FAT FAT
WAR
BOND DAT
mr mmm—un mum
THE ENTERPRISE
VOLUME XLVI—NUMBER 53
OVER THE TOP
FOR VICTORY
•Hfe
UNITED STATES WAR
BONDS-STAMPS
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, July 2, 1943.
ESTABLISHED 1899
Issue Certificates
To County Farmers
For Sale Of Meat
Have Applied for Spec
ial Certificates
More than 100 certificates for th<
sale of meats have been issued t(
Martin County farmers by the Wai
Board, and other applications art
pending. It was pointed out that i
farmer who slaughters meat for hL
own use and offers none for salt
will not have to get a permit. I’
was also pointed out that the farmei
has to have no permit to sell livf
hogs to a processor Only when h(
kills meat and offers it for sale does
the farmer have to have a special
permit. Application forms may be
had at the county agent’s office. The
application, once prepared, will be
placed before the County War Board
for consideration. While the pro
cedure is a bit doubt,
it really isn't much tro^me and the
plan will help defeat the black mar
ket. The government is anxious for
farmers to sell their surplus meats,
but it is asking them to cooperate in
reducing black market operations.
Permits for selling meat have been
issued to the following in this coun
ty, to date:
W. O. Peri, RFD J, Williamston,
Pete Wynne. RFD 3, Williamston:
Stephen Nicholas, RFD 1, Wiliiams
ton; Perlie Rodgers, RFD 1, William
ston; Roy T. Griffin, Williamston,
John A. Revels, RFD 1, Williamston;
G. L. Savage, RFD 3, Williamston;
Lonnie C. Gardner, Jamesville; Mrs,
Ervin Coltrain, RFD 1, Williamston;
W. B. Harringfon, RFD 1, Williams
ton, P. E. Getsinger, RFD 1, James
ville; R. T. Chance, RFD 1, Bethel;
Raleigh Lilley, RFD 1, Williamston;
Mamie G. Griffin, RFD 1, Williams
ton; Simon Lilley, RFD 1. Williams
ton: Asa J. Hardison, RFD 1, James
ville; R. T. Purvis, Jr., Roberson
ville; Betty S. Coltrain, RFD 1, Wil
liamston; Wheeler Latham, Jr., RFD
3, Williamston; Asa Johnson, Hamil
ton; N. W Worsley, Oak City; Joe
Vance Moye, Robersonville; Joe
Wynne, RFD 3, Williamston; C. B.
Allen, RFD 3, Williamston; Edgar
Davis, Hamilton; J H. Ayers, Oak
City; J. R. Coltrain, Williamston; J.
G. Staton, Williamston; T L. House,
Robersonville: Everett and Williams,
Robersonville; W. B. Cannon, RFD 1,
Hobgood; Geo. C. Gnffin, RFD 1,
Williamston: R. C, Brown, RFD I.
Oak City; Johnson-Matthews and
Co,, Hamilton, Roberson- Slaughter
House, Williamston, Mrs. Annie Peel,
RFD 1. Williamston; J. S. Ayers, Ev
eretts; Mrs. Nannie J. Ilaislip, RFD
1, Oak City; T. H. Wynne, RFD 3,
Williamston; Mrs. Lela Britton, RFD
3, Williamston; M. B. Barefoot. RFD
3, Williamston; Charlie Ward, Roh
ersonville; L. J. Hardison, RFD 1,
luonunuec! on page six;
-» .—
Alleged Speedsters
Have Their Day In
The County’s Court
♦ —
Jurist* J. C. Smith Adopts Reg
ular Schedule of Fines
For Speeders
•
Speeding cases crowded the docket
of the recorder’s court this week
when eleven alleged speedsters were
tried by Judge J. Calvin Smith.
Judge Smith dispensed with the of
fenders by fining them one dollar
per mile for excessive speed above
35 miles per hour and the costs. Oth
er cases, alleging violations of the
speed law are pending.
No court will be held on July 5th,
that day being declared a holiday,
but court will be held the following
Monday.
There were seventeen cases on
the docket this week as follows:
The case of R. S. Critcher, charg
ed with cruelty to animals, was con
tinued until October.
Charged with assault on his wife,
Floyd Scott was sentenced to the
roads for 90 days with sentence sus
pended upon payment of $10 fine and
costs.
J. T. Briley and Frank Williams
were indicted for assault _wit.h a
deadly weapon. During the assault,
Frank Williams threw _ stick at
Briley and it struck Mrs. Gladys
Taylor. Briley was sentenced to the
roads for 60 days and Williams was
sentenced to the roads for 60 days
with sentence suspended upon pay
ment of $5 fine and costs and the
sum of $21.50 to Mrs. Taylor.
Annie Spruill, Mary Haze! Mitch
ell, and Billy White were charged
with a violation of the health law.
Each defendant was sentenced to
jail for thirty days, sentence sus
pended upon payment of costs and
taking of treatments required by the
health department.
Stanley Lee MacNeill charged with
assault with deadly weapon, was
round guiity of simple assault Judg
ment was suspended upon payment
of $5 fine and costs.
The following speeding cases were
tried:
Edward Hollis and Mack Saunders
were each fined $10 and costs. Cleve
land Pridgen, Raymond Welles,
(Continued on page fix)
To Hold Last Public Canning
Demonstra tion Here July 8th
m
•A ^arming demonstra
I tipn of the current 'Pa^nr. -.v i 11 h.
next Thursday morning, beginning
at 10 o’clock, it was announced to
day by Miss Mildred Tigg, home
agent. A general appeal is being di
rected to all county women urging
them to make every effort possible
to attend the demonstration.
A nationally-known home econo
mist. Miss Myrom Chinard will con
duct the demonstration. Meeting sim
ilar appointments in various parts
of the country in recent weeks, Miss
Chinard has had as many as several
hundred women in attendance upon
a single school. She carries complete
equipment, and food conservation
will be reviewed, discussed and dem
onstrated in all its phases. The dem
onstration will be advanced after a
J ve*V practicalfSTnion, and it is cer
atf canning probiarris.
It is fairly certain tnat hardly hall
the pressure cookers allotted this
county will be made available, that
more attention will have to be cen
tered on other canning methods. This
last demonstration will afford a
splendid opportunity to the house
wife to learn all canning methods. It
is understood that the twenty-one
cookers now expected to be distrib
uted in this county will not be avail
able before July 15, if then. It could
not be learned how the distribution
would be effected. During the mean
time, ‘housewives are carrying on
the food conservation program by
borrowing cookers and employing
other canning methodk.
Virtual Embargo For
Irish Potato Markets
HOLIDAY MONDAY
v------<
Stores and most other places
of business will observe the
Fourth of July holiday next
Monday, but instead of using
the day for an outing or a spec
ial trip to the resorts, business
men are expected to turn their
attention to other constructive
tasks. Heavy industry, including
mills working directly for the
war program will continue op- .
erations.
Federal offices will be open as
usual, and county officials will
be in and out of their offices
during the day. The commis
sioners will meet in a brief ses
sion to handle a few pressing
matters before recessing for the
| public meeting in the court room
at 11 o’clock. They are likely to
return the following day for a
meaningful discussion of the
budget. No session of the county
court will be held, but the
judge, lawyers and others are
expected to attend the public
meeting. The ration board and
county agent’s offices will be
open.
The local post office will be
closed and no deliveries will be
made in town or rural areas.
More Than Hundred
Tires Are Allotted
By Rationing Board
—t—
Issuance Is Among Largest
Ever Handled in One
Week in County
The special tire panel of the Mar
tin County War Price and Rationing
Board set a new record this week
in approving applications for one
hundred and twenty-one tires, in
cluding sixty-two Grade I passenger
car and pick-up truck tires, twenty
seven Grade III tires, and thirty-two
truck tires. Sixteen of the Grade I
passenger car tires were issued to
the State Highway Patrol.
The issuance, the largest possibly
on record for Grade I car tires,
comes at a time when Rubber Czar
Jeffers w'arns that the outlook for
tire users in the future will not be
as bright as he had once hoped for.
The following received Grade I
passenger car and pick-up truck
tire?
ArthurPeaksTRF^R Wiiliamston,
one tire.
Woodrow Tyson, Oak City, one
tire and one tube.
Major Hogan Hyman, RFD 1, Hob
good, one tire and one tube.
Dennis Bunting, Oak City, two
tires.
Clifton Dail, Robersonville, one
tire and one tube.
Javen D. Leggett, RFD 1, Rober
(Continued on page six)
WORK OR ELSE
In carrying out the governor’s
program and iu support of the
war program on all fronts, coun
ty citizens in a public meeting
at the courthouse next Monday
morning at 11 o’clock are expect
ed to formulate plans for elimi
nating idleness and loafing. Just
what steps will be taken it is
not known at this time, but an
edict will likely be issued to all
united sons of rest to either work
or else. Draft board officials will
scan their records for vagrants,
officers of the law are to take
action, and special vigilant com
mittees are expected to cooper
ate.
The meeting is being called
by County Chairman Hugh G.
Horton at the direction of the
governor and is one of almost
100 to be held in the State that
day.
Break In Weather
Likely To Relieve
Glut At Terminals
..■»
Market Here Still Receiving
j Potatoes for Government
At Floor Price
Although the price has been chock
ed at the $2.25 floor level by the
government, confusion and uncer
tainty still plague the Irish potato
markets, and no one really knows
what tomorrow will bring.
After starting off at a brisk pace
week before last, the market for
! North Carolina potatoes went all to
pieces when large shipments reach
ed the markets in bad condition.
: Quotations held firm in other states,
but it is understood that even those
markets have been depressed and it
now looks as if the government will
find it necessary to handle the re
mainder of the crop.
The government went on the mar
i ket a few days ago, and sales were
j being made fairly evenly until the
| terminals in various parts of the
i country became glutted A shortage
of cars aggravated the situation in
some areas, but a report from the
local market today stated that suf
ficient cars had been made available.
Conditions became so aggravated
throughout the belt that a virtual
embargo has been ordered. Six car
loads of potatoes made ready for
shipment here day before yesterday
were ordered held on the siding for
forty-eight hours. Shipping instruc
tions are expected some time today.
It is fairly certain that the govern
ment will continue on the markets
until the crop is sold in its entirety
with the floor price of $2 25 less 30
cents for bagging and grading hold
ing firm.
“We promised to handle potatoes,
and we will stick to the promise un
til the last potato is moved,” Mr. C.
G. Crockett, manager, said here this
morning. Deliveries are being ac
cepted at any time, but since the
government entered the market, the
farmer delivers his potatoes and
just as soon as the offerings are
cleared, a check will be mailed to
the grower, Mr. Crockett said, ex
plaining that it was next to impos
sible to finance the transactions
privately, and < specially when the
handling charges were hardly large
enough to offset the expense. It is
his honest opinion, however, that
sales would continue to net the far
j rners $1.95 per hundred.
A break in the weather, following
a severe hot spell which was said to
have had a depressing effect on the
market, is expected to relievo the
congestion to some extent and pos
sibly boost prices. Few deliveries
have been made to the local market
(Continued on page six)
-» -
Wounded in Action,
Soldier Improving
♦ -.
Wounded in action somewhere in
the Southwest Pacific, Pvt. Jesse
“Duke” Walston, colored of Wiiliam
ston, is gradually improving in a
government hospital at Louisville,
Ky., according to a report brought
back by a brother who visited him
some time ago. Suffering from
minor wounds and nervous shock,
Walston was returned to this coun
try from the Pacific area about three
or four months ago and has been re
ceiving medical attention in the
Kentucky hospital since that time.
He is believed to be the first Negro
soldier from Martin County to be
wounded in action. He is also among
the few Martin County men to have
returned from the front for treat
ment.
Among the first volunteers to go
from this county, he has been in the
Army for about two years. Before
his induction he worked at the plant
of the Standard Fertilizer Company.
—
MARKET DATES
l __j
Tuesday, August Si, was fixed
as the opening date for the local
tobacco market by the Tobacco
Association of the f'rJted States »
the organization is five days in
ter than the one suggested by
tobacconists and officials in this
state.
The marketing season opens
in Georgia on July 27, and
spreads northward to the South
Carolina and Border markets
on August 5th, and to this belt
on the 24th. The markets in this
belt opened on Tuesday, August
25th, last year.
The association called for five
hour sales, a limit of 360 piles
an hour and the size of the bas
kets.
Lt. Marvin Roberson
Tells About Alaska
In A Recent Letter
---9
Relates Almost Unbelievable
Story About Hunting
Ami Fishing
-*■
The Enterprise, always glad to
hear from the Martin County young
men in the service, offers another
letter from a Williamston boy who
is serving his country thousands of
miles from home. First, Howard
Cone wrote recently a very interest
ing description of the Fiji Islands in
the Southwest Pacific. Irvin Griffin
followed with a vivid story about
Africa and the action there. And
now, First Lieutenant Marvin Rob
erson offers an interesting story
about Alaska.
The Enterprise welcomes news
from the boys in the service, directly
or indirectly, and urges more of
them to write.
Lt. Roberson, son of Mrs. Annie
Roberson and the late Theodore
Roberson, was recently promoted to
first lieutenant. It is not defnitely
known, but he is believed to be hold
ing forth in or near the scene of ac
tion in the Aleutians. His letter fol
lows:
“Thought I would dash off a few
lines to keep you people on the beam
about Alaska and to express my ap
preciation for The Enterprise, which
I might add, arrives regularly. Every
copy takes me right back to the
great metropolis of Williamston and
Martin County, and I really get quite
a kick out of it. Since arriving in
this neck of the woods some eleven
months ago, I have discovered quali
ties of the home paper that I never
thought existed. By gosh, I even en
joy the ads. Sometimes an issue
gets mixed up en route some place
and I receive later ones first, but
that doesn’t matter—I never notice
the dates anyway. So keep ’em roll
ing.
“Summer is here but it seems
more like April in good old North
Carolina. Even so, the scenery is
beautiful and you can’t beat this
place for fishing. I can step right
out of the camp area a few feet and
catch more trout than the outfit can
use, and in just a few minutes, too.
One of the boys killed a bear last
week within sight of the camp. And
in case we ever run short of fresh
meat all we have to do is step off a
couple of hundred yards and bring
in a deer. Walter Gurganus would
go crazy here with delight. We are
Vv^uii unui'u un dia./
-$
Official To Inspect
Draft Board Office
—*—
A ranking Army official is sched
uled * to J)rlspeci i/ie Martin C'ouniy
Draft Board offices here tomorrow
morning, one report stating that he
is from the medical corps. Since he
is from the medical corps, it is pos
sible that he will review the cases
of those men who were rejected for
minor physical defects. While it
could not be learned whether the
draft board will be called into ses
sion, it is quite likely that the local
medical examiners will be contact
ed by the official.
It has been rumored for some time
that 4-F merr "vPTEiV^Winor physical
defects could expect a return ticket ]
to the induction center, and possiDiy
the time is getting short for some of
them.
REPRESENTATIVE
___
A representative of the Office
of Defense Transportation will
be in the county ration board of
fice for one day next Thursday
to handle any problems truck
operators may wish to discuss, it
was announced this week.
Any truck operator who has a
knotty problem he can’t solve,
is invited to see the representa
tive. He will be in this county
only one day, Thursday, July 8.
According to a report heard
this week, truck gasoline rations
have been materially reduced,
and present indication point to
a marked reduction in surplus
or non-essential driving.
Lt. Thomas J. Meeks Reported
Missing In European Theater
---
Thomas'* a.’Sleeks. "ol the U. S.
Lj i 11 ■ ‘of near ttotjerson
ville, has been reported missing in
the European war an-a since June
13th. He has been in the armed serv
ices since August 7. 1942.
The last message that his parents
had from the missing flier was in a
letter dated June 12, that reached
them after the telegram from the
government stating that he was miss
ing.
Lt. Meeks, 22, was in the first
class to finish at the Army Air
Force Navigation School at Hondo,
Texas, where he received his wings
as navigator. Before entering the
armed services lie was a school teach
er, having attended the University
of North Carolina and received his
A. B. degree from East Carolina
Teachers College.
The young man, it is generally un
derstood, was a member of a Flying
fortress
crew, serving i: navigator
-l-b-iL.*. jaio »i) , n i > y -,c
■ tf'TCCCI CH >
he and other members of the crow,
jwete taken prisoner. Few details
were revealed in the message receiv
ed by relatives from the War Depart
ment a few days ago.
Lt. Meeks is the sixth Martir
County man to be reported missing
in action so far during the current
war. Two of them, Wilmer T. Glover
of Oak City, and L. Dan Roebuck, Jr.
of Hamilton, have not been hearc
from. Louis T. Holliday, of Rober
sonville, was reported missing of1
Bataan, later reported a prisoner 01
the Japs in whose hands he diec
just a short time ago. Marvin Melvin
Whitfield, of Gold Point, after be
ing reported missing, is now' a prison
er of the Italians. Eli Clayton Rogers
of near Williamston, is now a prison
er of the Germans after being report
ed missing.
Allies Launch New
Offensive Over In
Southwest Pacific
There’s Still Talk About An
All-Out Drive V};aiiisi
Hitler’s Fortress
-$
While they are still talking in
vasion in the European area, Gen
eral McArthur and his Americans
started a two-pronged and apparent
ly powerful push in the Southwest
Pacific this week. Aimed at the
powerful Jap base at Rabaul on New
Britain Island, the new offensive was
centered on a 700-mile arc extending
from Northeastern New Guinea to
the New Georgia Islands.
The initial goal is the Munda base
on New Georgia Island, and a land
ing was effected on Rendova Island,
five miles away. The task was ap
parently handled without opposi
tion on land, but heavy air action
was reported in the general offen
sive, the Japs losing 65 out of 110
planes sent into action the first day
and 55 the second day. American
losses were 23 planes and an empty
transport.
Late, reports state tliat the Ameri
can Marines are pushing forward on
land and that casualties had been
very light.
Secretary of War Henry L. Stim
son said that the American forces
were making satisfactory progress,
but he warned that “strong enemy
reaction may be expected" now
American forces have reached the
outer defenses of Japan’s stolen
Southwest Pacific empire.
The two-ply American drive ap
pears aimed at Rabaul, nerve cen
ter of Jap power in the Southwest
Pacific, and eventually may smoke
out the enemy’s fleet for a show
down battle. The bulk of the Nip
ponese fleet has been holed up at
Truk Island, 1,000 miles to the north,
licking its wounds after successive
defeats at Coral Sea, Midway and
Guadalcanal.
But before the American forces
can reach Rabaul they will be con
fronted with severe resistance along
both arms of the pincers now being
developed.
Latest reports from Allied South
west Pacific headquarters suggest
that preliminary objectives have
been achieved along the arm reach
ing up into Northeastern New
Guinea with the unopposed occupa
tion of the Trobriand and Woodlark
Islands—between New Guinea and
the Solomons—and the landing at
Nassau Bay, just 10 miles south of
the major Jap base at Salamaua on
New Guinea.
.- Car-,tor" of Viru Harbor on New
Georgia Island, some 30 miles below
Munda, appeared to be a substantial
start in the drive along the Solo
mons arm of the pincer. It is here
that the land forces were reported
(Continued on page six)
--
Knocking Stuffing
Out of the Japanese
“Of course you have seen in thej
papers that we are knocking the
stuffin’ out of the Japs. I'm only
sorry that I can’t get one for you as
you asked,” wrote Pvt. W. W, Ed
wards, former local boy and a mem
ber of the armed forces in New
Guinea, in a letter to his small
nephew, Wilton Knox, here this
week.
“I wish I could tell you a little
about the natives, but that will have
to wait until I come home,” Private
Edwards said. He added, “They are
very interesting people though.
Some of them speak fair English,
or enough so that you can talk to
them. We have one in our camp
that goes barefoot and wears a sa
rong. He has a rather hard time
talking in English, but he writes as
well, if not better than I do. He’s
known as the Number One Boy.”
Pvt. Edwards enclosed a picture
of a Koolar bear for his nephew to
show his pals, and advised the lad
to continue his swimming and div
mg. >
c
■s
MISSWC,
V
Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Meeks, of
near Robersonville, were noti
fied by the War Department a
few days ago that their son, i,t.
Thomas J. Meeks, 22, of the U.
8. Army Air Crops, was missing
following action in the European
war area on June 13. The young
flier, pictured above, was assign
ed to active duty soop after hjs
graduation from the AAF Navi
gation School at Hondo, Texas.
Services Take Ten
Out of Thirty-nine
Martin County Men
—<*>
Marshall Slade First County
Boy To Be Drafted for
Serviee with Marines
Calling for fifty or more colored
rmr. :n June, examining physicians
for the armed services examined the
thirty-nine that were sent from this
county about two weeks ago, accept
ed ten and rejected twenty-nine. Def
inite causes for so many rejections
could not be learned, but it is believ
ed that physical defects accounted for
most of the failures while quite a
percentage of the number was re
jected on account of below intelli
gence standards. Most of the men ac
cepted returned to the induction
center this week to begin active serv
ice.
For the first time, a Martin Coun
ty man was drafted into the Marine
Corps. Marshall Slade, a youngster
and one of the ten accepted, was se
lected for service with the Marines.
It could not be learned immediately
where hi is So j port for active dm
ty
Five of the ten, James Henry Rog
ers, James Rhodes, James Iver Haw
kins, Elvernon Louis Moore and Wil
liam Arthur Davis, were accepted by
the Army and they have returned
for active duty following a two
weeks furlough.
The Navy accepted Joseph Jones,
Leon Jones, Leonaz Williams and
(Continued on page six)
SKIP KWTION
l
In keeping with a cherished
custom, The Enterprise force will
observe next Monday as a holi
day and no paper will be issued
the following day. Battling the
labor shortage by working night
and day, the force is just about
run down, but they will not re
main idle. F. E. Bufflap will
go to Durham to be with his fa
ther who is undergoing a major
operation that day. Other mem
bers of the force will spend the
day digging and packing away
a "big” crop of Irish potatoes.
Tuesday, the force will return
and patch up and oil machines
that have been badly neglected
in the rush occasioned when one
member was lost to the Army.
Providence permitting and rev
enue supporting, the Friday’s
issue of the ole home-town sheet
will make its appearance on
iime—we hope.
I
'
!
!
I
r«Mlu> For Mrs. Dor;;
Italian! Gaylord
Mrs. Do-a Ballard Gaylord, native
of this county and daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Paul Ballard, of Williams
ton, was found dead, by her hus
band, W. V". Gaylord, at their home
in Roper about 2 30 o’clock Wed
nesday morning, the victim of a
self-inflicted bullet wound.
A 38-caliber revolver, with one
shell fired, was lying beside the
body, discovered by her husband
when he returned home from his
work at the Edenton glider base. Cor
oner Jack Horner made an investiga
tion. but decided that an inquest was
not necessary.
Mr. Gaylord got off from his work
at the glider base near Edenton about
1:30 Wednesday morning. When he
reached home, the house was locked
from the inside, and he had to arouse
his seven-year-old daughter, v^ho iec
him in. He went to his wife’s bed
room, ana, failing to find her there,
- felted to tin \ii- in i to look for her.
The lights were on in the dining
room, and Mis, Gaylord was lying on
her back, with the pistol beside her.
The bullet entered her head just
above the right eye and apparently
she died almost instantly. A neigh
bor, Mrs. Joe Nowarah, reported that
she heard a report, probably from
the revolver, between 11:30 and 12
o’clock, but that she thought no more
about it at the time.
Relatives and friends are unable
to account for a motive. No note or
message was found. It was said that
she had not been in the best of
health for a few days, and some of
her neighbors remarked that she
seemed to be unduly depressed for
an unknown reason. Her home life
was said to have been very happy;
she had three small children, the
youngest nine months old, to whom
she was devoted, and none could as
sign any reason for her act.
Mrs. Gaylord was born in this
county on October 2, 1917. She was
married to Mr. Gaylord on July 30,
1934, at Suffolk, Va., and they had
lived in Roper since that time. A
member of St. Luke’s Episcopal
Church in Roper, she was active in
the Woman’s Auxiliary there, and
also took a leading part, in the work
of the home demonstration club in
Roper. She was highly regarded in
the community.
Besides her husband and parents,
Mrs. Gaylord is survived by three
daughters, Rebecca, aged 7; Dianne,
4, and Judith Ann, 9 months old. She
also leaves two sisters, Mrs. J. C.
Smith, of Plymouth, and Lieutenant
Edna Ballard, of the U. S. Navy
Former Williamston
GirUfeund Dead At
Her Home At Roper
! r.ier'a
(Continued on page six)
Violation Of Child
Labor Law Believ ed
General In County
Not Lawful to Lmploy Lliil
<lr«‘ii llmlcr 14 Years of
Age in This State
-a
Violations, brought about possibly
in most cases by the acute labor
shortage, of the child labor laws are
believed to be quite general in this
county, an unofficial report stating
that there are approximately thirty
such cases in Williamston alone. It
has been pointed out that a child
under fourteen years of age cannot
be legally employed and worked in
this State, that violators are sub
ject to indictment and prosecution
in the courts.
Numerous requests for special
work permits have been received
by the county welfare department in
recent weeks. No permits can be
issued where the child is under four
teen years of age. It is understood,
however, that children under that
age may work on the farms.
Commenting on the law, State
Commissioner of Labor Forrest H.
Shuford said in a letter to the coun
ty welfare department here this
week:
I fully realize the situation with
respect to the shortage of manpower
and an; cognizant of the tact that we
must do ail things possible to get es
sential work done. I also realize that
there are instances where the em
ployment of younger children might
not impose serious hardships upon
the children. This may be the case
where the child comes from a good
home and where the parents are suf
ficiently interested to put the child
above everything else.
“On the other hand, we must real
ize that if the laws were broken down
in order to accommodate these few
cases, it would lead to great exploi
tation of child labor and the com
munity, state and nation would suf
fer as a result. Therefore, in my
opinion, it is much wiser to suffer
the inconveniences caused by the
shortage of labor for such things as
delivery service and other conven
iences to which we have been ac
customed rather than to destroy our
child labor standards which would
do far more harm, generally speak
ing, than almost any one thing we
could do today.”