MAKS EVKBY PAY DAY WAR \\ ^ BOND DAT tm SHHDint—SAVI MILAM OVER THE TOP FOR VICTORY with UNITED STATES WAR BONDS-STAMPS 66 I'iit m l h f ? £M ‘? t’ **£{ «*■* ■*» War Plans Pointing To An Invasion Of European- Fortress Bombing I» intensified with Land Attack Expected To Follow Soon While there's a lull in land fight ing in the western European arena, plans are believed in the making for a direct attack on Hitler’s fortress. Official spokesmen for the Roosevelt Churchill Quebec Conference assert ed last night that Allies would “bomb, burn and ruthlessly destroy” the Axis, that Germany and Japan would be wiped off the map. Bomb ing operations, directed against air fields in France and all along the Coast, are being intensified ,and ob servers are daring to say that an in vasion of France and Italy will fol low within a month. French people along the coast are being notified to be ready for the zero hour, and Ger mans fleeing northward in Italy are leaving the southern part open to invasion. Whether the Allies will de pend on the air offensive lo knock Germany out of the war without a land invasion is yet to be determin ed, but apparently plans are being made to follow through if the at tack from the air does not produce th,e draktd' rtf ults. United States warships are pound ing the Italian mainland for the first time in history, interrupting and cluttering the German withdrawal north. Following the completion of the Sicilian campaign, correspondents tell that the Germans at Messina were subjected to a terrible batter ing. David Brown, describing the Al lied attack on the straits city said: No earthquake could have been more effective in destroying Messi na than was the Allied bombing. “I have never seen any damage like it,” said one officer. “All the ugly recol lections of heavy bomb damage in Palermo, Catania, Bizerte or Sousse faded out by comparison with this havoc.” The railway station, one of the largest and most modern on the is land is a mass of rubble. Cars and engines are smashed. Oil containers were wrecked by direct hits. The famous “Corso” promenade along the waterfront is nothing but a heap of stones and bricks. Half submerged ships are lying along the j mole. A cloud of dust and smoke \ hang.s wer li.e eiciues. Tilt* main street is dead. Hardly a window pane j is left. Most of the people were evacuated to nearby villages and towns. Many were taken to Taormina where the Axis had military headquarters. The village of Sparta, a few miles to the north, harbors five times its normal population. Houses and bungalows had to be cleared to make room for evacuees. “Four thousand have taken refuge in Italy itself, but they now regret it, I expect,” said one man. “They will probably have Ihe experience of Mes pr sina all over again on the mainland.” {some heavy blows have been di rected against German airfields in Northern France and Holland dur ing ihe past few days, and the RAF was over Berlin again last night, it was announced this morning A Ber lin correspondent for the Stockholm newspaper, “Dagoes Nyheter,” re ports Nazi circles think it “not im possible” that the Allied air offen sive against Western Europe may be connected with “Allied rumors” of a second front. Included in the devastating raids this week was one against the great German research and development (Continued on page six) Seven County Men j Accepted By Army —$— Seven Martin County white men, answering the August draft call, were accepted by the Army of the United States recently, according to an official audit just received by the draft board. No men were chosen for the other service branches. According to one report, fifteen men answering the call on August *(T, it l.i -d that: fifteen wrexe-. found physically unfit and that three were below men tal and-or literacy standards. The names of those men accepted are: Raymond William Comstock, Frank Edward Stevenson, Samuel Leo Andrews, Elbert Harvey Which ard, Joseph Elmer Mizelle, Mavin Earl Copeland and Leroy Godard. Returning home the second day after they reported at the induction station ,the seven men are scheduled to return on or about September 4 for active duty. Ration Board In Weekly Meeting Each Friday Reporting recently the office hours of the Martin County War Price and Rationing Board office, it was stated that the ration board members met each Monday. The statement was made in error. The board members meet each Friday, and any one hav ing business with the board mem bers should make his appearance be fore evening when the board and panels meet to handle other business matters. _ AXIS NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO USE THESE MINES e • v r sj ( & THE RAPID ALLIED ADVANCE :n Sicily caught the Axis (latfootcd in many places. This huge mine dump i ai R 1 c i alunba was a ptured 1 >i g before the enemy had an opportunity to i lant the explosives in an attempt to slow up American, Canadian, and British troops. Oflirinl British photo. (Internalioral) More Martin County ' •/ Men Called By Army Boys In Teen A^es Form Great Part Of Current Quota Few Married Men Are Includ ed in Group Leaving for ludiielion Center Unable to meet the draft quota in its entirety for the month of August, the Martin County Draft Board bundled up what colored men it could scrape from the bottom of the barrel and sent them to an Army in duction center this week. Seventeen or about two-thirds of the group were boys in their teen ages, or boys who did not have a chance to quali fy for a “C” classification or snatch a deferrable status as an employee in an industrial plant. Four of the contingent were married, and three had exhausted their deferments in industry. One selectee who had lost ) oc . forfeited his “C” classification | was included in the group. It could I not be learned why he had lost his j “C” classification, but rumor has it ! that he did not measure up to his moral contract with those lads who are fighting, suffering and dying on the battle fronts. One registrant, Hezekiah Briley, Jr., scheduled to make the trip to the induction center, failed to report and he was listed as delinquent. The group left for the induction center the same day that eleven white men from the county returned to enter active service. Names of the colored men making the trip to the induction center fol low : Mark Hardy, Ilassell. Elton Hodge, Williamston. Elbert Mitchell, Williamston and Newport News. Edward Louis Hines, Williamston and Greensboro. Wiiiiam Robert t Johnson, RFD , Jamesvillc and LaGrange. Samuel Teel, Robersonville. Douglas Cromwell Respass, Wil liamston and Philadelphia. Kelly Crandell, RFD 1, Roberson ville. Golden Williams, RFD 1, William ston. T. C. Johnson, RFD 1, Bethel. Wtfitanr Eari 3ie-.er>s<-->v Robersonville. James Roscoe Council, RFD 1, Bethel. .Wiiiiam KalVigii Beii,'HiTTT, Wil liamston. S. L. Godard, RFD 3, Williamston and Washington. J. C. Stanley, RFD 3, Williamston James Alonza Keel, Everetts and Baltimore. Russell Johnnie Jasper Dickens, Robersonville. (Continued on page six) j STOVE K VTIO.NTVG ) v_J The rationing: of all types of stoves will go into effect next Tuesday, and certificates will be necessary where purchases are to be made. In connection with the rationing program, all re tailers and wholesalers in this county are to register on Sep tember 1, 2, or 3, it was announc ed by the local board this week. Anyone needing a stove after next Monday may apply to the County War I'rice and Rationing Hoard by filing an application on Form R-!)00 for a stove pur chase certificate. The board will then consider the application. Lieut. Billy Biggs In Army Hospital - According to a letter received by bis parent , Mr and Mrs S Rome Biggs, here last Wt dnesday , morn ing, Lt. William W. (Billy) Biggs is in an Army hospital supposedly in North Africa. Whether the young man was wounded or hurt could not be learned, but his letter, dated Au gust 9th, stated that he would be in the hospital at least three more weeks. Using a pencil, the young soldier was able to write the letter himself. Billy is a paratrooper and it is now fairly certain that he was among the airborne troops that landed three hours ahead of the main invasion forces in Sicily on July 10. No message has been recc ived from the War Department advising why the young man is in the hospital. About 3 o’clock, or several hours before the letter stating the young man was in the hospital was receiv ed, the young man’s mother dream ed he had been wounded, that his companion, Bill Lang, of New Jer sey, had been killed. Yesterday morning a second letter was receiv ed by Billy’s parents and it stated that young Lang “was not with them any more.” Billy and his companion spent their last leave in Williams ton in eariy April of this year. Honorable Army Release Joseph Pender, Jr., after spending several months in a New Jersey Army hospital, was given an honor able discharge a few days ago. Ap parently having regained his health, the young man, after spending a few days here with his parents, plans to go to Philadelphia to accept em ployment in a war industry. He had been in the Army for a bout two years. Must Exchange Old 1> \nd ( t^iik4)ks Holders of old "B" and “C” gaso line ration books -books issued be for August 11 are directed to ex change them for new ones between now and September 1. The old books will be worthless after that date, it was explained. It was pointed out that the exchange will be made tic kit for ticket, that if a person has five coupons in his old “B" or ‘C” book lie will u reive five coupons in his new book. In those eases where the coupons have been exhausted, no exchange is necessary and no ra tions will be issued until after the expiration of the old book In other, words, if a motorist was issued a book and it was supposed to last him until September 9 and he has already used it up, he is not to gel a new allotment until on or after the expiration date. The old “B” ration coupons have reading on the back. The new ones arc plain on the. .hack . The old “C” coupons are in a booklet The new “C” coupons will be in a flat sheet. Filling station operators must sur render to their wholesales all old “B” and “C” coupons on or before September (j. When exchanging their old “B” and “C” coupons, vehicle owners A ill be u.’lwd to submit their tin-j records for routine inspection. Martin Comity Roy Writes From Sicily No details of the fighting have been mentioned by them, but Martin County boys are writing home from Sicily. ]! is known that several | youths from this county took part in | the Sicilian campaign, that one, T,t j Bilik Bigg... was hospitalized sunn ten days or two weeks ago. Writing to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Revels, of RED 3, William ston, Pfc. William H. Revels said a few days ago, in part: “I am now on the island of Sicily. And it is a very nice place for a sin gle man like me to be.” Young Rev els had notiiing more to say about Sicily, but he did point out that the war will make a lot oi men appre ciate home when they get, out. He ex plained that he had only one thing to worry about, and that was the ap parent shortage in mail. “When mail comes, everybody is happy,” he said The young soldier would make it enemy fire and shell, that he wor ries when no mail reaches him from home. -® ) oullt Escapes On llis II ay To Training School —— Making his escape while being car ried to a training school by the superintendent of public welfare in this county, Henry Hatem, white youth, was taken into custody in Rocky Mount Tuesday night after he had appropriated for his own use another’s bicycle. He was turn . *. Deputy J. H, Roebuck Young IJatem, asking to be aiiow ed to stop at a filling station, jump ed and ran 1 uesday near Rocky Mount. FtTST TobamrFront Current' Crop Moves To Market Here -• The first tobacco of the current crop started moving to the market here late yesterday, and with a mark ed increase in deliveries today it is now believed that a large “break” will be on the floors for the opening sales next Tuesday. However, no record opening is anticipated by mar ket observers. George Thomas, colored farmer, was the first to unload a portion of the new crop here yesterday. He has 320 pounds on the floors and is op timistic. Quite a few' farmers visit ed the market late yesterday, mak ing plans for delivering their first loads. The selling time this season is be ing reduced to five hours daily, but that will be about the only change in the marketing of the crop. The daily selling time was curtailed in an effort to relieve the pressure on the redrying plants where acute labor shortages exist. Starting at I 9:30 each week-day morning except Saturday, sales v.ull be continued until 12:30 p. m., the buyers return ing from lunch at 1:30 for two hours to complete their purchases for the day. Sales will be limited to 360 piles an hour and 350 pounds will be the maximum amount allowed in one basket. Tobacconists, however, point out that farmers should exercise equal care against making their grades too small. Medium-sized grades, ranging from 223 to 275 oi 300 pounds, are possibly the most advantageous size when it comes to saving floor charges, it has been log ically pointed out. Quite a few of the buyers, their assistants and others who are to be connected with the market this sea son have aireay reported, some of them coming here directly from Georgia. All warehouses aie open and “tobacco town” is already alive with activity.* r V O THE FRONT To be sure, many copies are sunk or lost, but reports de clare that The Enterprise is moving right along with the Martin County hoys to the fighting fronts. In a letter to his mother here a lew days ago, Captain Jim Rhodes, Jr., stated that the paper had made its appearance in Sicily in almost record time, that possibly his copy was the first ever to reach that island. A review of the paper’s mail ing list shows copies moving out regularly to nearly every part of the world except Hitler’s lands, and it is hoped that it will be possible to get one there soon. Serious Pulpvvood Shortage Likely To Affect War Effort Situation Is Soriotis KnonuHi So Justify l ntisual Vets \inl Practices -<* Recognizing the seriousness of a growing pulpwood shortage, Donald Nelson of the United States War Production Board is addressing an appeal to all farmers, urging them to help relieve the seriousness by devoting three days work in build ing up the stock pile. Indirect reports indicate that the shipment of some vital supplies is being delayed because pulp manu facturers cannot get sufficient wood to produce the necessary material for making the containers. This pa per ,along with others in the main pulp wood areas throughout the na tion has been asked to carry the appeal to the farmers, and point out to them how they can help relieve the serious situation. Mr. Nelson’s appeal: ‘II every one of the more than 2, ' .the twenty -seven pulpwood producing states were to devote three extra days in UI43 to cutting pulpwood we could over come the threatened 2,500,000-cord shortage with wood to spare,” Mr. Nelson declared. "1 urge every A meriean farmer to get in touch with his nearest Department of Agricul ture representative to find out whether he can be of service in the production of pulpwood. I, of course realize the increased war load which our farmers are bearing today, but the pulpwood situation is serious enough to justify this call for an ex tra effort.” In anticipation of the present crit ical shortage in pulpwood supplies, the War Production Board called up on the U. S. Department of Agricul ture for assistance. The Forest Serv ice, Regional Extension Directors, Extension Foresters and county agents were requested to assist in stimulating pulpwood cutting by ad vising farmers of the serious need lor more1 wood and on sound cutting practices, mill prices and specifica tions. Farmers and woodland owners are urged to harvest their pulpwood “right now” when the country needs it most. But farmers are not asked to go out and destroy their timber growth, but to follow conservation practices and give the lighting man the support that he needs. The War Manpower Commission has classified pulpwood production, cutting and transport to the mills, the manufacture of pulp, paper and paperboard products for packing vital supplies as essential activities. Notice of this ruling was sent to Selective Service Boards and U. S. Employment Service offices, to es tasblis lithe eligibility of these es sential workers for draft deferment. The critical nature of pulpwood (Continued on page six) Young Soldier Hurl In Auto Accident Pvt. J'. W. Bellflower was painful ly but not seriously hurt when his car went out of control anti turn ed bottom side? up on the Oak City Hamilton Highway, near Conoho Creek, about 3 o’clock last Tuesday morning. Driving his sister’s car, the young soldier is believed to have dropped off to sleep and lost control of the machine. According to reports reaching here the young man’s nose was almost td'rif oliC'iJffWIte bane was not." Brok en. He also suffered a knee injury. After receiving first aid treatment m Lh'hthO.hewasca riled to a Tar boro Yms'intal where he was dis charged later in the day. Damage to the car was unofficial ly estimated at $300. Home on a fifteen-day furlough, Bellflower was given a five-day ex tension, and is now scheduled to re turn to his station at Camp Phillips, Kansas. Planning All-Out War Fund Driv e In County ■—>» Committees Will Be Named Soon To Help Raise Record Figure Money Y\ ill (»o To Service Men uiul Suffering People In Several ('omitries Tentative plans for advancing one of the greatest fund raising drives ever heard of in this county and in the name of fighting men and suf ering humanity were advanced in this county last Tuesday evening when a small group of interested cit izens met with special representa tives to discuss the need or whole hearted action on the home front. Detailed announcements are ex pected within the next week or ten jdays, outlining plan.* for the cam paign which is to be formally launch led throughout the entire nation about the middle of October. During the j meantime, the people of this county I are asked to consider the cold facts growing out of this war and measure their ability and willingness to sup port what has been well described as one of the greatest drives ever launched in the name of humanity. Exclusive of the Red Cross, the campaign is to finance the activities of seventeen agencies. There’ll be no other drive for funds for any war or relief agency, the sponsors ex plaining that the one response will j eliminate repeated Calls for financial I support for this or that agency how ■ ever worthy each may be. Martin County is being called upon to raise $9,091 as its part in the State quota of $1,888,000. The twelve coun ties in this district are being asked to raise right at $191,000.00. Headed by Winthrop Aldridge, the drive in the nation has a quota of 125 million dol lars. In this State, Governor J. M. Rioughton r, bon N J Pfc. Howard B. Cone known to have been entered in an Army hospital somewhere in the Pa cific, was reported this week by the Adjutant General to have been “seriously wounded in ac tion on July 19th. No details could be learned from a letter dictated by the young soldier to a hospital companion or from the official message received yes terday from the Adjutant Gen eral. The letter stated that he had an infection of the middle finger and that he would be in the hospital for about two more months. The young man's rnanv friends join his mother and others in hoping for him a speedy recov ery. Judge j. C. Smith Calls Eleven Cases In Recorders (ourt I'rihiiiiul In Session Almost l util Noon ('louring llig Dorkot Monday -d&__ After handling very few cases last i week, the Martin County Recorder’s had a big session on Monday of this week when Judge J. Calvin Smith | tailed eleven cases. The tribunal i was in session until almost noon clearing the docket. An unusually large number of spectators attended the session and more interest was shown in the proceedings than at any other time in recent weeks. Proceedings: Charged with vagrancy, Geo. Ben Manning, white man. was sentenced | to the roads for a term of thirty days. The road sentence was suspended for six months upon the payment of the costs and on condition the defendant | be gainfully and regularly employ I ed. Pleading guilty in the case charg i ing him with drunken driving, J. S. - Crandall was fined $60 and taxed I with the cost. His license to oper | ale a motor vehicle was revoked for I fifteen months. The case charging R. B. Spruill with an assault with a deadly weap on and with disorderly conduct, was nol prossed. Charged with violating the liquor laws, John Mason pleaded guilty of possessing illegal liquor. The plea was accepted and the defendant was sentenced to the roads for six months. The road sentence was sus pended upon the payment of a $30 fine and the case costs, and on fur ther condition that the defendant have no illegal liquor in his posses sion in the future Pleading guilty in the case charg ing him with drunken driving, Jas. Stanley Ayers was fined $50 and taxed with the cost. His license to operate a motor vehicle was revok ed for one year. The case charging Ernest Shep pard with larceny and receiving was continued until next Monday. Charged with attempted assault, Bud Williams pleaded not guilty. He was adjudged guilty and the court continued his case under pray er for judgment until next Novem ber 18. In a second case charging him -T tba. i-,-v;:;:m.-.-.v ■ found not guilty. Entering a plea of nolo contendre, or neither denying or admitting that E. W. Williams was dismissed upon the payment of the court costs and the amount of the check. Charged with speeding and oper atin ga motor vehicle without a driv er’s license, Ernest Lanier pleaded guilty and was fined $25 and taxed (Continued on page six) ()rder Permits ‘C’Registrants To Do "Non-Essentiaf’ Work Barred heretofore from withdraw ing from their “C” classifications, farm registrants, whether single or married, with or without children and irrespective of age, may now be released for work in what has been rated "non-essential” jobs, accord ing to an unofficial but recognized ruling received by the county draft and war boaids here yesterday. The fuii meaning of the new ruling is not quite understood, but under it any farm registrant “enjoying” a "C” classification may ask to be re leased from the farm to engage in tobacco marketing, ship building or any other type of work for at least ninety days. Already approximate ly 75 persons, including white and colored, young and old, have asked for their releases from the farm. The draft and war boards, recog nizing the shortage of labor not only in and around warehouses but also ; in nearly every line of endeavor, I sympathized with the requests for the release of farm registrants, but in the face of printed Selective Serv ice instructions they hesitated to grant any such requests until yester day when the new ruling was an nounced. No comment could be had from draft and war board members and it could not be learned whether a farm release would affect the draft status of the registrant. Apparently it will not. I ho new ruling is causing some confusion for the officials who have been and are still handling the farm classifications. At the present time requests for “C" classifications are pending along with requests for re lease from the “C” classifications. Those persons who asked for and were denied releases a few days ago may now get them, it was an nounced, but tenant farmers must first get permission from their land Director Of Growers Peanut Cooperative : ,i( T.Vil’.'JJillflPlP torney and farmer, was recently elected a director in tiie Growers Peanut Cooperative by representa tives of the organization in a district meeting held in the county court house a few days ago. He succeeds Director W. Robert Everett, of Pal myra, who had served the organi zation for five years. This, the sec ond district, comprises ten counties in this section of the State. Next Thursday, the organization will hold its annual membership meeting in the courthouse here at 11 o clock a. m Representatives from the states of Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina are expected to attend the meeting. -S' Escapes Injury In An tie Truck Accident Tuesday D. M. Roberson, local man, escaped with only minor injury during the rainstorm last Tuesday afternoon when a Maxwell Wholesale firm 1 truck plowed into the side of his car on West Main Street. Damage to the car and truck was estimated at about