North Carolina Newspapers

HAKK KVKBT PAT DAT WAtt LW Jk B0ND DAT tm mhum THE ENTERPRISE OVER THE TOP FOR VICTORY UNITED STATES WAR BONDS'STAMPS VOLUME XLVI—\LMBEli 73 ff'iUiamston, Martin County, SortfTCarolina, Tuesday, September 14, 1943. ESTABLISHED 1899 Clark’s Fifth Army .... ^ i rmr j— Locked In Critical Battle Near Naples —*— Both Sides Rushing Strong Reinforcement to Area Around Salerno Locked in a critical battle with the enemy at Salerno on Italy’s west coast not far from Naples, the Amer ican Fifth Army under General Mark Clark is engaged in the most bitter fighting of the entire Mediterranean campaign. Losses on both sides have been heavy, and a climax to the fight in that area is rot yet in sight. Now in its Sixth day, the battle is being Intensified as both .-.ides bring up re inforcements, including large units of artillery and increasing numbers of tanks. The Allies are pouring more planes into th> air, but they are m. meeting a growing opposition there by the time, the British Eighth Army is moving up from the south, but Montgomery's men are more than 100 miles away and no great aid from this quarter is to be expected immediately. The Americans, after being driv en into the sea near Naples, with drew in their boats but returned the attack a little farther south and af-, ter turning back six or more Ger man counterattacks arc holding their own. The task is proving a costly one in casualties, however. It was explained that the Allies had over-estimated the aid the Italians would or could give, that the Fifth Army really grabbed something hot and was having a difficult time han dling the situation. The German re sistance at that point is being in creased possibly in an effort to main tain an open route for the enemy re treating before Montgomery’s men in the south. In their march up the Adriatic coast, the Britishers, en countering no great opposition, have taken the important base of Bari. While the picture in Italy is. not at all bright just now, It is fairly cer tain that Hitler’s men are fighting for time, that they will gradually withdraw to a main defense line en hanced by natural barriers to make a desperate stand against the Allies (Continued on page six) -• Local Boy Injured In Plane Accident —•— Sgt. George H. Wynne, local young man, was badly but believed not crit ically hurt in an airplane accident presumably out in the State of Washington a short time ago. Writ ing to his mother, Mrs Katie H. Wynne, a few' days ago, the young man said, “I have been in the hos pital since August (>. My nurse want ed to write you, but I knew you would be worried so I told her not | to. I’m getting along fine now. I hope to get out in ahout four more weeks. “I was in an airplane crash. There were only six of us in the ship, and all of us are still in the hospital. I had a few bones broken, and my left arm cut. I think I was real lucky. Two of the other boys were cut pret ty bad. Tell everybody hello and keep writing." No details of the accident were of fered in the letter, the first his moth er had received in several weeks. Serving with a bomber squadron, he is stationed at the Ephrata Air Base, Ephrata, Washington. His fa ther was the late George L). Wynne. -1 County Young Men Meet In California —-»— “I really had a big thrill,” Cpl. Roger “Kitty” Riddick said in a let ter this week in telling about an un expected meeting with Ben Hop kins in a Hollywood Canteen “I wish you could have seen us shak ing hands and.dancing around It’s a big thrill to meet someone from home when you are both miles away," Kitty said. "We are having a swell time in Hollywood. Ben is spending a three day pass here, and I am completing my five-day furlough tomorrow,” h' concluded. Ben is stationed at Camp Young just now, and “Kitty” is at Camp Iron Mountain and both are receiv ing desert training. • Navy Recruiter Will Be Here For Two Days U. S. Navy Recruiter D. R. Taylor will be stationed at the oost off;ce in Williamston September 16-17, to interview persons seeking informa tion concerning the U S. Navy. All 17-year-old boys and women, 20 to 36, seeking information con cerning the Navy or Waves, are cor dially invited to come to the post office between the hours of 8:00 a. m. and 6:00 p. m. for an interview with the recruiter on the above dates. StfmcJRatimis Are Current Demand In County While the heating situa'ion is ser ious already in many homes, it is certain to be aggravated now that stove rationing is in vogue. Just how serious it will become is a matter of speculation, but the Martin County War Price and Rationing Board of fered a gloomy picture this week when it issued its first report on the rationing of the particular arti cle. Ten stoves have been rationed in the county so far this month by the board, and there are only ten more available for the remainder of September. Already there are fifty applications pending, and the board hardly knows what to do about it. There is a possibility that the ra tions will be increased for October, but even if they are increased the demand is almost certain to main tain about tiie sann ratio of in crease. About the only solution to the problem rests with those who have old stoves. They will find it advis able to hold on to them and have them repaired. If the stove is beyond repair, replacement is allowed, pro vided the rations are not exhausted. Applications for replacements, it is understood will be considered more or less in the order in which they are filed. Newly married couples don’t have a chance at the rationing board when it comes to getting a stove for eith er cooking or heating. It is under stood that such couples simply are | not eligible for new stoves. it was generally believed that the stoi, problem was met in part, at bast, before rationing was introduc ed, but apparently the supply was ! not ample and the problem still ex 1 ists. War Bond Sale Gains Momentum In County Bear Grass District Is First In County To Go Over the Top Quarter of a Million Dollars In Third War Iioan Drive After getting off to what w’as de scribed as a fair start the latter part of last week, the Third War Loan Drive is gaining momentum in this county, and while the goal is still a good ways off Chairman D. V. Clayton is really optimistic over the outlook at this time. Only meager reports have been received from a few of the districts, and it is certain that the progress made so far in the drive is even greater than the preliminary figures would indicate. While four of the districts have made no reports, it was reliably learned that the cam paign was going forward rapidly, that the canvassers were really mak ing progress. To date, approximately one-quar ter of a million dollars worth of bonds have been sold or pledged in seven of the eleven districts. It is again pointed out that these reports are not complete, and in some in stances the figures are based on re liable estimates. It is certain that they point to a successful drive, and that possibly the county will actual ly exceed its $918,000 quota, which, by the way, represents actual pur chase price and not the maturity value of the bonds. Holding a very successful bond ral ly in the Bear Grass School last Fri day evening, the citizens of that community were the first to reach their quota, and the drive is to be oontinued. Poplar Point was the first to have its quota in sight, but Bear Grass is the first district to come across with actual purchases or gilt-edge pledges. Hugh G. Hor ton and County Chairman D. V. Clayton attended the rally at Bear Grass last Friday night arid brief ly addresr d the group of about 150 citizens. They pointed out the im portance of the bond drive and the urgent necessity of making real sacrifices on the home front. Prin cipal T. O. Hickman also appealed to the group and quite a few pledges were signed at the meeting. The sale was placed at $25,000 at the meeting with pledges and later sales running the total to about $64,518.25, an amount well over twice the orig inal quota. The Bear Grass quartet (Continued on page sixl Sold Or Pledged ROUND-VP Six persons, three white and three colored, were rounded up and jailed for alleged violation of the various laws in this coun ty last week-end. The shortage of liquors and beers all but elim inated the drunks during the period, the jail record showing that only one drunk was lodged in the “cooler” as compared with seven the week-end be fore. A varied crime list was recorded, one being jailed for assaulting another with a dead ly weapon, one for drunken driving, one for being plain drunk, and another for larceny and receiving and two others for violating the health laws. During the week-end ending September 5th, fifteen persons were incarcerated in the coun ty hoosegow. Thirteen of them were white and half of the group was under twenty years of age. CLERK Mrs. E. H. Smith, former man ager of the Carolina Motor Club State automobile license bureau here, has accepted a position as special clerk in the office of the War Price and Rationing Board. Mrs, Smith will gladly assist ap plicants in preparing their ration forms. Heretofore, the general pub lic has relied on volunteers to assist the preparation of the ap plications. The system proved inconvenient for both the appli cant and the volunteer. It is be lieved that the new plan will help relieve some of the confu sion surrounding the rationing program. FBI Conference Is Being Held Today —»— The quarterly conference of law enforcement officials in this section of the State is being held in the Mar co Theater here this afternoon with Edward Scheidt, Special Agent in charge of the Charlotte Field Divi sion of the Federal Bureau of Inves tigation, United States Department ot Justice, leading the discussions. Officers, including police, sher iffs, highway patrol and auxiliary police from all over this section of the State, are in attendance upon the meeting. The group was welcomed by Mayor J. L. Hassell. One of the features of the meeting was an ad dress by L. B. Wynne, Martin Coun ty clerk of court, who talked on ju venile delinquency. The representatives of the FBI reviewed briefly recent develop ments on the law enforcement front lines and flashed on the screen pic tures and descriptions of men want ed by the bureau and other law en forcement agencies in this section for alleged law violations. An open discussion was held point ing to a closer cooperation between local, state and federal agencies in curbing crime and running down al leged criminals. Night Classes Are Planned In School Night classes in typwriting and other commercial subjects will be offered at the Williarnston High School in response to interest among adults for training in these vocation al subjects. * An moi ting was held in the commercial department at the local high school last night at which time twelve adults registered for the special work .Others are expected to enrol] within the next few days. Instruction will be provided by Miss Evelyn Baker, high school teacher of the commercial subjects. The special instruction is open to the public, and adults interested in enrolling in the classes are urged to contact Miss Baker or Principal D. N. Hix immediately for detailed .in formation on the schedule to be fol lowed. -> Parentg-Teacherg To Meet j In High School Tomorrow — _ The local Parent-Teacher Associa tion will hold its first meeting of the new term tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 o’clock in the high school auditor ium. Following the business session, the group will be entertained by the members of the home economics de partment. f IN WARTIME - (A weekly news digest from the rural press section of the OW3 news bureau) Victory Gardeners Set Record Twenty million Victory Gardens— two million more than the goal set last spring—were grown this year, Claude R. Wickard, Secretary of Agriculture, said in a recent radio address. The Secretary said the Vic tory Gardens total about four mil lion acres and will produce eight million tons of food. In speaking of the goal of 22 million gardens for next year, Wickatd said, “Last year at this time were concerned over the possibility that we would not have enough garden seed and fertilizer foi all who wanted to grow gardens . Our best information is that we shall have an a.npli supply of both next year We are eynocLnc a better supply of garden tool.^amF equipment for spray,ng and dust ing, Victory Garden production should set another new’ record in 1944.'’ Farm Labor Placements Through the government farm la bor program 1,600,001) placements of workers were made on farms in the past four months. Among the work ers place dwere 700,000 local U. S. Crop Corps workers, comprising 250. 000 men, 150,000 women, and 300, 000 boys and girls. War Food Ad ministration officials, in making this announcement, stressed the need for additional emergency volunteer workers in the next few months. Re cruitment and placement of farm la bor are handled by county agricul tural extension agents in most areas. In others, the activity is carried on by the U. S. Employment Service. Points for Home-Canned Foods The point value of home-canned foods shall be the same as that of the corresponding commercial prod uct, except that no home-canned food shall have a point value of (Continued on page six) Captain Jim Rhodes Writes About Drive On Island Of Sicily Loral Voting Mun Im llndcr Heavy Artillery Fire for Thirty Minutest '■■■<* In a letter of recent date, Captain Jim, Rhodes, Jr., of the U. S. Army Medical Corps, briefly told of his experiences in the invasion of Si cily. But the first thought was about other boys from home who were in ‘he campaign. “Are there anv oth er boys from home on the island?” he asked, adding that he had not seen a soul he knew since leaving the states about three months ago. “We had an uneventful trip across except for a few submarine alerts. However, we never saw a sub, but we believe opr destroyer escort got at least two. Gibraltar is an impres sive sight . . . During the two weeks following our landing, we had inten sive training to get the kinks out of our system. Just before we left the States, we received on board sever al large crates. These were opened in mid-Atlantic and were plaster of paris relief maps of a section of the coast line. Guesses were rampant all over the ship, ranging from South ern France to Greece And then we were told that we were to invade Sicily along with several other Am erican divisions and a British Army. “Our particular sector was on the southeast coast of the island be tween Gela and Seogliti with the primary purpose of seizing Vittoria and Comiso airport, the largest on the island. “Early in the morning of July 10 we began the landing in assault boats, supported by naval gunfire from cruisers and destroyers and naval planes and also British planes. Several German bombers fh w over our ships and on one occasion drop ped a bracket of bombs whicli land ed about 100 yards off our starboard side. No casualties were incurred. “The landing was uneventful, and with the exception of three or four land mines which were exploded by trucks, we had no opposition. Ap parently the enemy was caught flat footed. By noon Vittoria was ours. The Italians surrendered in droves, even to unarmed medical soldiers, and they seemed to be quite happy that the war was over for them. “The following day we attacked Comiso airport, and met our first stiff opposition from a German gar rison. While advancing toward the airport vU»vs*»c' *■.•£ ot»r medical detachment, including my self and another officer with six men, suddenly found ourselves bracketed by German artillery fire from their 88 mm. guns. For thirty minutes, we literally buried our selves in the ground with shrapnel flying all over our heads. I can as (Continued on page six) Way On Big Scale In County The usual lull following the com pletion of the tobacco harvesting sea son is rapidly drawing to a close as farmers make ready to start housing their cotton and digging their pea nut crops. Cotton picking, getting underway some few days ago, is progressing slowly, but peanut dig ging is rapidly reaching a climax. According to reports reaching here, a large majority of the farmers will have started digging their peanuts by the end of this or the early part of next week, weather permitting. Already the work is fairly general throughout most of the county with the Goose Nest Township area lead ing in the movement. The first of the cotton crop in the upper part of the county where the acreage is much larger Chan it is in other swtrmy, was ginned last Fri day I’he gin at Oak City handled -, ds*v ,"nd foe output was increased to thirty by late yes terday afternoon. The quality of the crop was said to be unusually good, but the acreage is said to be smaller and the yield is not up to expecta tions. Peanut digging, from one to two weeks ahead of normal, is bringing slightly conflicting reports. The qual ity of the crop is said to be good, but the yield varies from half a crop to a medium sized one. The early dig ging is explained partly by weather conditions. The dry period during recent weeks virtually wiped out the late peas, and the older ones are just about matured, and since there are no young ones to mature, the farmers say there is no reason for delaying the harvesting work. It is expected that cotton picking and peanut digging will relieve the pres sure on the tobacco markets in this^ seetiop. Tobacco Sales Exceed 4 Million Pounds Here PICNIC ^-j The Martin County Farm Bur eau will hold its annual picnic in the high school gymnasium Fri day afternoon of this week at 5 o'clock. A business meeting will be held in the high school audi torium immediately after tihe barbecue. Plans have been made to entertain 1,300 members and special guests. Tickets have been mailed to all Farm Bureau members. Governor J. M. Broughton had been invited to address the meeting, but he is out of the State and will be unable to at tend. Other speakers are being contacted and a big rally is cer tain. Announce Leaders For Bandage Room —*___ Recently appointed head of the lo cal Red Cross Bandage Room, Mrs. Jimmy Taylor has already perfected a strong working organization, and plans are well advanced for meeting current and future quotas. More vol unteers are needed, and anyone who can spare an hour or two is urged to report and assist in the all-important work. The following instructors have agreed to lead the project on desig nated nights and afternoons: Monday night: Mesdames John Williams and John L. Goff. Tuesday night: Sarah Cook. Wednesday night: Mary Elizabeth Keel. Thursday night: Miss Mary Whit ley. Friday night: Mesdames M. M. Levin and W. E. Dunn. Monday afternoon: Mesdames Mary Mundy and G. P. Hall. Tuesday afternoon: Mesdames D. R. Davis and W. E. Warren. Wednesday afternoon: Mesdames Tom Brandon, Herbert Taylor and C. C. Parker. Thursday afternoon: Mrs. Kathe leen Sherman. Friday afternoon: Mesdames K. D. Worrell and G. E. Thorpe. Lone Cases Before Ration Board Panel -- While quite a few cases are pend ing, only o..o was heard by the special War Price and Ration Board panels in the agricultural building last Friday evening Cbraged with exceeding the 35 irnile speed limit. R. Sears admitted to the board that he was in a hurry but went on to explain that he had three rafts of logs jammed against a railroad bridge at Tunis, that he was afraid they would weaken the bridge and cause a wreck, and that he was hurrying there to have them cleared. The explanation was accept able to the panel and no rations were revoked. It was learned that when the pa trolman sounded his siren the noise frightened the driver and caused him to lose control and turn his car ov er' -^ I Car Allotted By County Rationing Board Friday -- A certificate for the purchase of | a new automobile was issued to Dr. ! V. E. Brown, Williamston, by the Martin County War Piice and Ra i Honing Board last Friday night. The | county was allowed six cars for dis ' tribution during the current month. Prices Advance On Better and Medium Grades Here Today Glul Gradually ilriiif> Krlit^v* <‘d by Weather and llar vchI of Other Oops -& Sales on the local tobacco market passed the four-million-pound mark here today with quite noticeable price increases for the better and medium grades. At the same time, prices for the inferior quality and nondescript types are holding their own with the possibility that they too, are stronger in price. Once in a while a pile apparently was out of the price line, but as a general rule farmers are well pleas ed with their sales. Instead of turn ing tags, quite a few farmers are placing the tags on top of the piles for others to see. Individual sales are ranging up to $50 per hundred today with the Export supporting prices in that range. All companies are active in the 40-48-cent price range, and sales in that price brack let are numerous. A report from gov ernment graders pointed to a price increase from $1 to $3 per hundred higher for the better grades with slignt increases noticeable for most all other types. Approximately half a million pounds of tobacco are on the floors here today, but. the glut that has do pressed marketing activities for the past week or ten days is gradually being relieved. In most cases tobac cos placed on the floor one day are sold the following day with small quantities being carried over for sale the third day. A change in the weather has slowed down grading and it is quite likely that cotton picking and peanut digging will fur ther relieve the marketing glut. It is generally believed by farmers and others, too, that the restoration of orderly marketing activities will have a favorable influence on the price trend. Late reports clearly in dicate that the price trend for the better types is pointing upward, and [ that the other types are more than holding their own. While the price average may not measure up to the ceiling figure, far mers observing the sales right on the warehouse floors frankly state that tobacco is selling good. Official figures could not be had for all the sales to date, but Super visor C. U. Rogers was of the opin ion that the local market is more than holding its own in the belt, that possibly the general average here is higher than that for the state Anxious to save gasoline and help the war effort, home farmers are selling on their nearest market with some few exceptions. ADDITIONAL j --J Martin County farmers who have followed stipulated soil building practices in their en tirety will receive additional consideration in the form of free seed distributions. The extra al lotments will be based on those allowed under the original soil building agreements and the dis tribution will be effected as long I as the supply lasts. Fanners may make applications at the agent's office. Approximately 30,000 pounds of Austrian winter peas and vetch are available for making the distribution and furnishing those farmers who have not met fully their original soil building goals. I Hundred C»fl(U»ni Tires Are Allotted By Ration Board —*— Certificate Holders Declare They Can’t Find Tires; No Kxchanpr Possible Regardless of what former Rub ber Boss Bill Jeffers said, the rub ber tire shortage is fast approach ing a serious climax in this section. How long it will be before the sit uation is relieved, no one dares ven ture a guess. The issuance of Grade I tires is being held to a low point, and dealers declare they are finding it next to impossible to get Gfade I tires to meet the demand created by the release of the few certificates. There may be plenty of Grade III iires, but dealers declare they are unable tii get. them in quantities, find holders of corr^^^^_, plaining to the i in no eases is it possible to exchange a Grade III certificate for one calling for a Grade I tire. Despite the ap parent shortage in Grade III tires, this county’s quota was increased last week-end by 100 and the allot ment was quickly exhausted, and now the certificate holders are searching here and there for tires. A local dealer had 24 Grade III tires delivered last night, but they were , insufficient to meet the certificates filed with him following the ration ing week before last. Grade Grade I car and pick-up truck tires and tubes were rationed to the following: W. E. Grimes, RFD 3, Williamston, two tires and two tubes. A. B. Ayers, RFD 2, Williamston, one tube. F. G. Anderson, Robersonville, one lire and one tube. Wiley B. Rogerson, Robersonville, one tube. G. W. Barrett, Oak City, two tires and two tubes. Ottis Wainwright, RFD 1, James ville, one tire. Nathaniel L. Coltrain, Williams ton, two tires-and one tube. Julian L. Mizell, Palmyra, one tire. W. C. Wallace, RFD 1, Jamesville, two tires and one tube. W. W. Walters, Jamesville, two tires. W. A. Ross, Robersonville, one tire and one tube. Ira Manning, Everetts, two tires. Henry D. Peel, RFD 3, Williams ton, one lire and one tube. W. K. Parker, Williamston, two (Continued on page six) Brother Of Local Man Dies In Wayne Nathan Darden, brother of D. E Darden, of Witliamslun, and prom inent farmer of Wayne County, died suddenly at his home near Eureka last Saturday evening at 6 o’clock. Gassed in the last war, he had been in declining health for several years. He was 48 years of age. Funeral services were conducted at the Faro Methodist Church in the community yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock, and interment followed in the Eureka Cemetery. Besides his brother here, he is survived by his widow and two chil dren, and the following brothers and sisters: Asa and LeRoy, of Wilson; Barry, of Wayne County; Zeb, of Greene County; Charlie, of Golds boro, Mrs Lucy Giles, of Newton; Mrs. W. A. Pettcrson and Mrs. E. H. Davis, of Rocky Mount, Mis. W. E. Davis, of Fremont; Mrs. Carl Mew born, of Snow Hill, and Mrs. J. T. Bass, of Lucama. -<3> - Jamesville’s Post Observers To Meet —•«>— Sgt. Brand and his squad of the First Fighter Command, Norfolk, and Hugh C Horton, county civilian defense chaiiman, will address a meeting cf the Jamesville Pest ob servers in the set ool building there on Thursday evening of this week at H o’clock, Chief Observer Chas. Dav enport announced today. About fifty arm bands and special merit awards will be distributed at the meeting and all observers and the general public are urged to be present. The sergeant will show a special picture of interest to the observers and the general public, Observer Davenport said. Special Speaker For Everetts Prayer Meeting \ Dr. W. R. Burrell will address the I regular meeting in the Everetts Bap j tist Church Thursday evening of this week at 8 o’clock, Paul Bailey, church officer, announced today. The service will be followed by a choir rehearsal. The public is cordially invited to attend.