ovn THE TOP FOR VICTORY UNITED STATES WAR BONDS-STAMPS THE ENTERPRISE FAT WAT WA* BOWP BAY «P9V8«Vf—UH MU AM VOLUME XLVII—NUMBER 44 Williams ton, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, Juno 2, 19Cl. ESTABLISHED 1399 Allies Make Steady Gains In Their All “Final" Battle for tin* Eternal ri!> 1- Vpjiarenih \ow Umlerwav -*.-' In a brilliant action advanced by night. American forcer; continued their march on Rome last night, late reports indicating that the “final” battle for the Eternal City is gain ing momentum and that decisive ac tion is to be expected within a short time. The Allied forces, making fairly slow but steady gains, are in sight of Rome, their recent advances giving them commanding positions in the Alban hills. ’The fighting is so near that can nons, firing with the frequency of machine-guns, caused the houses of F me to tremble and the windows to rattle continuously. The thunder reached such a state that sleep was impossible. Allied troops last night were re ported moving steadily through the breach in the Nazi wall, consolidating their positions despite violent oppo sition from enemy flame-throwers, artillery and tanks. Allied headquar ters described the gains as "limit ed but important.” The Germans continued to hurl fierce counter-attacks at the advanc ing Americans and British, and 15 Nazi fighter planes made a rare ap pearance over the raging battle. One; was blown out of the air by ground i fire. British forces pushing up from the coastal sector due south of Rome reached an undisclosed point on the load north of Ardea and Allied arm ored units slashing west of the for- ! tified town of Lanuvio crossed the ' Fosso Di Campoleone, a drainage canal. An Allied spokesman said the en- j emy was strongly entrenched in the | entire Lanuvio sector, taking full j advantage of difficult terrain and employing concrete pillboxes, anti tank gun emplacements and self-pro- I pelled artillery. The battlefield was | overhung by clouds of dust, through which large fleets of American me dium bombers rained death on en emy troop concentrations and gun emplacements Whiie the western arm of the great Allied offensive slashed into the Al ban Hills and brought the flash of gunfire within sight of Rome’s in habitants, the Eighth Army driving up from the East captured the key road junctions of Frosinone and Sora, further constricting the movements of the retreating Nazi tenth army. The Italian campaign up to May j 16 had cost the U. S. 55,150 casual ; ties, including 9,686 killed, 36,910 j wounded and 8,554 missing. Halted by bad weather for about eighteen hours, the pre-invasion blitz has been resumed by Allied airmen, striking enemy fortifications and rail centers in France and Belgium. One report stated that the enemy communication system in parts of France had been paralyzed by the airmen in their recent attacks. In the Pacific area, reinforcements j have reached New Guinea and the drive there continues to make prog ress, according to the reports. In Chi na, however, the Japs are continu ing a dangerous drive, threatening Changsha, important base in Hunan Province. Former Board Clerk Draws Boiler Watch —+ — Writing back home from Camp Peary, Va., a few days ago, Monk Cobb, former clerk of the Martin County Draft Board, explained that he had a little time since he drew a boiler watch instead of KP duty. He went on to say that it was very unusual, that his luck had been ra ther contrary. “It is rather hard to write any thing along the news line up here; so all I can tal kabout is current events. We moved from our old area to a new one Wednesday and I was just as busy as a one-armed paper hanger. We had to move all our worldly possessions at one time, in cluding mattress. It was about twice my size and weighed almost as much as I do. I started with it cr, my shoul der and tried every conceivable place imaginable for comfort; but it just wasn’t there. That is one time I wish ed my head had been flat on top, then I would have tried it water melon style. The day before, we had been given a lecture on abandoning ship and they said that at times ail personal belongings were tossed ov erboard if the ship were in danger of sinking. Well, about half-way over I passed a small stream and certain ly gave serious thought to tossing it overboard because my ship was mighty near sunk. “Upon my arrival they didn’t cut my hair; they mowed it off. At pres ent I have a few patches under cul tivation and if the weather is fav orable and the draft board doesn’t get all my labor, I think 1 might get another crop laid by in due time. “I stay pretty busy keeping up with my washing (you know I’m a washer-woman, too), and if anyone asks you what one thing has contrib uted more to the war effort than anything else, just tell them ‘clor ox’.” Few County Servicemen Cast 'rimarv Last 1 fuirt; -SvXcn or un vslotiaira twi j per cent ot the Martin County serv j icemen participated in the primary ^Tivetio:; ',j: l A..- .vivia.v, according U an official report released this week by Mr. Sylvester Peel chairman ol the county elections board A plan to simply the voting for servicemen was defeated, and it is now fairly apparent that many of the men in the armed forces forfeit ed their right to the ballot rather than go to all the trouble in prepar ing their applications and ballots. An even one hundred applications for ballots were filed. Forty were re turned. but two came in too late to be counted and a third one was not properly executed and could not he counted. The following men used the ab sentee ballot and voted in the desig nated precincts: Jamesville: David Alexander Cor ey, Lt. M. W. Corey, Capt. Jas. D. Walters, R P. Martin, Lt. Thomas E Willis and C. C. Walters; Griffins; James R , Wm. B. and Henry T. Dan {U'C Alfred T. jfc j Griffin and Howell R. Peel; William 'stun. No. 1. John A. Ward, Miss Mur ! id L. Bland. Dan C. Sharpe, Joscpl ; J. Edmondson, Joseph Paul Simp son; Williamston No. 2, John R Simpson, John W. Hardy, E. S. Peel Jr., James Robt. Everett, Jr., Johr B. Roberson, Clyde Mizelle, Jerrj Manning, Francis W. Peel, Jas. S Rhodes, Jr.. Wm. W. Thompson anc William H. Sessoms; Robersonville Alvin Hasty, J. L. Dixon, Jr., anc Paul D. Roberson; Bear Grass, Jos E. Griffin; Poplar Point, William Revels; Gold Point, J. R. Winslow Jr.; Goose Nest, Melvin Crisp, Jas H. Ayers, Nathan W. Johnson. While most of the ballots were cast by servicemen in (his country some of the ballots came from as far away as India and from nearly every other country in the world where Martin County men are stationed. The ballots of L. H. Mizelle, for merly of Jamesville ,and Wm. Fow den Clark, formerly of Williamston, reached the county too late to be counted. LT. C. B. CLARK Claude Baxter Clark, local young man, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, junior grade, in the l!. S. Navy, a few days ago. He is now with the fleet somewhere in the Pacific. Marriages Holding To Normal Average In Martin County —*— Fifteen Licenses Are Issued By Register of Deeds In Month of May -• Despite war and any and all oth er factors that go to make the'per iod one of uncertainty, the issuance of marriage licenses in this county continues to hold to about an aver age figure. Fifteen licenses were is sued by Register of Deeds J. Sam Getsinger in May, or one less than the number issued in the month of May, 1943. Licenses were issued to nine white and six colored couples, as follows: White Gilbert Mobley, RFD 3, William ston, and Ft. Moultrie, S. C., and El lie Louise Roebuck, RFD 1, Rober sonville. Ellen Whitaker and Iva Belle Peo ple, both of Williamston. Luther Modiin, of Jamesville, and Mary Makarczyk, of Philadelphia Talbert Cozard Smith, of Raleigh, and Josie Pearl Lilley, of Williams ton. James Robert Wynne, of Rober sonville, and Lois Elizabeth Deans, of Elizabeth City. Pfc. William W Morrison, of Oil City, Pa., and Williamston, and Hel en Louise Farringer, of Oil City, Pa. Marion Cutler, RFD 2, Washing ton, and Marcie Moore, of Bath. Willie Lee Taylor, of Williamston, and Dons Harris, of Oak City. Vincent Hayes Batts, of Maccles field, and Lou Ellen Perry, of Rob eisonviile. C otoi ed Pvt. Gabriel Williams, Jr., of Ft. Warren, Wyoming and Williamston, and Ophelia Clai k, of Williamston. Ora Staton, of Oak City, and Dillie Williams, of Palmyra. Ernest Brown and Mamie Ruth Peel, both of RFD 2, Williamston. Clifton Worsley and Beulah Cher ry, both of RFD 1, Bethel. Harrison Land, Jr., and Louvenia Spruill, both of Williamston. Rufus Taylor and Mary G Rogers, both of Williamston. -s Wurmnt Issued In Recent Automobile Theft Cuse Robert Everett, young local color ed man, was formally charged in a warrant issued here this week by an agent of the Federal Bureau of In vestigation with the theft of an au tomobile from the Roanoke Chevro let Company building a few days ag. The car was found wrecked be tween Suffolk and Norfolk, but it was not badly damaged. Summer Slump Hits The County’s Court Smack lu The Face —— Only Two (Iiim’s On Dorkrl For Trial al Kr^ular Session iVloiulay While business may pick up from time 1o time during the next few months, there’s no doubt but what the summer slump hit the county re corder’s court squarely in the face at the reguar session hist Monday. There were only two cases on the docket, and less than one-half dozen spectators—four colored and one white man—were on hand to watch the wheels of justice grind out the judgments. The tribunal was in session hardly fifteen minutes, some of the court officials frankly admit ting that they had hardly earned their pay to rthe work handled that day. Only -three cases have been book ed so far for trial in the court next Monday, but others are likely to find their way onto the docket before another dead-line is reached. The eighteen-month old case pend ing (rial in the court and charging Paul Holliday with non-support was nol pressed when it was shown that regularly monthly allotments were being made for the support of his wife and child. Speeding through Oak City at an alleged pace of about sixty miles an hour, Wright Smith was senten ced to the roads for ninety days. The sentence was suspended upon the payment of a $10 fine and the case costs. It was further stipulated in the judgment that the defend ant is to be regularly employed during the six-month suspension period. The defendant is said to have maintained his speed out. of the county town, that Constable Ed mond Early chased him for several miles but could not overtake him before the speedster had crossed the Pitt County line. A warrant was is sued later for the man’s arrest. Small Vote (last In Saturday Primary -:* One of the smallest votes entered in the political records during recent years was cast in the last Saturday primary by Martin County voters. A similiar indifference to the inher ent right was reported throughout the State, causing some observers to declare that high offices, in some in stances, at least, were annexed al most by default. The absentee ballot count, for one reason or another, was also unusual ly small, only 37 servicemen from this county casting their ba.lots in the election. The total vote of 2,443 last Satur day was 772 below the count two years ago and was distributed as follows in the various precincts: Jamesville, 246; Williams, 72' Grif fins, 267; Bear Grass, 166, Williani «ton No 1, 273: Wiliiamston, No. 2, 370; Cross Roads. 163; Roberson vi 1 If, 398; Gold Point, 76; Poplar Point, 95; Hamilton, 119; Hassell, 59; Goose Nest, 146. i BANDAGE ROOMS j _; In answer to a hurried call for surgical dressings, ladies of the Bear Grass community are opening a bandage room in the community house there. The room will be open each Tues day from 3 to 7 and from 8 to 10 p. m , it was announced by Mrs. G. A. Peel and Mrs. T. O. Hickman, chairwomen. Every one is invited and urged to help in the vital work. While there has been an in crease in attendance upon the sessions in the Wiliiamston ban dage room during the past few days, the work is progressing mighty slow', and additional vol unteers are urgently asked to re port for duty each afternoon and 1 evening. Relates Experiences In Italian Campaign (’pi. Irvin Griffin Witnesg^l Devastation Caineil Down < In Old Monastery -» Writing recently to John V.T. Man ning here, Cpl. Irvin Griffin express ed the hope that he (Manning) would soon recover, and went on to teli a few of his experiences in the following interesting letter: The worst thing about this Army is the monotony of sitting around doing practically nothing all the ttme. I never got paid for doing so near nothing before but I would gladly pay double what I get to be out. Since the censorship has eased up on us a little, 1 11 tell you a little of where I have been since landing in Italy in September. We went on the line early in October and fought through Piedmonte and several other towns and crossed the Vol turno River five times. We were on the line slugging through inud and water for about two months and then were taken back for a month’s rest I spent five days in Naples while back there and had a lot of fun We were fortunate in being otl tiie line Christmas. We wreren’t oil long after though for before New Year’s we were back in the mud. This time we were over in the Cas sino sector. We advanced slowly until we reached Cassino and there we ran into a stone wall It is tough country there. 1 saw the bombing of tiie Monastery, but this didn’t seem to help much. In late Febru ary, we went back for another so called rest, but actually I get more rest while on the line than when I m oil. After about a month in the rear we packed up and came up to Anzio. We have been on the line here for about six weeks now and as you know we haven’t accomplish ed much to date. In fact, I am liv ing m the same horse stable now that 1 was in six weeks ago. It isn’t as bad a place to live as you woidd think We have electric lights and a radio that we can pick up the Slates with We also have a fox hole dug undei about eight feet of rock to crawl in when the bombs and shells get too close. I don’t think it is as rough here as the pa pers lead you to believe, It isn’t as bud as Cassino, although the Germ ans hold all the high ground. Here is something you can hardly believe. We have had movies three times here within a very few miles of the Germans. There is a large wine cellar m ar and it is practically bomb and shell proof and that is where they are shown. I also play a little baseball and I know the Kraut can see us for he is sitting on the hill looking down at us. / I think that everyone around here is more anxious about the invasion then the people at home. That is one show that I hope I miss. I have had it pretty rough at times, but I am sure I have seen nothing to com pare with what that will be. I see in the paper that a lot of the fel lows from around there are in the British Isles. I guess a lot of them will be in on the big show. The people at home can’t realize how fortunate we are to have such a country as the U. S. to live in. The civilians here really have it rough. Of course, most of them have been evacuated from here, but there are still quite a few left. Most of them Jive in caves. I was in a cave with them one night. The cave was so crowded that you could hardly walk. There were men, women and chil dren trying to sleep all over the place. 1 don’t know what they live on but i am sure it is just enough to (Continued on page six) Local Draft Board Lists Delinquents —*— As of May 31, the Martin County Draft Board reported only eight de linquents out of its thousands of registrants. It is possible that some of them forgot to list their forward ing addresses, while in other cases it is believed that the registrants are possibly trying to evade the C ait. Tiie names of those listed as cie liriqiu rii by the board and their last known addresses follow: Charlie Robert Hyman, c. Pal myra. It is understood that Hyman is not in the vital age group and that he is the father of seven child ren. Tom Council, c, RFD 1, Bethel. Andrew Walker, c, RFD 2, Wil liamston, and RFD 2, Elizabeth City. James Gardner, c, Williarnston. Orlander Perkins, c, Roberson ville. Joseph Lawrence, c, 620 Water Street, Portsmouth, Va. Henry Dave Bonds, e, 1121 E. Main St., Norfolk. Willey Sandy Jolly, w, Wtlliam ston. Justice ,/. L. Ilussell Hus Lone Case In Court Council Brown, charged with be ing drunk and down, was fined $3.50 and taxed with $8.50 cost- in Justice J. L. Hassell’s court here this week. The case was the only one on the justice’s docket. Propose $16,793 Budget For I Moisting om o) tnvir nn-t meetings in some time, members of the Martin County Board of Health this week proposed a S16.7S3.72 budget fer the department during the next fiscal year. The board also voted to petition the count,' commissioners to consolidate the registration of vital statistics. It was pointed out that the ten registrars are being paid ap proximately $400 a year, that under i the proposed plan the task could be absorbed by the department without1 extra cost, that possibly a better registration could be effected under the new plan. Any change in the present system will come only after the county commissioners petition the State Board of Health. The 1943-44 health department budget for the new fiscal year is little changed from the one under which the organization is now op era ting All budget i xjui remen ts are unchanged, except for a de mand for a $10 per month salary in Should the increase he allowed, arid salaries are mighty low in some cas es, the budg'd will be increased by $600 over tiie 1943-44 figure. Of the $10,793.72, the county is being asked to raise $9,167.72, plus the proposed $600 salary increases. The State will contribute $1,800, and the remainder will be supplied by the federal government and special funds appropriated in support of the drive against certain diseases. This budget is merely a proposal and is subject to approval by the ■ounty commissioners. It does not include a proposed $5,000 appropria tion for the maintenance and opera tion of the courtly tuberculosis sana torium which comes under the wel are department's jurisrivtion. More County Men Are w Cal Jed By the Services Twenty Negro Men Left Today For the Army-Navy Stations Eleven of llie Two Croups Are Married and Leave Behind Fourteen Children - Twenty Martin County colored men loft for the services today twelve for the Army and eight for the Navy stations for final induc tion. Five of the men leaving for the Army are married and leave six children at home. Six of the eight men entering the Navy are married and are leaving eight children be hind. Seven of the Army men come from the farm and six of the eight men entering the Navy were draft ed from the farm. The names and addresses of the men called to report for final induc tion today follow: For the Army: Willie Junior Williams, Roberson ville. Nathaniel Hopkins, liobersonville. Ralph Spruill, Williamston. Clifton Peele, RFD 1, Williamston. John Junior Highsmith, RFD 1, Jamesville and Washington. Samuel Thomas Williams, Wil liamston. K. D. Langley, Hassell, and RFD 1, Tarboro. William Brodte, RFD 2, Roberson ville. Lester Wiggins, RFD 1, Palmyra Abram Woodrow Wrisby, RFD I, Williamston. Henry Wright Daniel, Roberson ville. William Henry Speller, Williams ton. For the Navy: Abner King Reddick, RFD I, Wil liamston. Jasper Peterson, RFD 1, Oak City. Joe Dave Smithwick, RFD 1, Wil liamston. Cleveland Manning, RFD I, Wil liamston. George Daniel, RFD 2, Williams ton. Charlie Collins, RFD 1, Oak City, and Newport News. Robert Braxton Ormond, William ston. Elbert Jones, RFD 1, Williamston. -*-—— i (jemevee IJail I) i Chaplain <>. II. Whceh'i' Holds S«*rviy the Bonni in i iii>* County ——«» Striking a very liberal note, the Martin County War Price and Rat ioning Board last Friday night is sued 154 tires—132 Grade I’s and 22 for trucks. In addition to those, a few of the inferior types were re leased. Grade I tires were issued to the following: Gower Cross well, Williamston, one A. J Osteen, Williamston, one. M iry W Taylor, Williamston, one. Claude Winstead, RFD 1, James ville, one. J R Whitaker, RFD 2, Williams ton. two. Maurice Moore, Jr., Williamston, one. 1*' ed Chesson. Williamston, two. R. K Taylor, Robersonville, one. 1. S. Davis, RFD 1. Jamesville, one G H. Martin, RFD 2. Williams ton, one. Rosa Williams, Robersonville, one. Luther Clark, Jamesville, one. Joe I. Bullock, HE'D, Roberson ville, one. C. B. Savage, Oak City, one. Hassell H. Worsley, Oak City, one. John Ashley Hardison, RFD 2, Williamston, one. Mrs. Zeno Beddard, RE’D 3, Wii liamston, one. Jay Liiley, RFD 2. Williamston, one, P M. Holliday, Jamesville, one. Richard Bryant, Bethel, one. Chester Taylor, RFD 2, Williams ton, one. t lurence Matthews. Robersonville, one. II B Smith, Robersonville, two. K C Barber, Jamesville, one. H C. Hardison, RFD 2, Williams ton, one. Abbie llaislip, Robersonville, two. M. B. Beach, Hamilton ,one. N M Hyman, Palmyra, one. John Roebuck, Williamston ,one. M. L. Peel, Williamston, one. J S. Ayers, Jr., Williamston, one. C. L. Keel, Robersonville, one. J C. Gurganus, RFD 2, Williams ton, one. Dan W. Jones. RE'D 3, Williams ton, two. Rufus Lynch, Oak City, one. J IV Harris, RFD 2. Williamston, one. K. 11. Manning, RE’D 1, Williams ton, two. W. S. Gurganus, RFD 3, William* ston, one. Julian L. Mizellc, Palmyra, two. J O. Stokes, Hamilton, one. Paul Bailey, Everetts, one. S. L. El 1!is, Jamesville, one. Finest Wynne, RFD 1, Williams ton, one, Eldgar Ballard, Robersonville, one Raymond Williams, RFD 1, Rob ersonville, two. Dorsie Williams, Robersonville, two. W B Harrison, Williamston, one. Homes 11. Lee, HE'D 2, Williams ton, two. W H. White HE’D 2, Williamston, one. Wooiard Furniture Co., Williams tltll, two. C G. Crockett, Williamston, one. O. G. Carson, Jamesville, one. Charlie C. Bailey, HE’D 3, Wil (Contmued on page six) -• To llol|> Stcimj) Out (#as Blac k Market —♦— Tm Petroleum Industry Commit tee on Rationing for District One meeting in New York today set in motion an intensive program to co operate with ttie Government in stamping out the Black Market op erations which have been stealing more than 2,500,000 gallons of au tomotive gasoline daily. Mr A Clarke Bedford, Chairman of the Committee for District One, comprising seventeen Atlantic Coast states and the District of Columbia, stressed the importance of stamping out the Black Market. “Gasoline is one of the principal weapons of this war," he said. ‘‘It is playing a tremendously important part in the battle of Europe and soon will play an even more important one Naturally. l.fXW, IMA ds e-v**S*w _ first hut misuse of our limited home supply robs millions of honest ear owners doctors, war workers, and others who must use a limited amount of gasoline. Slowing down the Wai Effort at home actually jeopardizes the lives of our fighting men. The Government, the public, and every employe of the Petroleum Industry must cooperate to stamp out Hie Black Market in gasoline.” The Petroleum Industry Commit tee on Rationing announced the ap pointment of a Chairman for every state in the District. The Chairman for this state is J. L. Wright of the Standard Oil Company of Charlotte. The State Committee will acquaint all dealers with the facts about the Black Market and organize them to combat this menace. A cooperative advertising cam paign paid for by oil companies sup plying vhtually all of the gasoline sold on the Atlantic Coast will ap pear soon and will put the facts be tore the public.