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