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THE ENTERPRISE
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UNITED STATES WAR
BONUS-STAMPS
VOLUME XLVI—NUMBER 92
Williamslon, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday. November 19, 1943.
ESTABLISHED 1899
Russians Stabilizing
Positions And Make
Gain Around Gomel
General Mud Holds in Italy
In Other Areas
After forced withdrawals, the first
in a year, the Russians are believed
to have stabilized their positions
west of Kiev and to the north they
have scored new victories with the
capture of Korosten and Rechitsa.
The latest gains by the Red Army
have split the German forces in
White Russia and the Ukraine and
the escape corridor for the enemy
in the Gomel sector has been narrow
ed to about twenty miles.
Completing the first year of their
drive from Stalingrad, the Russians
have travelled slightly more than
700 miles in an almost direct line
toward Berlin. They are now nearing
the old Polish border.
General mud still holds forth on
the Italian front and while no ex
tensive action has been reported
there during the past few' days, the
Eighth Army moved ahead about
two miles to upset German prepara
tions for a counterattack along the
middle sector of the Sangro River
front. i
...»
German successes in the Aegean
where the small 28-mile square is
land of Leros was taken from Brit
ish and Italian defenders, show that
the enemy is still not licked.
Late reports still indicate that Hit
ler is withdrawing to his fortress,
that possibly he will select to offer
his first major stand against the Rus
sians along a shortened line running
from Riga on the Baltic Sea to Odes
sa on the Black Sea, and that with
weather hampering the Russians he
will be better able to prepare for the
eventuality within his own fortress.
However, it is believed by many
that the Allies are making final
plans for a three-pronged drive
against Hitler’s great fortress, and
that unless Germany caves from
within soon one of the greatest mili
tary drives in all history will be un
leashed against the common enemy.
In the air last night, the RAF, 1,000
planes strong, blasted Berlin and
other targets in Germany. More than
2,500 tons of bombs were dropped,
and the skies over Berlin were red.
The RAF lost 332 bombers. Today,
American Flying Fortresses are ov
er western Germany, but their tar
gets have not been announced. Warn
ed that many cities in France would
be pounded, women and children are
being evacuated and many French
wmrkers are deserting German con
trolled war plants there
In Yugoslavia, the guerrillas are
being hard-pressed and appeals for
aid have been directed to the Allies.
Turkey is now expected to enter
the war against Germany possibly
sometime next spring, reports stat
ing that she is already giving effect
ive aid to the Allies.
Over in the Pacific, Allied airmen
have about neutralized the import
ant Jap base of Rabaul and pounded
bases in the Marshall and Gilbert
islands.
The House has passed a bill placing
fathers at the bottom of the draft
list and the Senate is expected to act
on it next Monday, but it does not
mean much because the draft is al
most to the bottom of the list now.
Sple Of Christmas
Seals Opening Soon
—•—
The annual sale of Christmas seals
for the North Carolina Tuberculosis
Association opens in this county next
Monday, Mrs. Ben D. Courtney,
chairman, announced today. Mar
tin County, not including Roberson
ville, has a quota of *300, and will be
canvassed by disect mail, ly school.
children and by appointed represen- j
tatives. To lessen the work for the
personal canvassers, the chairman
and her committee will mail a cer
tain number of the seals direct to
many potential customers who will
be asked to remit.
Last year, the county sold seals in
the sum of $209.08, and it is believ
ed the $300 quota can be reached
without difficulty this year The quo
ta for Robcrscnville could not be
learned here immediately, but the
sale will go forward there, it was
learned.
Muck of the money raised irom i
the sale of the seals will be used
right here in this county, some of it
going for the aid of patients in the
county’s tuberculosis sanatorium.
The remainder of the money will go
to the North Carolina Tuberculosis
Association for research and a con
tinued drive against the disease.
In connection with the drive, Gov
ernor J. M. Broughton said,
“Tuberculosis has increased dur
ing all past wars and is now the first
cause of death among persons be
tween 15 and 45 years of age,” and
added that this year’s goal of $150,
000 is the sole support of the North
Carolina Tuberculosis Association
and its affiliated associations and
c~*-"Tnittees over the State. The Gov
ernor noted that this fund will be
used to combat the war-time rise in
tuberculosis in North Carolina.
Hie Governor then issued a call
to the people of this State to con
tribute liberally to the anti-tuber
culosis campaign by the generous
purchase of Christmas seals during
the annual sale.
Good Neighbor Policy Affords
Fire Protection For the Town
i
The good neighbor policv was
pushed to the front this week when
» -**«.'a.-TtS "IfirffBMggP
equipment left Williaroston without
adequate fire protection and Wash
ington sent one of its best trucks ar.d
drivers over for service during the ;
emergency.
G. P. Hall, local fire chief, was out'
of town when the department’s truck !
blew out a gear case cover Monday
and rendered the equipment tem
porarily useless. Several hundred
feet of fire hose were placed in a
pick-up truck, but when the chief
returned Wednesday he thought
more protection should be made j
available during the emergency, if;
possible.
Charles Burgess, Washington’s fire j
chief, was contacted at 2 o’clock that j
afternoon and within two hours the |
FORGETFUL
A young: sailor husband’s for
getfulness almost cost him a
brief visit with his wife* in this
county a short time ago. Marry
ing in haste about a year ago, !
the youthful husband was im
mediately called for sea duty.
Time passed and the husband
forgot his wife’s maiden name,
and when a few hours’ leave was
granted him recently, he came
to this county to look for his wife
and their new addition to the
family.
No one knew Mrs. So and So,
but he finally located her home
after canvassing postal employ
ees who had delivered mail to
the wife.
Eight Men Accepted
From Martin County
By Armed Services
-<r,
Eight Men Failed To Report
When (’ailed To Make
Trip To Center
Eight Martin County colored men
sut of an estimated thirty-seven call
ed to an induction center last month
.vere accepted for duty by the arm
;d services. Eight men failed to re
port when called to make the initial
:rip to the center. Some of them re
ported later and the names ^>f thej
remaining ones have already been
turned over to the United States Dis
trict Attorney. Ten men were trans
ferred to other boards for induction.
According to an unofficial report,
twenty-one men were rejected, about
thirteen for physical defects and
;;ight because of low mental or lit
eracy standards.
The Army, it was learned official
ly this week from an audit of the
October call, accepted only three
men, and it is believed that only one
)f those received a 1-A rating. Their
names are, Hermon Frederick Slade,
James Junior Cooper and Lee An
drew Griffin. The three men report
ed for active service the latter part
>f last week.
The names of the five men accept
ed by the Navy are, Raymond Peel,
Herbert David Brown, John Briley,
George Morgan, Jr., and William Ar
thur Green. These boys returned
home for a week and reported to
Raleigh for assignment for training.
The names of the ten men transfer
red and their assigned places for in
duction follow:
Clifford Clayton to Swan Quarter,
Johnnie Lee Freeman do West Ches
ter, Pm, Maney Gorham to Norfolk,
William Primus Brown to Washing
ton, D. C., Jeff Whitehurst to Wash
ington, D. C., John Arthur Crandel
to Norfolk, John A. Coburn to Suf
folk, Woodrow Clifton Harris to Mt.
Vernn, N Y., Robert Clark to Nor
folk and Leon Spence Hardy to Nor
folk.
The names of the men who failed
to report in October are: Hoyt Pur
nell, John Henry Bryant. James Jen
kins, Charlie Junior Staton, Kelly
Purvis, Tern Council, Eddie Biggs
and James Octavious Roberson.
Asking Volunteers
For Bandage Room
-$
Assigned a quota of 12,200 band
ages, the local Red Cross Bandage
Room is calling for more volunteers
to assist in handling the work. The
bandages called for are of compara
tively small size and are fairly easy
to prepare, it was explained.
The room, located over the West
ern Auto Store on Main Street, is
rpen each afterncon from 2 to 4:30
o’clock and each evening from 8 to
10 o’clock from Monday through
Friday.
Mrs. J. B. Taylor, chairman of the
project, states that the supervisors
have been very loyal, that they have
opened the room according to sched
ule, but. that often they were the on
ly ones in attendance.
Volunteers are also needed in
J meeting the quotas assigned the Upd
| Cross sewing room in the Woman’s
j Club hall.
truck and driver were here fully
equipped and ready for service. The
wiwi'riwrTeM'* ’-»■> hold
ing close to his temporary post of du
ty, with permission from the Wash
ington officials to remain here with
the .ruck during the emergency.
The truck and driver had been here
less than an hour when a call was
received to a grass fire off Pearl
Street. No damage resulted but the
fire was burning fairly rapidly tow
ard Ward’s coal and wood yard and
several small buildings nearby when
it was quickly brought under con
trol with the borrowed equipment.
Parts for the town truck were or
dered by wire early Wednesday
morning and they are expected here
late today or tomorrow from the
factory in New York state. It will
take only a few hours to make the
repairs after the parts are received.
Superior Court To
Open Special Term
In County Monday
J
Soldier Asks Divorce After
Wife Gels Allot*mire and
Drops Divorce Claim
The Martin County Superior Court
is opening a two-weeks term next
Monday for the trial of civil cases
wily. Since the first week of the
erm runs head long into Thanks
giving, the court is expected to
landle very few cases; in fact, few
•ases have been scheduled for trial
luring the entire term. As a whole,
he calendar which carries less than
twenty cases, is expected to attract
eery little attention from the gen
eral public.
•Judge Luthc-r Hamilton of Morc
lead City is scheduled to preside
luring the first week and he will be
followed by Judge Walter Bone of
Nashville on Monday, November 29.
In five of the ninetten cases cal
sndared, the plaintiffs are seeking
livorces. Four of them are being
asked by colored plaintiffs, and one
of them is a bit unusual according
to one report coming from the coun
ty’s old hall of justice. Back in the
late summer, Nina Bell Riddick, bas
ing her suit on two years of separa
tion, asked for an absolute divorce
from John Ester Riddick. It was
claimed, according to the report, that
the plaintiff, Nina Bell Riddick, was
receiving an allotment from her sol
dier husband and did not want the i
"ase to reach the court in September. 1
When Judge Bone, presiding over,
the session, called for the trial of the 1
case and no continuance could be
had, the plaintiff accepted a volun
tary non-suit. That very day, John
Ester Riddick and his wife reversed
positions as litigants. He is now ap
pealing to the court for an abso
lute divorce based on two years of
separation. Judge Bone is scheduled
(Continued on page six)
Community Service
Thanksgiving Day
—»—.—
Following a practice maintained
□ver a long period of years, the
people of the Smithwicks Creek area
will hoid a community Thanksgiving
service in the church there next
Thursday morning at 11 o’clock, it
was announced today by Elder P.
E. Getsinger, pastor.
The public, regardless of creed, is
invited to attend and participate in
the ser vices which will last from f
about an hour to one and one-half
hours. These services have been
largely attended in past years, and
following a bountiful harvest and
enjoying a land free of the ravages
of war, the people are expected to
attend in large numbers the service
next Thursday morning.
Thanksgiving Proclamation
As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, we ought to be profoundly thankful to the
Creator that he has blessed our land with a bountiful harvest, for food, which, while ration
ed, is still sufficient, for freedom from want of other necessities, for having been spared the
devestation that has overtaken other countries, for living in a land that still recognizes the
people as the source of government.
We ought to be thankful for the freedom of speech, of the press, or religion that we
all enjoy, and that are possible only in a democratic constitutional state and not the least of
these is the freedom to pray and to worship God according to the dictates of our own con
science.
Now, therefore, I, J. L. Hassell, Mayor of Williamston, in conformity with the proclam
ations of the President of the United States and the Governor of North Carolina, do hereby
proclaim Thursday, November 25th, as Thanksgiving Day in Williamston and may our citi
zens on that day repair to their various places of worship and give thanks to an ail merciful
God that we still have tire privilege to pray and let us offer our deepest prayer that not only
this freedom but all the freedoms of free government may in the not far distant future be
come the heritage of the people everywhere on the face of the earth.
J. L. Hassell, Mayor
i
Surrenders His H?
Rating, Youth Is
On Way To Army
(Robi:rsonvii{f Herald)
•> Bmnif.ijt •aif'.'ttuKin-J-n. ii.'il.Is
duties on the farm, and finding
it impossible to reconcile certain
differences that had arisen. Leg
gett Roebuck decided he’d rather
be in the Army than continue to
operate or assist in the operation
of a farm.
On Monday, November 1st, he
went to Williamston and advised
the chairman of the Draft Board
that he was ready to fight either
the Japs or the Germans. The
next morning, November 2, he
received a card to report for a
blood test on November 4th. Next
Tuesday, November 23, Roebuck
will leave for Fort Bragg where
he will be subjected to a physical
examination and possible induc
tion into the Army or Navy.
According to Roebuck’s
friends his attitude in the mat
ter has not changed but he did
have one or more remarks to
make relative to the Martin
County Draft Board . . . “Mar
tin County may be slow in many
respects but I’ll say one thing,
they have a fast working draft
board," Roebuck said.
Cameron Morrison
Announces for Seat
In the U. S. Senate
Piivorahlt1 Comment Is llranl
lion* Following Aiiuoiiiict*
nient This Week
Cameron Morrison, the ever alert
warrior for a true people’s democra
cy and who has fought his party’s
•attics through thick and thin, form
dly announced his candidacy for
he United States Senate, subject to
he Democratic primary next May.
Clyde It. Hoey am' vin Hitch
mnounced their candidacies some
ime ago,
A brief statement featured Mr.
Morrison's announcement.
He said he would make two or
hree addresses to the “whole peo
ple” early in 1944, hut that he would
nake “not commitments to individ
uals or groups of individuals.
He said he would defend the rec
ord of Governor Broughton in State
iffairs and the record of President
Roosevelt in national affairs. He paid
ugh tribute to the success of the
Democratic party in “rescuing the
■ountry” from “the Republican de
bacle” of 1929 and to the “brilliance”
if President Roosevelt’s record as a
var leader.
Morrison said he would champion
he party and its principles before the
people of North Carolina and would
isk for their support in his cam
paign.
The 74-year-old Morrison, whose
lame has been known to North Car
ilina voters for a generation, said
le was in excellent health and eager
.o serve his State in the difficult
lays of winning the war and writ
ng the peace.
Morrison has been talking with a
lost of North Carolinians about his
possible candidacy for a number of
Months, and he says the people are
'or him, otherwise he would not have
(Continued on page six)
Fir#* Destroys Machinery
Shed In (Irijfins Township
Its origin undetermined, fire de
stroyed Farmer Hoyt Manning’s ma
chinery shed and some equipment
<* hr home in Griffins. Township
ibout midnight Wednesday. The far
mer’s tractor, truck and peanut pick
er had been lent to neighbors and
were not in the shed, but a tobacco
transplanter, a number of other farm
implements and a few bales of hay
were burned. No estimate of the loss
could be had.
I --—
jMarked Increase In This County’s
Tobacco Acreage For Next Year
Advocated In Meeting Last Night
Extension Leaders
Stress Production
And Conservation
-*
l rge (Coordinated and All-Out
Drive in Support of Fi^lit
For Freedom
Declaring that food was one of
the mightiest weapons in the Fight
for Freedom, representatives of the
North Carolina Agricultural Exten
: on Service and the Triple A stress
ed increased production and conser
vation before a meeting of fifty com
munity committeemen and other in
I crested citizens in the courthouse
here last evening.
Addressing the group, Miss Pauline
Smith, district home agent, urged a
coordination of all efforts in support
of the fight for freedom. Whiie the
production task rests primarily with
the farmers, Miss Smith told the
group, all agencies, organizations and
every individual in town and rural
community should cooperate by con
serving every ounce of food, safe
guarding the public health and mak
ing every effort in support of the
general war program.
Miss Smith offered some striking
pointers on conservation, explaining
that if every family in North Caro
lina wasted one slice of bread at each
meal, that 480,000 loaves of bread
will have been wasted at the end of
the month. “When we leave food on
our plates, we should think of the
hungry millions in the war-stricken
lands,” she said. “Approximately
one-fourth of all the raw products in
this nation are wasted each year,"
Miss Smith continued, adding that
one sixth is wasted after the food
has been cooked. Improper storage,
delay in harvesting and handling
were the contributing factors to the
enormous waste of our raw products,
the extension worker explained. “We
are destroying our timber, much of
our soil is wasting away and much
of our money is being wasted for
trivial things nick-nacks. We should
think of conserving our homes now
and saving all we can for the pur
chase of needed articles after the
war,” Miss Smith said.
The agent did point out that some ,
improvements could be noted in
Martin County, but that in many
sections repairs to homes were be
ing delayed until the tops were about
to fall in or the steps were about to
fall down. “Our boys are looking for
ward to returning home from the
war, and they wdl be disappointed if
we throw away our savings today
and neglect our homes.”
Switching to the all-important
topic of nutrition, the agent declar
ed that nearly every one of the mli
1 ions rejected try the armed services
(Continued on page six)
Reservist Called
Back By the Army
Placed on the enlisted reserve
some months ago possibly because
he was over thirty-eight years of
age, Charlie Bert Wynne, of RFD
3, Williamston, was called back by
the Army a few days ago. No details
could be had, and it could not be as
certained immediately if the Army
was oailme men 38 years,
old and over According to informa
tion received here this week, the
soldier underwent a major operation
soon after he re entered the serv
ice.
Wynne was inducted the first time
about the middle; of August, last
year.
r
PRESENTS
!
j
Without relatives and possess
ing few friends in their new lo
cations, a few soldiers have lit
tle to look forward to this
Christmas season as far as gifts
and the genuine holiday spirit
are concerned. They are those
who are appreciated, to be sure,
but who do not come directly
into the focus of appreciation.
Last Christmas, the local Par
ents-Teachers Association spon
sored a movement to provide the
soldiers at Fort Bragg with little
gift reminders. The practice will
again be necessary to relieve to
some extent pangs of disappoint
ment for many servicemen away
from home this Christmas sea
son.
The people of this community
are asked to prepare small gifts,
enclose their names and ad
dresses and deliver them by next
Tuesday to the Red Cross Band ■
age Room where they will be
packed for shipment to the Fort
Bragg center for distribution on
Christmas morning.
Juuge Smith Calls
Half Dozen Cases
In County’s Court
Good Character Proved by Mis
Friends Saves Boy from
Term oil Boads
Calling only half a dozen cases,
Judge J. Calvin Smith held the
Martin County Recorder’s Court in
session hardly more than an hour
and a half last Monday. Although
there were very few cases on the
docket, a fairly large crowd—about
fifty colored and fifteen white per
sons—was present for the proceed
ings:
The court folded its tent for a
couple of weeks for the superior
court to hear civil cases beginning
next Monday. The next session of
the court will be held on Monday,
December 6.
Good character proclaimed by
friends was proved a valuable asset
during the course of a trial in the
court last Monday. Harvey Lee
Parker, colored, was about to draw
two years on tint roads for assaulting
Alexander Savage, colored, with a
rifle, when friends, including officers
and several other citizens, came to
his rescue. They pointed out that the
defendant was a peaceful fellow, and
he was a conscientious and hard
worker and had never been in trou
ble. According to the evidence,
Parker and Savage had some trouble
in a store at Oak City. Parker left
and went home, returning with his
riffe. As Savage was leaving the
store, Parker fired, the bullet tear
ing the skin on the victim’s neck and
barely missing the juglar vein. Im
pressed by the character witnesses,
Judge Smith suspended a one-year
road sentence upon the payment of
a $30 fine and the case costs. Parker
was placed on probation for two
years. *
Charged w'ith non-support, John
nie E. Howell failed to answer when
called and papers were issued for
his arrest.
The case' charging 11 L. Sykes
with an assault was continued for
the defendant until Monday, Decem
ber 6.
Charged with trespassing on an
other’s property, Calvin Bullock was
found not guilty.
Judgment was suspended upon toe
payment of the costs in the case
charging Missie Powell with destroy
ing personal property.
(Continued on page six)
Local Young Man
Writes From Italy
—<*,—
Writing from somewhere in Italy
the early part of this week, Sgt.
Jimmy A. Williams told his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Williams, of Wil
liamston, that he was getting along
fine.
His letter follows, in part:
“Received my first mail today
since I have been here. I really feel
happy and better. Yes, J have been
to all the places you read about.
“I am fine and enjoying myself in
one of the most beautiful spots in
the world somewhere in Italy. For
the first time since I have been in
the Army, I have a wonderful job
and like it fine. I have a hand in all
the news you get to read at home.
You can guess my work as you re
member what I went to school for
when I first entered the service."
It is believed the young man is on
| a radio team serving with the public
| relations division. One of his recent
j letters bore the approval and signa
ture of General Mark Clark.
Plans For Program
To Be Explained
Within A Few Days
Toliaeeo Quota Increased By
Nearly .‘5,000 Acres; Food
Vcreafscs Dccreasnl
Apparently producing more than
its share of most of the food and
feed crops, Martin County was ask
ed to switch to a greater tobacco pro
duction by agricultural leaders in a
meeting with committeemen in the
courthouse here last evening. While
an actual reduction in the acreages
planted to food and feed crops is be
ing asked, Miss Pauline Smith, dis
trict home ageiu and John Crawford
of the Extension Service and H. A.
Patten of the Triple A urged the
farmers to work for greater yields.
The 1944 farm production goals
were tentatively suggested and ac
cepted bv the group, a review of the
program showing that the county
has been favored, so to speak, in the
crop allotments for the coming year.
Briefly stated, the farmers of this
county are being asked tc increase
their tobacco plantings by approx
imately 3,000 acres and decrease
their food, feed and oil crop plant
ings by about 2,300 acres. This is an
exceptional production proposal in
the face of increased demands for
increased food and feed production
by approximately 500,000 acres.
The following acreage tabulation,
showing the proposed goals for next
year, the goals for 1943 and varia
tions, suggests what is expected of
Martin County farmers in 1944 as
compared with what they did in 1943,
the figures in the third column ap
pearing in black type to indicate ex
pected acreage increases:
Suggested 1943
1944 Goals Goals Varia'n
22,500 22,500 000
597 646 49
400 300 100
106 139 33
300 200 100
13.410 10,467 2943
5,000 5.927 927
24,062 24,579 516
5,000 5,000 000
620 1,600 980
1,400 1,500 100
1,900 1,800 100
Corn
Oats
Wheat
Barley
Lespedeza
Tobacco
Cotton
Peanuts
Soy Beans
Irish Potatoes
Sweet Pota’s
Home Garden
75,295 74,657 638
The proposed program was dis
cussed at length, the farmers agree
ing that most of the goals could and
would be met. It was admitted, how
ever, that the price outlook just be
fore planting time would be a major
factor in determining the acreages.
It was generally agreed that corn
plantings will remain about the
same. Acreages planted to several
crops are so small that they hardly
count in the over-all picture. The
meeting, expressing itself at ran
dom, was of the opinion that the to
bacco allotment would be planted,
but most of those offering comments
declared that they were not sure all
(Continued on page six)
Write A Letter To
Comity Servicemen
Since publishing the name* vl a
number of Martin County young men
serving in the armed forces with the
suggestion that their friends take
time out and write them a letter or
send a card or two, The Enterprise
lias supplied a goodly number of
addresses. It is regretted that the
addresses cannot be released lor pub
lication, but they will be gladly sup
plied when called for at the Enter -
j prise office. Quite a few requests
| have been made by mail for the ad
dresses, but they could not be furn
I ished that way.
Those persons wishing to write to
j uny of the young men whose names
j nave been listed may send or bring
| their letters by The Enterprise of
j fice and they will be properly ad
dressed, or addresses will be sub
I mitted to known parties if they call
by the office.
The following names are those of
I young men serving in the Navy, Ma
rines, or Coast Guard, and a few in
other branches of service:
John H. Bland, Bill Burroughs, C.
B. Clark, Jr., Chas. T. Bowers, Ben
; nett Daniel, Grady H. Davenport, M.
G. Davis, J. E. Edwards, Wm. H. Gur
ganus, John Hatton Gurganus, Ed
mond D. Harris, Capt. R. T. Harring
i ton, Jos. L. Holliday, W. T. Hop
. kins, J. G. Hardison, W. Brownie
' Harrington, Vernol F. Jackson, Don
Elphonsa Johnson, L. C. Modiin, C.
T. Modiin, E. T. Malone, Geo. C.
Mahler, W. L. Manning, Jerry Man
j ning, Whit C. Purvis, S. E. Perry,
Jr, Wm. Staton Peel, Staton B.
Price, C. C^Raw's. Jr., Russell Roe
: buck, Tom Skinner, Dan Sharpe,
Alonza T. Spruill, Ben Weaver, W.
: B Watts. Jr., C. B. Wilson. Dillon C.
j Wynne, E. P. Cunningham.