WAft
BOND DAT
-UH Mflilf
THE ENTERPRISE
VOLUME XLVI- NUMBER 50
oven THE TOP
FOR VICTORY
UNITED STATES WAR
BONDS-STAMPS
Williamslon, Murtin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, June 22, 1913,
ESTABLISHED 1BOQ
Whiskey Sales Reach
Second Highest Mark
******>* ,;lv ’* • t .O .J ..Vf « i_- - W.MI *4,. ... * .... ,
87aW?wMWm
Spent For Liquor
Since Stores Open
Sales Last Quarter Are Almost
Double Those of Same
Period in 1942
Almost doubling those of the cor
responding period in 1942, whiskey
sales in the four Martin County ABC
stores in January, February and
March of this year reached the sec
ond highest volume and pushed to
tal expenditures for liquor to $1,280,
983.25 for the nearly eight years the
system has been in operation. Rising
liquor prices, no doubt, partly ac
count for the unusually large sales,
but despite rationing and appeals to
buy more and more war bonds, con
sumption of the spirits has apparent
ly increased over that of the first
quarter in ^42.
Sales in the four ABC stores last
quarter went over the $100,000 mark
for the second time since the system
was opened in July, 1935, and trail
ed those :ecorded for the fourth
quarter of last year by about $36,
000. It is believed in some quarters
that had there been no shortage and
the spirits could have been had in
pints in unlimited quantities, the
sales would have possibly exceeded
those reported in the last quarter of
1942.
The increase in sales last quarter
over those of the corresponding per
iod in 1942 was general in all the
stores with Williamston reporting
slightly more than a 100 per cent
gain and the others approximating
the feat.
Sales for the first quarter in 1942
and the corresponding quarter in
this year follow, by stores:
1942 1943
Williamston $27,005.35 $ 54,185.25
Robersonville 14,650.95 27,072.15
Oak City 5,794.40 10,793.65
Jamesville 5,702.25 9,614.25
$53,152.95 $101,665.30
Almost three-fourths of the money
spent for liquor went to the distill
ers, leaving the county a gross prof
it of $26,829.76. After deducting op
erating expenses, the system report
ed a net profit of $23,690.41, but $1. .
27VA4 is trsceabl'^ufJtuxumtg, PrsfgJ
its on sales were reported, by stores, I
for the first quarter in 1942 and 1943, ;
as follows:
Williamston $ 7,269.73 $12,294.15;
Robersonville 3,621.07 5,822,45!
Oak City 1,435.20 2,296.741
Jamesville 1,370.54 2,063.02;
$13,696.54 $22,476.38
Where the sales last quarter were
almost double those of a year ago,
the increase in profits was less than
half the clearings a year ago. It
should be pointed out, however, that
there was r<~ sizable increase in ex
penses. In the first three months of
last year, total expenses, not includ
ing sales, were reported in the sum
of $4,038.26. In the first months of
this year, total expenses, not includ
ing the cost of sales, amounted to
$4,423.40, an increase of less than
$400.
The profit melon was cut, giving
the State of North Carolina $7,333,87;
Martin County, $11,776.71; Town of
Williamston, $1,636.14; Town of Rob
ersonville, $742.12; Town of Oak
City, $293.24; Town of Jamesville,
$272.68, and $1,635.65 for the law en
forcement reserve.
In the audit just recently released
for the first quarter, expenses were
listed as follows;
Salaries and wages. $2,448.80; rent,
$291.00; supplies, $10.24; haat, wa-1
ter and light, $110.16 repairs, $13.00;
miscellaneous, $19.50; administrative
and general, $1,531.58, making a to
tal of $4,423.40.
The ABC system now has assets
valued at $35,967.59, the greater part
of them being represented in the
$26,113.60 inventory. Some over $9,
000 is in cash.
The trend of legal liquor sales —
and there are comparatively few of
of the illegal type, just now—is re
flected by ouarters from July, 1935,
(Continued on page four)
-v—
Forty-Eight Hour
Trip From Africa
• —
It was a forty-eight hour trip by
plane from Africa for Master Ser
geant L. B. Spruill, of Roper, but it
took him 26 hours to come from Mi
ami to Williamston, this time by
train. Leaving Africa, about noon on
Wednesday, he arrived in Florida
some time Friday afternoon, having
traveled a distance of about 5700
miles.
Sergeant Spruill will be on fur
lough about ten days visiting his
family in Roper and his sister, Mrs.
Charles Peele in Williamston before
he enters Officer’s Training School.
He has been in Africa for about thir
teen months, and before his induc
tion into the armed forces worked
in Durham. He is in the finance di
vision.
Herbert Whitley, ymm^na of
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Whitley of
Williamston, has just been pro
moted to the rank of Captain in
the U. S. Infantry at Camp Swift, !
Texas. Entering the service as a
second lieutenant in March of
last year, young Whitley three
months later was made a first
lieutenant and now is a captain.
He is the seventh or eighth young
Martin County man to attain that
rank so far in this war.
Allies Lose Number
Of Planes In Raids
Over the Rhineland
Home Front News ('enters
On Call for “High Coin
nianil''' for Mobilization
While activities on virtually all
the land fronts are at a new low
point, Allied air offensives are
progressing rapidly and expanding
to new areas and targets. In the Med
iterranean area where invasion talk
has been centered these past few
weeks, Allied airmen are still pound
ing vital targots on .Sicily and—4«.
. dove \ *}««* «fs ha v<r
been reported in that area, but the
routine pounding is being continued.
There is still some talk about Italy's
possible withdrawal from the war,
but peace movements allegedly ad
vanced by opponents of Mussolini
have been officially denied. New ap
peals have been and are being made
to the Italians urging them to get
out of the war. That the appeals will
not be lightly brushed aside is seen
in Germany’s action calling for in
creased defenses in France and pro
viding no e.d for the hard pressed
Italians.
The second center of air warfare
over German targets is progressing
apparently on an extensive but cost
ly scale. Last night the Allies lost
forty-four planes over the Rhine
land. It is assumed that the raids
were made in force, but no report on
the damage to targets could be learn
ed immediately. The night raid was
hardly ended before other Allied
planes and in large numbers were
winging their way over the channel
toward occupied France.
Air warfare is also featuring the
fight in Russia where the Soviets are
entering their third year of the war
today. Reports from Russia state that
the enemy has lost 6,400,000 men
during the past two years, that the
Russian losses stand at 4,200,000 to
date. Russian officials expressed ap
preciation today for the aid extend
ed their country by American and
Britain and pointed out that the Nazi
war machine had been badly crippl
ed. It was also pointed out that a sec
ond front is badly needed to knock
Germany out of the war.
In the South Pacific the American
air offensive is growing, some ob
servers advancing the belief that it
is another steo toward driving the
yellow enemy back toward Japan.
New'S on the home front is crowd
ing back into the picture. While the
picture is not hopeless, it shows that
(Continued on page four)
Bunting Appeals
In Assault Case
—•
Fined $100 and taxed with the cost
by Judge J. C. Smith in the county
recorder’s court here yesterday, Den
nis Bunting, charged with assaulting
J. F. Crisp, ration board panel mem
ber, appealed to the superior court.
Pleading guilty to the assault
charge at a previous session, Bunting
I offered no evidence in his defense at
| the session yesterday, but sought to
withdraw his plea. The plea was
I denied by Judge Smith.
OPA action in the case is still
I pending, it is understood, but it
could not be learned what action, if
any, the agency would take. The case
has been investigated by representa
tives of the agency, it was learned.
TOWN - FARM
IN WARTIME
(A weekly news digest from
i vmmmmSmu&Mimm |
Weekly War Ration Guide
Blue Stamps
(For canned, frozen and certain
dehydrated foods): Blue Stamps K,
L, M, are good until July 7.
Coffee
Stamp No, 24, good for one pound
of coffee through June,
Gasoline
*'A” book coupons No. 5 good for
three gallons each and must last till
July 21,
Red Stamps
(For meat products, canned fish,
most edible oils and cheeses): Red
Stamps J, K, L, M, and N good
through June 30.
Stamp No. 18, good for one pair of
shoes, valid through October 31
Sugar
Stamp No. 13, good for 5 pounds, is
good through August 15.
Stamps Nos. 15 and 16 in War Ra
tion Book One now are valid for 5
pounds of sugar each, for use in
tome canning They are good through j
October 31.
Don’t Travel Unnecessarily
To relieve crowded trains and
buses, residents of North Carolina
are asked not to make unnecessary
trips. ODT has defined trips by train
or bus, for the following purposes as
non-essential: (1) To other cities to
visit friends; (2 )Home for the week
end; (3) Sightseeing; (4) To the
theatre, races, or other places of
amusement; (5) Any social travel or
travel for pleasure; (5) Travel mere
ly for the sake of going somewhere.
Victory Tax Collections
The Victory tax, which to date has
been withheld from wages and sal
aries, above exemptions, at the rate
of 5 per cent, will be included in the
20 per cent withholding plan provid
ed for in the current Tax Payment
act, on or after July 1. Total Victory
tax collections as of June 5 were
$682,382,523.20.
Sticker for Ration-Free Shoes
North Carolina shoe dealers must
put an official OPA sticker on shoes
that are to be sold ration-free be
cause of damage by fire, water,
steam, or other accidental cause, the
OPA has announced. The purpose of
the sticker is to protect the customer
against black markets in shoes.
Barbed Wire Available
Approximately 20,000 tons of barb
ed wire with extr_a long barbs, made
for mihtary'pufposesr"wni' be ‘use3‘
to meet a shortage oi barbed wile
on farms, according to WPB. The ac
(Continued on page four)
Provide No Penally
In Cases Where War
Goals Are Not Met
—*,—
Farmers, However, Are Urged
To Reach and Exceed
(iijalii Where Possible
Farmers of Martin County who fail
to plant at least 90 per cent of their
war crop goals this year will not
have deductions made from their
1943 agricultural conservation pay
ments to be made by the AAA, ac
cording to Jesse Crisp, chairman of
the County AAA Committee.
“In order to encourage maximum
food produc tion in the face of wea
ther handicaps of a late and wet
spring over most cf the nation, the
War Food Administration has re
laxed provisions of the 1943 AAA
program wh’ch prescribe these de
ductions,” Chairman Crisp said.
"When goals were being set this
ure to plant at least 90 per cent of
individual farm war crop goals
would result in a deduction of $15
per acre from adjustment payments.”
The deduction provision, the cha;r
man said, was announced along with
a plan to make incentive payments
on the acreages of war crops be
tween 90 and 110 per cent of a farm's
goal. These payments, however, fail
ed to receive Congressional approv
al, but special payments will be
made on Irish potatoes and eight des
ignated vegetables grown commer
cially for fresh marketing.
“Removal of the deduction previ
sion does not mean that farmers
should relax their efforts to reach
their goals, and exceed them if pos
sible,” Mr. Crisp said. “The unfavor
able weather conditions which were
responsible for removal of this pro
vision were most severe in the Mid
dle West from which a large portion
of the nation's food comes. This
means that fanners in areas not so
affected must exert extra efforts to
see that their goals are met and that
all the crops are harvested.”
Since prevailing weather condi
tions have cut the anticipated com
acreage, the War Food Administra
tion urged farmers in all areas to
plant emergency food crops adapted
to their conditions and needed to
carry out their individual livestock
programs.
Goals for individual war crops
were set by farmers, themselves, dur
ing a state-wide canvass of farmers
conducted earlier this year by coun
ty and community committeemen of
NEAR-EAST ARMIES AWAIT INVASION DAY
Behind Turkey,
ir Syria and
Iran, a large Brit
ith and Polish
army waits for a
Balkan front to
opon. If Turkey
enters war on
Axis, Allies will
have a Turkish
bridgehead for
drive on Nazi
Bulgaria. If not,
Allied offensive
may by-pass
Turkey for the
Greek mainland.
ROSSISlf THRUSTS
Aims ' 1
NIUTiAlS [~ vm
AXIS f
IJSSS
THE BALKANS remain one of Hitler’s most vulnerable points In his Fortress Europe Whether Turkey
enters the war on the Allied side or not, the Nazi leader must depend for the most part on defense by
troops of the satellite Axis nations, interspersed with German divisions. C •mn»u!vtv.t:-.>»s in the Balkans
are poor and roads are bad Saboteurs can be expected to aid when the invasion starts (fnr.«r»uwi<»«aii
Local Potato Market Reports
Marked Increase In Receipts
Opening last Thursday evening
with comparatively small deliveries,
the local Irish potato market at the
Standard Fertilizer Company plant
late yesterday and today reported
near record receipts, one report stat
ing that it was almost impossible for
the graders to keep up with the
work.
Coming in from five counties, po
tatoes were lined up during nearly
every hour of last night. In an ef
fort to handle the rush, the market
employed extra work shifts and po
tatoes are really moving through the
machines and made ready for mar
ket. Five carloads were moved out
yesterday, another one was loaded
late and by late today five more cars
will have been loaded and made
ready istr. stolent __ .... r „
Deliveries are being made, for the
most part, in conipafatively small
□
NINETY PER CENT
Handling the work themselves
martin County farmers have
measured possibly more than 90
per cent of their lands in con
nection with the AAA program.
The approximately 10 per cent
who have not reported their
measurements are urged to com
plete the work if possible by not
later than Friday of this week.
The State office is asking for a
county tabulation bv the first of
July, und it will take the county
office several days to handle its
work.
It has been explained that no
marketing cards will be issued
and no payments will be made
until the individual farmers
measure their lands and report
to the county agent’s office.
Airman Loses Life
In Second Accident I
—%—
Ensign Robert T. Wist, the young :
naval operator who parachuted to i
safety when his plane went out of
control over the lower part of this
county nearly a year ago, was kill
ed in a second accident a few weeks 1
ago down in Florida, according to
indirect information received here
yesterday.
Few details of the accident could
be had here, but it was stated that i
Wist was a passenger on a night rou- j
tine flight, that the plane went out
01 control and crashed killing tin
young man instantly.
Wist, a native of Texas, bailed out
of his Navy pursuit plane over this
county on a Sunday afternoon in
late July of last year and landed in
Warren Neck Swamp. After spend
ing about twelve hectic hours fight
ing mosquitoes in the swamp he was
found by a searching party late that
night.
a
Boys Scouts Move
The headquarters of the local Boy j
Scout troop have been moved to the
third floor of the town hall, the
rooms having been so generously of
uqof joXcim Kq s}noos aqj o) pajsj
L. Hassell.
All boys who are twelve years old
and are interested in becoming
Scouts will please be at the new
meeting place this evening at 9 o’
clock.—Richard Levin, acting scribe.
lots, the farmers explaining that
they planted a few to help relieve
the food shortage. The yield is not
measuring up to expectation, pre
liminary reports estimating that pro
duction will rang between 81) and 100
bags to the acre with a few falling
under that average and a few ex
ceeding it.
Prices, stabilized at $2.70 per 100
pounds less 20 cents for a bag and
a ten-cent grading fee, are accepted
without complaint, as a rule, the
growers with small yields explain
ing that while they will make no
money, they will not lose any. Where
production is ranging above 80 bags
per acre, the growers say they are
declaring a reasonable dividend.
Reports from other markets indi
cate that record deliveries are being
t «■>* >rV,s»gJ
night and day in an effort to handle |
the rush? *
Pvt. Paul Roberson
Now Making News
In Uncle’s Service
Has Interesting Experience
On His Return to Army
For The Duration
After helping make news as the
county’s prosecuting attorney for
many months, Solicitor Paul D. Rob
erson as a private in his Uncle's serv
ice, is now manufacturing a bit of
news of interest to the folks back
home. Writing to the editor this week
from Fort Bragg, Pvt. Paul said:
One of the most eventful and in
teresting experiences of my life hap
pened when I returned to the army
for the duration. I wanted to write
an account of the happenings of our
boys and let you put it in the paper,
because I know that all the parents
of the boys who left with my group
and wives and friends would be in
terested in knowing just what hap
pens. Not only those, but the fathers
who are now’ at home and can expect
to make the trip down here within
the next few months. I asked for
permission, but was told by my su
perior officer that it was against
regulations since I am now in the
Army. However, I can personally
tell you that J. O. (Blue) Manning,
Jr., has been a swell fellow to the
fellows from home. He has been a ;
father, mother, big brother and ev
erything else to some of the boys, j
He had charge of our barrac k, and |
made it as easy and comfortable fori
us as humanly p-co.-cib):; in the Army.'
Another of our boys who treated us j
nice was Edgar (Red> Gurganus, al-j
so Clayton Wynn from Everetts,
when he helped fit our clothes. Hugh
Martin from down Jamesville way
was nice to us, but because of his
duties he could not be with us much.
You would be surprised at the num
ber of Martin County boys stationed
here, I was not only surprised but
gladly renewed some old acquaint
ances as well as made new ones.
I wish you would send me at least
the Weekly Herald. My address: Pvt.
Paul D. Roberson, Induction Station,
Fort Bragg, N. C.
After I have found my way around
a little bit better, I shall again try
to get you tile article of which I
made mention. I think that it can be
done, but just asked the wrong fel
low; anyway I will try again, for I
believe that it would make interest
ing news.
Some of the things which happen
ed to our individual group will be
remembered longer than any show
that I have ever seen.
ROUND-UP
If
\ slight increase in activitie:
was reported on the crime front
in this section over the week
end. Local and county officers
arrested and jailed eight persons,
and cited several others direct
to the courts. Seven of the eight
were charged with public drunk
enness. In the other case, a son
beat up his father and drew four
months on the roads when tried
in the county court yesterday.
Three of the eight persons
were white, the ages of the group
ranging from 27 to 54 years.
Thirty-Six County
Men Are Accepted
By Army And Navy
in *v- ■-**•••• - a a*..' • ■» -r. - „
Official.Report on White IVlen
Leaving County in May
Just Received
Delayed for some unannounced
cause, an official Ary report just
received from the Induction center
shows that thirty-six Martin County
white men out of approximately six
ty-three answering the May draft
call were accepted by the Army and
Navy. Twenty-eight were retained
by the Army, the Navy accepting
eight. It is understood that ail but
three of the thirty-six men accepted
were rated 1-A physically, ttie pel
ventages of high physical ratings and
acceptances being consideraly larger
than the average. Of the approxi
mately twenty-seven men rejected,
twenty-five were returned on ac
count of physical reasons and two
for low literacy standards. Their
names were not revealed.
No official report on the approxi
mately fifty Martin County colored
men reporting to an Army induction
station last week has been received.
Names of the white men accepted
by the At my from this county in
May are, as follows:
Arthur Wallace Lilley, Jamesville.
Fred Saunders Bennett, RFD 2,
Williamston.
Charles Wilson Gurkin, Jr, RFD 1,
Williamston.
Arthur Durward Johnson, RFD 1,
Williamston.
Ghurman Curtis Auge, Jamesville.
Arthur Smith, RFD 1, Jamesville.
Robert Cullen Whitley, RFD 1,
Williamston.
Thomas Ri
si on.
Earl Thomas Harrell, RFD 1, Pal
myra.
William Charlie Ellis, Jr., James
ville
Ofins Wiggins Coltrain, RFI) 3,
WilliamDon.
William Vernon Ward, RFD 2,
Williamston.
Robert Lin wood Etheridge, RFD 1,
Oak City.
William Elbert Rogers, RFD 2,
Williamston.
(Continued on page four)
-*
Takes Big Number
Of Tobacco Worms
—♦—
Lorena Griffin, young daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. M. N. Griffin, of the
JamesviHe section, picked 71 worms
and twelve eggs from one stalk of
tobocco in her father’s field this
week. The stalk of tobacco was hard
ly more than one and one-half feet
tall.
Commenting on the unusually
large number of worms on plants
this season, Mr. Griftin said that
most of them were being controlled
by poisoning.
War Gas Consultant
Speaks To Civilian
.Defense Group Here
a*
T>W?T??^rF=mri'u,
VI orsj Fi';(liirr.<i of Poison
\t?a< lv
Working to profit from the sneak
attack made on Pearl Harbor eigh
teen months ago, civilian defense
workers in this county attended a
special school on poison gases con
ducted in the Martin County court
house last Friday night by Dr. Hay
wood M. Taylor, state war gas con
sultant and scientist of Duke Univer
sity. Fifty or more civilian defense
workers were present from over the
county.
Dr. Taylor offered a detailed re
view of gas attacks made in the first
World War, showed pictures of gas
attack victims in the current war
and declared that fear and panic
were a greater menace to safety than
were actual gas attacks. While he did
not dismiss the danger of gas at
tacks, the professor expressed the
belief that more harm and damage
| would result front panics and lower
led-morale.
^TwVieWing the effects of gas at
tacks in the last war. Dr. Taylor ex
i plained that out of the 1,843 victims
|of chlorice gas, there were only sev
en deaths. There were 27,711 mus
tard gas victims, 399 of them dying
! He declared that the tuberculosis
rate among gas victims was no great
er than it was among others.
Nearly 4,000 different types of
poisonous gases have been invented,
but only about ten or twelve of that
number have proved effective for
war use. The professor is of the opin
ion that the danger from gas poison
ing has abated somewhat, but it is
advisable to carry on plans for com
batting that type of cold-blooded
murder even in remote sections.
Dr. Taylor, who has been burned
by mustard gas himself, explained
that a plane could shower poison gas
over an area 200 yards wide and 800
yards long, that the attacks were
more effective when launched on
calm days, in foggy or cloudy weath
er and at night “If gas is used it
will be about the same as that used
in World War i, the professor said,
adding that it would be of the lung
irritant and blister type, and may be
released as a gas, a solid or in li
quid form.
After explaining the characteris
tics of several of the gases, Dr. Tay
lor suggested certain precautions that
.’huuliV be known by every civilian
i in protecting himself against poison
j gas. Hie Inst thing to do, according
| to the specialist, is to walk against
the wind or at right angles to the
[wind In this way, he explained, one
will soon travel out of the gassed
area. To walk with the wind one will
stay in the gas that much longer.
When a gas attack catches one in a
house or other building, he should
close the house as tight as possible
and go to the highest part within
the building. Gas, it was explained,
is heavier than air and will hold
close to the ground. The non-per
sistent types will clear away in
about ten or fifteen minutes and will
cause no great damage.
It and wru n poison gases are used
against civilians, and they have been
used against the Chinese in the pres
ent war, Dr. Taylor stated that they
would either be mustard or Lewisite
gases. Mustard gas smells like mus
tard and Lewisite smells like a ger
anium. If one is gassed with either
of these he should immediately get
out of the gassed area, remove his
clothes, mop off the gas and wash
the affected spots with chlorox or
some household cleaning solution
and then wash with soap and water.
Lewisite is to be treated in about the
same way, but a strong solution of
peroxide should be used in place of
chlorox or solvents. To counteract a
burn, the mustard gas should be at-'
tended to within five minutes, and
m the case of the Lewisite gas it
should be cleared from the skin in
about one minute. Fresh air is vital,
and treatment can be advanced by
gargling with a bicarbonate soda wa
iHj^^hiUon and the taking of as
pini^^^P*^^r Tally accompanys
a gas attack, ancTiAt victim should
be kept as quiet as possibjr
Mustard gas, settling in low' places
(Continued on page four)
-«
Frightened Out Of
Woods By Rattler
—%—_
Making an inspection of a piece of
timber in Griffins Township last Sat
urday afternoon, Elbert S. Peel and
Dave Daniel quit their mission and
beat a hasty retreat after encounter
ing a four-foot long rattlesnake. One
report has it that Pee! forgot how
the timber looked after seeing the
snake, that he'll not get another pic
ture of it until the ground is frozen
at least ten inches.
Walking through the woods close
to one another, both men were al
most on top of the snake before they
saw him. Daniel asked Peel to watch
the snake while he could get a stick.
Not caring for the 15-point rattler’8
company, Peel insisted that Daniel
hold a close watch over the snake
while lie (Peel) went to look for a
stick. Wielding the stick. Daniel and
not Peel, kiited the snake.