NEARLY 1000 MARTIN COUNTY SERVICE MEN NOW READING THE ENTEPRISE IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD EACH WEEK. THE ENTERPRISE NEARLY 1000 MARTIN COUNTY SERVICE MEN NOW READING THE ENTEPRISE IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD EACH WEEK. VOLUME XLVII—NUMBER 64 ff illiamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, August 15, 1944. ESTABLISHED 1899 Rules For Mailing Christmas Packages To Points Overseas —$— Mailing Period for Army and Navy Men Overseas Be gins September 15 --§ “Save strong string and box ma terial and start to plan shopping,” Postmaster General Frank C. Wal ker advises Americans in announc ing the rules for mailing of Christ mas gifts for Army and Navy per sonnel overseas. This year the Christmas mailing period for both Army and Navy ov erseas forces is the same—Septem ber 15 to October 15. After October 15 no gift parcel may be mailed to a soldier without the presentation of a written request from him. The great demands upon shipping and the need for giving preference to arms, munitions, medicine and food, ts the prime reason for the early mailing date. Moreover, gift parcels must travel great distances to reach Army and Navy personnel who are located at remote points, and frequently the transfer of large numbers to new stations necessitates forwarding of the packages and ad ditional time i% required. “The response that our people made last year during the overseas mailing period demonstrated that they will cooperate in any measure designed for the welfare of our arm ed forces personnel,” Mr. Walker said. “It is not easy to concentrate on Christmas gifts in the midst of warm weather here at home but our people recognized the need, and be cause they want the men and women who are absent from their homes to know that they are not forgotten at Christmas they took pains to assure prompt delivery of Christmas gifts. “I know that our people will ob serve the overseas mailing schedule once more this year but I do wish to stress this fact: More care must be taken in wrapping and packing par cels securely and addressing them clearly and correctly. “It is not a pleasant thing to visit a postal concentration center and see the numbers of Christmas parcels which will never reach servicemen and servicewomen. Post office per sonnel have orders to do everything they can to effect delivery of such gifts, because we know how import ant they are for the happiness of the armed forces. Too frequently, nothing can be done. “I am sorry that anyone ever men tioned that the size of a shoe box is the approximate limit for packages intended for gift mailings overseas. Unhappily many people became con vinced that a shoe box is the best possible container. We must be mind ful that these gifts must travel far, with shipping space crowded. If the gifts are to be protected in transit they must be packed in boxes made of metal, wood, solid fiberboard ,or (Continued on page six) -- Jasper E. Jackson Wounded in France Pvt. Jasper E. Jackson, 30-year-old son of Mrs. Emma Jackson Guiganus and the late Kelly Jackson, was slightly wounded in France on July 27, according to a message received from the War Department by rela tives in the county over the week end. No details were learned. The last letter received from the young man stated that he was getting along all right. It was written about a week before he was wounded. Jackson volunteered for service in January, 1941, and after spending about eighteen months at Fort Jack son traveled around quite a bit in this country before going to North ern Ireland and a short time later or early June to France. He was trained at the South Carolina post, 'Pw?i8fi~a'■Missouri... Tennessee. Cal ifornia, and Colorado. He is the 30th Martin County man reported wounded in the current war, and the eighth to have been wounded in France. WOUNDED Lewis T. Taylor, son ol' Mrs. Maniza Taylor Whitaker, of Cross Roads Township, and the late Sam Taylor, was seriously wounded in France on June 11th, his mother was just recently ad vised by the War Department. A later report stated he was re covering. More Cigarettes Sent To The Boys —$— The local Lions Club and patriotic citizens of Martin County have just sent another 20,000 cigarettes to be distributed free to members of our fighting forces overseas. The Club’s Cigarette Committee requested that this shipment be sent to New Guinea, where quite a few Martin County boys are in action, and it is hoped that these smokes will reach them. The club has now sent 120,000 cig arettes to our front line fighters through the generosity of county citizens. In a coast-to-coast radio broadcast last Wednesday night, the club and citizens of the county were recogniz ed and congratulated for their gen erous contributions toward the com fort and enjoyment of our battle front servicemen, During the past few days the club has received cards from boys on the front who have re cently received some of the free cig arettes, thanking the club for them. It is assumed that these cards were sent by boys in Italy, where the club sent its first shipment several weeks a go. The Club’s Cigarette Committee has just completed its fifth period collection and it wishes to publicly acknowledge the establishments at which were located the jars with the largest collections. For the second time since this project began, the jar at Terry Brothers Store at Bear Grass won top honors, where $8.50 was donated, due largely to the ef forts of the management of that firm. Second place goes to Martin Sup ply Co., where $4.60 was collected. Rounding out the “big three” was the Belk-Tyler jar, with $3.55 be ing contributed, mostly by the em ployees. SHOOT ’EM UP HOYS Possibly with no more ex perience than that gained on an occasional squirrel or rabbit hunt, three Martin County boys, all of KM) 1, Williamston, went out to Fort Knox, Kentucky, to lead their company in handling a machine gun. A recent report from the replacement center stat ed that the three young men made the highest scores in their company. The names of the boys are, Pvt. Bruce W. Coltrain, son of Mrs Virginia Corey Coltrain; Pvt. Robert D. Perry, sen of Mrs. T"~nfir"v ,,n#l I>,,> Dallas T. Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. fra Jones. The three were inducted early last April, and Perry and Jones are just about 18 years of age. County Servicemen Applying Forty-five Martin County service men, many of them overseas, have already applied for ballots for use in the general election next Novem ber, Mr. Sylvester Peel, chairman of the Martin County Board of Elec tions, announced this week. It is fairly apparent that a large number of the approximately 2,000 Martin County men in the armed forces will participate in the general election. Approximately 100 servicemen ap plied for ballots for use in the last May primary, but hardly one-third of the tickets were ever returned and of the small number returned some of them were received too late to be counted. Ample time is being al lowed for the distribution and re turn of the ballots for the general election, and it is believed that a far greater number of the young men will cast ballots on November 7th than were cast in the primary last May. Thirty-nine requests have been re ceived through the office of the Sec retary of State directly from the servicemen, while relatives have filed applications for ballots for their sons or brothers in the service. To save time and to make certain that those young men in remote corners of the earth will have a chance to participate in the general election, relatives at home are cordially ask ed to apply for the absentee ballots for the men in service, especially for those overseas. An application form may be procured from the var ious registrars, or a proper form will be found in this paper today. Cut out the application, fill it in with the proper names, home address and present address and mail it to Mr. Sylvester Peel, Chairman, RFD 1, Williamston. Parents, brothers, sis ters or children of the serviceman may prepare and file the application or the serviceman may file it him self. Despite His French Local Boy Is Doing All Right in France BruiT hitlev « H«* W He Had Paid More Atten tion to His Teachers Making his quarterly war report to The Enterprise, Franklin B. Whit ley who is now somewhere in France is apparently doing all right despite his poor Frhnch. “Now 1 surely wish I hud paid more attention to Mrs. Bettie Harrell and learned my vo cabulary when she was teaching me French. It certainly would come in handy now,” Pvt. Whitley said, ask ing that he be supplied with a dic tionary. Whitley, one of quite a few Martin County boys to move into France during the past few days, was in England f6r quite a while, but lately he has been doing a bit of traveling. His report follows, in part: “I have been moving from place to place so often and so fast lately that I haven’t had much chance to handle my reports. We were on the alert in England and did quite a bit of moving. I really hated to leave one place where we were stationed for a while. I had become acquaint ed with quite a few families about the place and it was mostly in the rural district and most of the trans portation was by foot. It gave me a place to go at night and really enjoy myself, and get away for the time being from the old grind of Army life and feel again what life was like on the outside. “The first stop we made after leav ing our old station was at a very nice place, but we weren’t there but on ly three days—the fourth one we rode all day. When I left there it was for an embarkation point, and I surely hated to leave there because there was nothing to bother you, and all you had to do was eat and sleep and drink- if you could find enough money among the boys. 1 haven’t been paid since May 15, and I have been broke well over a month. I was kept on pins there because we had to move out by night and when we went to bed we were expecting to be called at any hour. The call fi nally came and now I’m over here where they are really having a little fireworks. “I haven’t seen but very little here yet. The trip across the Channel was uneventful and was nothing more than another boat ride. I did see a load of prisoners moving from France. “I really have been roughing it as far as living goes here. Haven’t had a good meal since. I left the boat. I hav(* been eating K and C rations and heating them as best I could on an open fire around my tent and fox hole. And speaking of foxholes, they are something everybody wants around here. “T’he people here seem to be rath er friendly; that is, those I have seen. Most of them are rural people and they don’t seem to have been affected by the war very much, but I guess one cun get use to anything in four years whether he likes it or not. I don’t know, but I guess it is quite different in and around the cities and towns, but so far I haven’t been to any except to pass through. “It is quite hard to talk with the people here, but I guess I’m doing very well with my hand pointing and head shaking. We are building an airdrome here at the present and my job now is on a machine gun, guard ing against possible air attack. My emplacement is near a home of a wi dow with eight children. They work on the farm and their ages range from seven to twenty-four years. I have been taking French lessons from the kids. One can pick up right much from them and they seem veiy will ing to help, but I do believe they will learn to speak English or American as they call it, before I learn to speak (Continued on page six; 401d Age Triumplis* Over Army Youths All this talk about old-timers have no chance against youth was knock ed into a cocked hat last Sunday af ternoon whf,n Foster, 53-year-old Williamston Bears, colored baseDaii team, to a six-to tnree victory over Army youths from Camp Butner. The old-timer struck out ten men and allowed only five hits. While Foster’s work featured the game, the team, as a whole, play ed air-tight ball and offered a bang up defense and offense. After playing along with the score tied at one-all the Bears forged ahead when Ridley, manager of the Bears, took Armstrong’s place at bat and laid down a bunt to score one of three men on bases. From then on the Bears held to their advantage. The visitors used nineteen players, including three pitchers, but the “mill gang” turned back everything the Army could offer. Four times previously the service team had turned the Bears back, and while the law of averages may have had something to do wth it, the "mill gang’s” superb playing was really the pay-off. Mobley homered for the Bears to figure in one of the game’s highspots. Appioximately 500 witnessed the game. MARTIN COUNTY In WORLD WAR I (Reviewed from old Enterprise fi'es twenty-seven years ago> October 12, 1917. Dr. John D. Biggs, who served for several months on the County Ex emption Board, has resigned and Mr. John L. Hassell, Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, ac cepted the appointment to fill the vacancy. On Saturday (tomorrow' the third squad of drafted men will leave for Camp Jackson, Columbia, S. C. The men leaving are: Lanier Harmon Matthews, William Henry Carson, Henry G. Simpson, Robert A. Taylor, John Henry Peel, Levi L. Riddick, Wade Davis, Wiley, Luther Bailey, Murdock Ayers, Jesse C. Ange, Thomas H. Wynn. Monday afternoon at the rest rooms of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, the women of Martin County perfected an organization of the Woman's Council of Defense for the County. Mrs. John D. Biggs was made permanent chairman, and the other officers were chosen for the work. The chief object of the coun cil is to get the women to pledge for the safety of the nation by using strict economy in food, dress and in all things pertaining to household expenses. October 26, 1917. John Tyndall, who was in the se lective draft and left here with the squad of Martin County men on September 21st, has been released from military service, and he arrived here to resume his work with the Williamston Telephone Company. On account of his usefulness in that spec ial branch of the business of the country, he was given an honorable discharge. In speaking of the life of the camp at Columbia, he gave a very pleasant report, stating that the work was not so strenuous and that the food furnished was excellent and plentiful. November 2, 1917. The women of Williamston and Martin County registered for services on Saturday. It happened that the Chairman of Registration for the State, Mrs. Waddell, of Henderson, sent only 350 cards to Miss Mayo Lamb for distribution, and this num ber was wholly inadequate. Many of the women went to their respective school houses and signed the cards for service either at home or wher ever the government wanted them to go. Though Martin County did not make up its apportionment of $238. 140, the campaign was waged vigor ously by both men and women. The (Continued on page six) Whitfield’s Story Can’t Be Told Now —$— Sgt. Melvin Whitfield, Martin County man who has hud a hectic lime in the current war, has told many hair-raising adventures, bul his story can’t be publicly released until after the war, he explained Iasi Friday. Censorship rules and regu lations apply to most of his adven tures. lie confirmed the War Department messages, telling that he was miss ing and later captured and then missing again and his return to du ty. Whitfield, apparently in good health despite his ordeals, has prom ised to record his travels at an early date for publication after the war. Navy Recruiter Will lie Here Wednesday —«,— Harry Gatton, Navy recruiter from the New Bern recruiting station, an nounc'd today that he will b** loeat ffn Williainstun Post OlUce^ building on Wednesday, August iOlh. Seventeen-year-old men are asked to contact him for information about the increased quota now open in the Navy. Ladies 20 to 3G interested in the Waves are also invited to contact Recruiter Gatton for information on the Waves. Gatton is petty officer in charge of '/■. ^ , elj Uiting uis tnct. BARN FIRES v At least six tobacco barns have been destroyed by fire in tho county so far this season accord ing to incomplete reports reach ing here yesterday. The latest one to burn was in Cross Roads Township, and belonged to Far mer Ralston Gurganus and Pvt. Tom Barnhill, who is now over seas. The fire burned electric lines in two and threatened oth er buildings. Others losing barns in the county include: C. C. Whitaker, Cross Roads; James Russell Cherry, J. W. Bailey and Ed mond Harris, Bear Grass; Roy Edmondson, Goose Nest. Using a new barn, Farmer Ed mondson literally “graded” a barn in the field and that one was lost. Allied Forces Launch Powerful Thrust On The Southern Coast Of France Early This Morning Ninety-three Tires 9) Allotted in County By Ration Board No Lai'nie Truck Tires Int'luil ed in Rations Released Last Friday Ninety-three tires—83 for ears and ten for small trucks—were released by the Martin County Rationing Board last Friday night. No large truck tires were included in the ra lions, and applications for that type of tires are beginning to pile up. Local tire dealers are unable to meet the demand for auto tires, and the prospects are not bright for any immediate relief. One manufacturer, commenting on the shortage of ear tires, said in a letter to a dealer this week: “Due to unexpected produc tion problems, the factory will not be able to ship the number of passen ger tires and tubes originally allot ted.” The problems were not ex plained, but it was stated that ship ments would be reduced 50 per cent or more. Grade I tires were issued to the following: L. H. Rawls, Oak City, two. Gower Crosswell, Jr., Spartanburg, S. C., one, David N. Hix, Williamston, one. Roberson Slaughter House, Wil liamston, one. W .L. Brown, Jamesville, one. John A. Ward, Williamston, two. W. M. Harrison, Williamston, one. T. B Slade, Hamilton, one. James D. Riddick, Everetts, one. Maurice Moore, Jr., Williamston, one. David A. Boyd, Hamilton, one. V. G. Taylor, Everetts, one. Crawford Coltrain, RFD 1, Wil liamston, one. C. B. Saunders, Williamston, one. John D. Li I ley, Williamston, two. Ottis Wainwi ight, Jamesville, two. B. C. Chesson, Robersonville, two. Clifton L. Powell, Robersonville, one. W .O. Abbitt, Williamston, one. C. F. Modlin, Jamesville, one. Elmer R. Edmondson, RFD 1, Beth el, one. Mrs. Patsy Roberson, RFD 3, Wil liamston, one. Jessie Peel, RFD 3, Washington, one. R. O. Purvis, Bethel, one. Mosella Ebron, RFD 2, Roberson ville, two. Henry Pitt, Oak City, one. A. S. Roberson, Sr., Robersonville, two. Isaac Purvis, Hamilton, two. W. E. Manning, RFD 1, Jamesville, one. J. R. Rawls, Oak City, one. Mayo Hardison, Williamston, one. B. A. Jianiels, Jamesville, one. John Chance, Bethel, one. R .J. Sydenstricker, Hamilton, four. Royal E. Gurganus, Jamesville, one. M. E. Jackson, Robersonville, one. Lester Scott, Robersonville, two. Thurston Jones, RED 2, Roberson ville, two. Wiley Lanier, RFD 1, Williamston, one. Mark Chesson, Williamston, one, Jack Everett, Parrnele, one. Mrs. Shirley B. White, Williams ton, one. Gaston Andrews, Robersonville, two. Elijah Council, RFD 1, Bethel, two. Lawrence E. Coltrain, RFD 1, Wil liamston, one. (Continued on page six) -^ Returns From Stay In Foreign Service —$— Robert Barnes, local young col ored man, returned home from about eighteen months* foreign service in North. Afriry ar> vanguard that moved on North. Africa nearly two years ago. He also participated in the Sicilian and Italian campaigns, later going to London for a short stay before go ing to France the early part of June. He is in the infantry. The casualty message was the second received by Mr. and Mrs. Minion Taylor. The other son, Dal las Marion, of the Navy, had a land ing tank ship blown from under him somewhere in the Pacific in late May or June and he was burned. In a letter to his mother, the young seaman said that he managed to get his shoes off, that he swam ashore and then ran about two miles in land. HOIJND-I Jl* r 1 Five persons, three white and two colored, were rounded up by local and county officers and military police in this section last week-end. A youthl'ui sol ^^dier whose name was not dis closed, was arrested and jaiied by military police following a scuffle at the bus station. Night sticks were used on the fellow, who, according to reports, had been drinking. After receiving medical attention he was restrict ed and returned to Camp But ner yesterday for a military trial. Four of the five persons ar rested and jailed were hooked for public drunkenness, the oth er for an assault with a deadly weapon. S* -■?> ■ ■ Second Invasion Of France Meeting with No Great Opposition —<$>— Late Keporta Slate That Allies Have Driven More Than Twenty Miles Inland Allied forces, mostly Americans but including a special French Army and others, launched a powerful in vasion attack on Southern France early this morning, first reports stat ing that the invasion encountered no great opposition and that the drive had been extended inland for a distance of twenty miles a few hours after the initial landing at 8 o’clock. Only meager details of the new drive could be had immediately, but the undertaking is no little affair and one that would have startled the world had it not come at a time when other Allied forces are threat ening entire enemy armies to the north and east. Observers are guessing the goal of the new invasion, most of them agreeing that the drive will be aim ed to connect Allied forces in the north and to mark the beginning of an all-out movement by patriuts of the underground throughout a great er part of France. Vichy and other centers strongly dominated by Ger mans and pro-Germans have not been heard from since the drive was launched. The drive was centered along the French Mediterranean coast from Marseilles and Toulon and possibly Nice. Allied bombers had softened the area and just before the regular Army forces started storming ashore iiiij morning at 8 o’clock, large num bers of warships poured salvo after salvo into the shore installations. One report stated that the shore bat teries did not reply, and that the landings were effected without great opposition. More than 800 ships, in cluding American, British, French, Dutch and Belgian, supported the invasion. It is generally believed that Hit ler has pulled many of his men from that area in the apparently futile at tempt to save his hide its the north At the same time, the Allied drive in the south has not detracted any strength from the north. It would seem that Hitler can’t stand up so very much longer under the poundings now being directed against him in northern and southern France, in Italy, and on the Eastern Front. However, the outlook is five (Continued on page six) Sgt. Fred Taylor Now In Asheville --. Recovering fjrom an ulcerated stomach in an Asheville hospital, Sgt. Fred Taylor is expected to be able to return home soon, he told his sister, Miss Mamie Clyde Taylor, in a telephone conversation day be fore yesterday. In England for almost two years, Sgt. Taylor returned by plane to this country two weeks ago and was removed to AsheviUe^J^r^^tav of one week in IIis brother, Eli Marion, has taken up on the other side about where Fred left off. and it is quite possible that some of the progress in France since the early part of July is trace able to his presence and work there. Late reports from “Sammy” state serious now, that he is attending church regularly, and longs for the day when he can re turn home. He was quoted as saying that he’ll never mind sitting up at a tobacco barn, priming tobacco or handling other bring farm tasks. Delay School Openings JJntiJ. September 18 In The County Meeting in special session here yesterday, members of the Martin County Board of Education ordered the opening of the county schools de layed until Monday, September 18, the action conforming to recommen dations made by health authorities. It was the opinion of some members of the board that the delay will be of no great aid in preventing the spread of infantile paralysis since many children are moving to and from various places and cun be seen in small groups on the streets. How ever, the board dared not take a chance and called for the delayed opening date. It is possible, howev er, that the date will be changed to the 15th if there is any appreciable decrease in the spread of the dis ease between now and the early part of September. Very little other business was be fore the special meeting. A counter offer, carrying a stipulated amount of $5,750, was made for a house and lot in Jamesville to be used as a teacherage. The owners had asked $7,600. With one or two exceptions, the various school faculty elections are fairly complete, the office of the superintendent announcing that a principal had been elected for the Bear Grass School. Mr. B. M. Shack lette, a native of Kentucky but for many years a teacher in the schools of this State, was said to have form ally accepted the position this week. Mr. Shacklette holds an M. A. de gree, and during the past four years U'as a member of the Bowles Prep School Faculty in Florida He comes to his new post highly recommend ed. He isn’t a young man, but he enjoys good health, one report stat ing that he had not missed a class recitation in two years