PAT DAT WAS BOND DAT tnmm—un mum THE ENTERPRISE OVCk THE TOP FOR VICTORY with 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 -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.