjoyed the copy with an article by Sgt. Sammy Taylor. Don’t know of anyone we would rather (Continued on page six) Jadgo Calv in Smith* Calls Twelve Cases Inf 3tj a? ' '■ enters To nr I rjhuiKit is in SpHnion I:ntij Early ifternoon Clear* infi Large Docket Drunken drivers, literally bump n.g into highway patrolmen in this section week-end before last and "speeders’ picked up following the adoption of the 35-mile limit cm Thursday of last ,eek considerably boosted the number of cases in the county court last Monday. Judge i J. C Smith, calling about a dozen cases, held the court in session until 1:00 o’clock clearing the docket. Proceedings in the court: Andrew Mobley, pleading guilty in the case charging him with drunk en driving, was fined $50, taxed with the costs and had his driver’s lii’ense^^oked^for^^^^ear. He liquor ration book. Edgar Louis Keel, charged with drunken driving, failed to answer when called in open court, and his $100 cash bond was ordered forfeit ed. Papers were issued for his ar j rest. Pleading guilty in the case charg ing his with carrying a concealed [weapon and assaulting another with a deadly weapon, Charlie “Duke” Clark was fined $50 and taxed w'ith the case costs. Maintaining his innocence in the case charging him with drunken driving, Joe Henry Andrews was adjudged guilty. He was fined $50, taxed wilh the cost and had his li cense revoked for one year. Charged with an assault with a deadly weapon, O. W. Jones pleaded guilty of a simple assault. The plea was accepted by Solicitor Paul D. Roberson, and judgment was sus pended upon the payment of the court costs. The case charging Jeff F. Wilson with drunken driving was continued for the defendant until next Mon day. James “Toots” Moore, pleading guilty of an assault with a deadly weapon was fined $10 and taxed with the court costs. Core Lee Smith was fined $15 and taxed with the cost in the case charging her with assaulting an other with a deadly weapon. She pleaded guilty in the case. The first case to reach the court charging violation of the new 35 mile speed limit was heard in the court Monday when Joseph Creen Wise, of Norfolk, was tried. He suspended judgment upon payment of the court costs. Charged with, violating the liquor law, Elizabeth Roberson pleaded not guilty She was adjudged guilty and judgment was suspended upon the payment of court costs. The case charging R. G. Vaughn with violating the 35-mile State speed limit, was continued until next Monday. Appearing for further judgment in the case charging his with non (Continued on page six) Almost Half of Million Dollars Paid for Bonds MEETING Meeting in regular session here last evening, directors of the Martin County Building and Loan Association re-elected the organization’s officers fog the coming year, as follows: C. I). CarstarafrgM. president; N. CV ... Green, vice president; Wheeler Martin secretary, and Mrs. Vel la A. Wynne, treasurer. While in session, the board passed on a few loans, but none of them was for new construc tion, it was pointed out. justice Hears Two ■ faegfe'Hvy GiTOsai Following a quiet period on the crime front in this section last week end, Justice J. L. Hassell had a very light docket in his court this week. Only two cases were tried this week the number dropping from about twelve cases heard last week. Johnnie Rawls, of Newport News, was taxed with the court costs amounting to $7.50 in the case charg ing him with public drunkenness. Charged with being drunk and dis orderly, Charlie Williams was fined $2.50 and taxed with the court costs. Walter Freeman in«=t recently re leased from a term on the county roads for stealing, is in the courts again. Charged with breaking and entering and stealing dishes, boots, paddles and nets from the firemen's house boat. Freeman was bound ov er to the superior court under a $200 j bond. The young colored man also 1 stands charged with the larceny of i a canoe, and was bound over to the county court under a $100 bond in that case. County Exceeds Its War Bond Quota by More Than $121000 -- Hi# Bomber To Be Named Af * Ipr County for Showing In Bond Drive Bond sales amounting to nearly a half million dollars were made in this county during the second spec ial drive recently ended, Chairman IV V. Clayton announced thL-. week. Amgaei, a the county invested a total of $452,824 in the several types of war bonds to UNiRM^Jgfc* W- by $124,024. The vest thirteen billion dollars in bonds timing the period from April 12 to May 8, late reports stating that the drive exceeded the goal by several billion dollars. As a result of the remarkable showing made in the drive, this county will have a big bomber nam ed after it, the chairman stating that the ships will possibly bear the name, "Spirit of Martin County.” Proper forms are being prepared and after the bomber is named, pic tures will be made and sent hole for publication. Commenting on the drive Chap man Clayton stated that it exceeded all expectations, that Federal Treas ury officials were impressed by the record. About one-fourth of the amount, or $119,562.50. was subscrib ed to by "little" folks, or those pa triotic persons who bought “E” bonds ranging in value from $18.75 to $750. It is estimated that approximately £06 persons participated in eve pur chase of the “E" bonds. It had been (Continued onTpageTalx) ^ ^