t NEARLY 1000 MARTIN COUNTY SERVICE MEN NOW REAPING THENTEPRISE LN " " . -OF THE WORLD EACH WEEK. V OLUME XLVIII—NUMBER 25 NEARLY 1000 MARTIN COUNTY srpvir-E: men NOW READING t ut. KNTgPglgg tS MULMAmS OF THE WORLD E.VCH WEEK.. AT ESTABLISHED 1899 Allied Armies Pushing Hard Aeross Germany German Opposition k Crumbling In Most Sectors of the Front Million Russians Arc Moving On Austria; Within 23 Miles of Berlin The drive for Berlin is on witl _ several armies pushing hard througl l Germany from west and east. Lat< reports state that enemy oppositioi is crumbling, and rumors from neu tral countries state that the Naz military is on the verge of revolt Marked gains are being made dailj by Allied armies in the west while the Russians, one report placing the number at one million, are pushing toward Vienna less than sixty-five miles away f After meeting with strong resist ance during the first two days of its drive across the Rhine, the British 2nd army was said this morning tc have crashed the opposition and pushed forward, taking 12,000 pris oners in the first three days and supporting its campaign with eight bridges across the Rhino. General George Patton’s forces are moving so fast that the location of their spearheads are kept secret. One re port places the Americans five miles * east of Limburg, and Patton’s ad vance is believed less than 200 miles from Berlin. While the British were taking 12, 000 prisoners in three days, Patton's men rounded up 18,818 in a single day, boosting the total for the Third A'-my to over 300,000. Nearly 70,000 Germans have been taken by the Third Army since March 13. While Patton’s men gained 80 miles, General Hodges’ First Army ► sprinted 35 miles from the Remagen bridgehead, and General Patch moved his Seventh Army forces across the Rhine to the south. Lt. General William Simpson's Ninth Army, slugging deep into the Ruhr, drove into Germany's indus trial heart at better than a half mile an hour and was reported with in three miles of Essen. Allied pilots, withdrawn from tac tical bombing, reported a great ox ►- odus of German troops and materiel out of Central Germany into the high Alpine ranges near the Swiss bordef, where the Nazis are expected to make a last stand in prepared mountain redoubts. All along the battlefront, the great Allied Armies were on the advance. The Germans are falli .g back every where. No report has come from Hitler’s It meeting with his party leaders last night, but before the meeting Hitler was said to have warned the Ger mans to brace themselves for “un- j fortunate news.” At the same time, the Nazi leaders pleaded with the Germans to fight on even though the situation may appear hopeless. The plea apparently is having its effect, for stories tell about small children shooting and killing American sol ^ diers. General Eisenhower ordered that all such civilians firing upon Americans were to be shot on the spot without trial. Over in the East, the Russians are pushing a powerful drive on Austria, less than 30 miles away. At the same time the Kustrin front reports in creased action, and the Red Armies in that sector were reported to be within 25 miles of Berlin. Danzig, isolated far behind the lines, is about ► to fall. In the Pacific theater, the Ameri cans are expanding rapidly, accord ing to reports coming from Tokyo. The reports have not yet been con firmed, but it was announced that American warships and planes were bombarding Okinawa Island in the Ryukyu group about 380 miles from Japan proper. The Japs say the Am ericans have landed on several small islands in that area, while back in ' the Philippines the Japs say Mac Arthur’s men are invading Cebu, third largest of the islands. Farmers Of Martin Launch 1945 Program In a Big Way - Coinciding with the big push in Germany, Martin County farmers, favored by unusually good weather, are launching their 1945 program in a big way these days. Despite the limited manpower and machinery shortages there has been much twist ing and turning on the farms during the past few days and much has been accomplished. Hundreds of acres of land have been plowed or disked, bui as far as it could be learned no spring plantings have been made With Good Friday near a. hand, preparations are being made rapid ly for the first of the spring plant ings, a task that home and victory gardeners will join in after a hearty fashion. General reports indicate that about the same acreage will be planted to the major crops this year as were planted in 1944 with a slight in crease in peanut plantings in pros pect. Many victory gardeners were about ready to rest upon their past laurels, but following the issuance of warnings that the food situation is entering possibly its most serious year of the war, they are making ready for another round with the bugs and beetles in the hope that they will be able to contribute to the war effort. Tobacco farmers are already off to a good star! with their annual worrying. Tobacco plants, some- al most as large across as one’s hand, are consideraoly advanced, and the farmers believe plantings well in advance of the season will be neces sary. However, they are aware of possible setbacks by cold weather and the blue mold. Unless there are blue mold attacks and if the weather continues waiin, tobacco transplant ings will be in order about the mid dle of April. THIRD TIME Pfc. Jos. N. Daniel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick R. Daniel ,of Farm Life, was slightly wounded in Germany on February 28, ac cording to a message received over the week-end. It was the third time the young man has been wounded since last July. Later reports stated he was in a hospital in France and that he hoped to be able to return to his company soon. Two cousins, VV. Benjamin and Thomas Daniel, were wounded last year. Fred Hardison Is In The Navy Now Chief Graeme Stewart, Officer in Charge of the New Bern Navy Re cruiting Station, and Recruiter for this area, announced today that Frederick Leon Hardison, of RFD 1, Williamston, had successfully pass ed the Eddy test, qualifying examina tion for Radio Technician Training i in the Navy. Chief Stewart added that Hardison was the ideal Navy recruit, plenty of brains and lots of brawn. Hardi son will be remembered ns the out standing "60 minute” tackle with the Duke University 1944 varsity. Har dison will receive his basic training I at Great Lakes, 111., and will then i transfer to a Navy college for re fresher work in math, shop work and physics and will then be sent to a regular Navy Radar and Electron j ics school. Stewart added that any seventeen year-old and all inductees who have been accepted for service in either Army or Navy were eligible to take the test and that interested appli cants contact the recruiter at the Washington, N. C., post office each Tuesday. Returns To Action After Recovering from Wound Recovering from a slight wound received on December 24 at Liege, S/Sgt. Francis Peel, son of Mrs. Sa die Peel, of Williamston, returned to active duty along the Western Front a short time ago, it was an nounced by the Public Relations Of fice, European Theater of Opera tions. TRUCK GAS Beginning today, the Martin County War Price and Ration ing Board at its office in the agricultural building will start issuing truck gas rations for the second quarter. Applications re ceived after Aprli 15 will be penalized, it was pointed out. Applicants are asked to bring their registration cards when asking that their rations be re newed for another period. The rations will not be mailed. Cpl. Norman White Home From Pacific Area For Furlough Wounded ■'in Ptdeliu, Says Saved His Life Dangerously wounded in the Pele liu Island of the Palau group last September 26. Cpl. George Norman White arrived yesterday to spend a 30-day furlough in the county with his mother. Mrs. W. A. White. Al though he carries an ugly scar, which, no doubt, will bo remedied in a series of future operations, the young man appeared in the best of spirits during a stay of a few minutes here yesterday afternoon. Cpl. White, a member of the First Marine Division, did not have mucli to say about the war and his part in it. But he did say that possibly he owed his life to blood plasma. Under enemy fire he was given two units and later transferred to a hospital ship. “We had pushed forward over a ridge on the island and the Japs closed in behind us. We had to fight gnr way back for ammunition will) the Jap snipers firing upon us from all sides," the young man explain ed. While crossing a small clearing for the fourth time ,a sniper sent a soft nose bullet into him, striking him just behind the right ear and plowing through the jawbone and tearing through the side of his face. During the long journey home on the hospital ship, the young man was able to hobble around some. "I thought I was pretty badly wound ed, but when I saw others with limbs torn away, I considered myself for tunate," Cpl. White said. After reach ing the States he met some other boys who had been on Peleliu, and they were surprised to see him. They were afraid he could not survive the wound. After a stay of several months at Norman, Oklahoma. Cpl. White was transferred to the Naval Hospital at Norfolk. He was able to come home for an over-night visit a few days ago, and just recently saw his broth er, Cecil, who came east from Miss ouri on a special detail. Upon the completion of his thir ty-day furlough, he will return to the hospital and undergo several op erations. Local Boy’s Unit Earns Great Honor The 101st Airborne Division of which Hilly Biggs, local young man is a member, recently received the Presidential Citation, the first ever awarded an entire army division. The award was made "for extraor dinary heroism and gallantry” for the epic defense of Bastogne last December. It is believed that at least one other Martin County young man is in the outfit, but his name could not be learned. The First, Second and Fourth Ma rine Divisions have been awarded Presidential Citations for action in the Pacific. After the veterans had passed in review, General Eisenhower who presented the award, told them: “I am awfully proud of you.” He declared that the tradition es tablished in the award, “therefore, always will be associated with the name of the 101st Airborne Divi sion. “Yet you men, because you are sol diers of proved valor and of exper ience, would be the last to claim that you are the bravest. All the way from where Marines are fighting on Iwo Jima, through the Philippines and Southeast Asia, on through the Mediterranean and along this great front and on the Russian frontiers are going forward day by day those battles sustained by the valor of you and other Allied units that are beat ing this enemy to his knees. They are proving, once and for all, that dictatorship cannot produce better soldiers than can aroused democra cy.” Later reports coming from unof ficial sources indicate that the 101st went into action a few days ago when its men dropped behind enemy lines across the Rhine. Miss Mary L. Taylor Enters Nurses’ Corps After faithfully serving the Mar tin County Health Department for about two years, Miss Mary L. Tay lor last Saturday entered the Army Nurse Corps. She volunteered her services some time ago but was or dered to report just a short time ago. Several nurses have served the health department, and while all of them rendered a valuable service, possibly none was more willing and anxious to bolster the general health and lighten the buiden ill health had placed in those homes where oppor tunities were limited. Mrs. H. L. Daniels is succeeding Miss Taylor in the department for the present. Several other county young wo men are entering the nurse corps, including Misses Gurganus, Whitley, Mallory and possibly one or two more. WOUNDED ON 3WO Pfc. Lester Harrell, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Harrell, KIT) 1, Oak City, was wounded on Iwo Jima February 25, one re port staling that shell fragments tore into the left side of his head, arm, hip and leg. He was the first Martin County youth reported to have been wounded in the bitter Iwo fight. County Native Dies At Plymouth Home R G. Hardison, a native of this county, died at his home in Plym outh early yesterday morning. He had been in declining health for several years. The son of the late Ira and Celia Davis Hardison, he was born in Jamesville Township 60 years ago and moved to Washington County when a small boy. He was employed by a wholesale firm there and was a member of (he Methodist church. Funeral services are being con ducted there this afternoon and in terment will follow in the Baptist Cemetery. Surviving are his wife; a son, Jas. Ira Hardison of Norfolk, Va.; two daughters, Mrs. W. H. Mizellc of Charlotte, and Mrs. Bob Winesott of Plymouth; a sister, Mrs. Bettie Mi celle, of Jamesville. Israel Margolis Dies In Hospital Saturday Israel Margolis, father nf Messrs. F. J. and Irving M. Margolis, local business men, died in a Brookly hos pital last Saturday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. He had been in declining health for some time, hut his condi tion was not considered grave until a short time before the end. He was 711 years of age. Mr. Margolis had visited his sons here at various times, making his last trip about seven years ago. He is remembered here as an humble citizen, firm in his beliefs, and a supporter of his religion and worthy ideals. Funeral services were conducted at tne Brooklyn Chapel Sunday at 12:30 p. m and interment was in Sta.ten Island Cemetery. Besides his two sons here, he is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Ida Mann and Mrs. Irving Sigalow, both of New York. Wounded Boy Home From German Front Jimmy Manning, wounded in the knee by shrapnel and a victim of frozen feet, returned to the States last Friday and was immediately removed from Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, to Camp Butner, near Dur ham. His parents, Superintendent and Mrs. J. C. Manning, and his brothers, Asa and Dick, visited him yesterday and found him getting along very well. WOUNDED Pvt. Leonard F. Holliday, young son of Mr. Fcrd W. Hol liday, member of the Martin County Board of Education, and Mrs. Holliday, RFD 1, James ville, was slightly wounded in action in Germany on March 10, according to a message re ceived Sunday from the War Department. In his last letter dated March 7th, Pvt. Holliday stated that they had captured a German town the night before, that while the fight was a tough one, the prize was worth it. He went on to say that they found refuge in a heme, slept between sheets and feasted on cakes and candy stored there by the Ger mans. The young man entered service last July and went ov erseas the latter part of Decem ber. ' . A brother, S/Sgt. Jim Brown Holliday, is on Guadalcanal. He injured his back a short time ago, but apparently is get ting along al' right. He has been in service about three years, two of whkh he has spent overseas. I County Young Men | Meet Recently in the |Philippine Islands A, !>. J, l r,onT7f|F’l»<»ys in Aliout Eii.il torn Months Writing from a station hospital over in the Philippines, Cpl. A. D. Johnson told about meeting several Martin County boys. His letter, dated March 7th, follows, in part: . . This morning when I went to work someone came to me and said, ‘Hello, boy, how are you do ing?' I turned around and there before me stood Ben (Spo|t) Hop kins. It was such a surprise that I hardly knew what to say. Boy, was I some happy to see him, and he seemed mighty happy to see me. “We went out to his truck and there were James Morris Stalls. Haywood Wynne and Robert James from Robersonville. I have never felt better than when I saw all those good ole Martin County fellows. We talked for a long time about things we had seen and about the folks back home. We even did a little Martin County farming here in the Philip pines. After a little while we rode out to see a boy from Farm Life, Joe Elbert Ward He was the sixth one in the group from home. You can’t imagine how it makes a fellow feel when he gels around some other fellows from home. After we left Joe Ward we went to dinner, got a table to ourselves and started talk ing about things back home again. "Old Ben (Sport) Hopkins is get ting along just fine. He looks the best I have ever seen him. Of course, he is doing O. K. for himself with these gals. "James Morris Stalls hasn’t chang ed any at all. He looks just like he did when I last saw him back home. He’s getting along just fine and dan dy. “Haywood (the ballplayer) Wynne is as healthy as any one you want to see. I think he has gained some weight since I last saw him. "I went to school with Robert James, lie’s not doing bad, but he wants to go home to his wife, and I can’t blame him. “You can see that Martin County is well represented over here in the Philippines. After being overseas for nearly eighteen months, I finally ran into some fellows from homo . . .’’ Wounded Soldier b Home On Furloudi p Wounded twice, once on the Arizio beachhead in Italy and a second time several months later in France, James Bareli ft, nephew of Mr. W R. Banks of Williamston, is spending a few days here before returning to Battey General Hospital, Rome, Ga., for further treatments. A native of Perquimans County, the young man worked at the bus station here for two years before being inducted from this county on March 2!), 1943. After receiving his basic training at Camp Blanding he went overseas and was in the second wave to push ashore on the Anzio beachhead. He was wounded on April 2 in the chest and on the arm by shell fragments, and was removed to a hospital in Naples. After a stay of one month there lie returned to his service company and participat ed in the invasion of Southern France, and was wounded on De cember 2, suffering a broken knee cap. He was evacuated to England where he spent almost three months and was returned to the States about three weeks ago. The invasion of Southern France was peaceful and quiet compared to that hectic period spent on the beachhead, the young man said. “And it is great to be home again.” Leaving here Thursday he will visit his mother, Mrs. James M. Bar clift, in Perquimans County, and re turn to the hospital about April 4. --iy— Sixty - Three Tires Allotted In County Sixty-three tires -59 for passenger ears and four for small trucks—were issued in this county last Friday. Certificates for the purchase of Grade I tires were issued to the fol lowing: Geo. S. Haislip, W. L. Brown, Ken neth Harrington, H. P. Mobley, R S. Edmondson, Wilford Hardison, George Keel, G. P. Hall, Mrs. H. L. Meador, W. C. and R. A. Ange, 11. A Bowen, LeRoy Robersfin, Jack Smith, B. F. Roberson, J Dawson Roberson, Woodrow Tyson, Dr. V. A. Ward, Alton Rogers, E. A. Rog erson, Better Chevrolet Co., Enter prise Publishing Co., Johnnie W. Wynne, WFLScott, P. M Mat thews, D. A*^Wox, W. K. Ward, ’1JT B Bennett, Betty Eason, L. I.. Whit field, Garland Jonts, Mrs. Alfred Griffin, L. K. Roberson, Willie Butts, J - W. King, J C,.Bullock, Matthew Ores, N. M. Hyman, Stella Rooks, J. N. Chance, Mannings’ Laundry, C. O. Edwards, Harry Gurvin, Mack Cratt, F. A. Whitfield, Highway Patrol, W. O White. Truck tires: R. W. Salsbury, El bert W Griffin, E. E. Brown. Whiskey Sales Nearly j itaif Million Last Year i WOt M)K!) Pvt. Dewey Stalls, son of Mr. ami Mrs. John Stalls. Kl !> I, Oak City, suffered a leg and arm fracture in action in Ger many on March (i. llis wife, the former Miss Vivian Hland, is making her home in llassell for the duration. County Youth Helps Free City of Manila With the First Cavalry Division Field Artillery in Manila—A Field Artilleryman that has helped pave the way for dismounted Cavalry men of the famous First Cavalry Di vision in their fight to wrest control of the capitol city of the Philippines from Japanese forces is Sgt. Thom as L. Taylor, whose mother, Mrs. Maggie D. Taylor, lives on RFD 2, Williamston, N C. 11 is field artillery battalion was responsible for destroying several of the Jap fortified positions in Southern Manila. Many of the field artillery battalions of the Cavalry di vision engaged the Japs in artillery duels. In every case Jap artillery pieces were completely knocked out. His battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Hugh 11. Kennedy, of Chatta nooga, Term., was attached to the First Cavalry Division Artillery ommandi'd by Brigadier General Rex E .Chandler of San Antonio, Foxas. The battalion is now in its fourth major Pacific campaign. Most of the artillerymen in the bat talion are veterans of the New Juinea, Biak I land and Leyte Is land campaigns. Cliivf Vinirmarisl Mnlr And Itridr Visiting Itrlo/ivcs Chief Pharmacist Mato William E. Stinnette, after .several years in the Pacific theater, and Mis. Stinnette arc spending a few days here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Stin nette, at their home, (illl West Main Street. The young couple were married in the Cozy Church, 491 Cheney Avenue, Oakland, California, by Rev. B. C. Haggles. Mrs. Stinnette is the former Miss Ruth Rodrigues, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rodrigues of 2509 E. 10t.h Street, Oakland, California. Upon the Completion of their stay here, the bride and groom will re turn to the West Coast where they will make their home in Oakland. j Meeting in the Martin Coun ty eourthouse on the evening of April 9th, county merchants will be aided in preparing pricing charts. Approximately 75 mer chants are expected to attend the meeting. W .A. Linchan, district price executive from the Raleigh of fice, will have charge of the meeting, it was announced. I I I TV>lai HiM;)7-1 • .1* Wuiij Is Spent For Liquor Since Stores Opened Sales Last Quarter Are Larg est for Any Period in Al most Ten Years Liquor sales, legal or illegal, broke all previous records in this county during the last three months of 1944 when the four county alcoholic bev erages control stores did a $172. 520.25 business, boosting the total I sales for the year to $439,477.45 and to $1,971,860.00 for the approximate ly ten years the stores have been operated with the blessings of the county and state. The previous high record in sales was reported back in the fourth quarter of 1943 when (sales totaled $137,476.80. But that .record figure was topped by more than $35,000 last quarter, the sales more than doubling those for the corresponding quarter in 1943. Possibly liquor price increases ac count for part of the record gain in sales, but accepting the figures at [face value it is fairly evident that palates, hard or soft, were well sat urated. It is fairly apparent that per capita consumption underwent its greatest increase during the period, that the sales when added to those handled by the beer and wine deal ers account for an expenditure that dwarfs amounts spent for education, religion and individual investments for the rainy days predicted for the postwar period. The striking increase in liquor consumption in this county is offered in bold relief when the $37,379.29 sales for the fourth quar ter in 1936 are compared with the $172,526.25 sales for the correspond ing period in 1944. While sales last quarter were more than double those for the last three months in 1943, profits were not. quite twice as large, but they are now the largest on record for any quarter during the more than nine year legal liquor selling period. Prof its, placed at $41,479.42 last quarter, now total $485,991.22. The last quar ter profit pie cutting gave North Carolina $13,681.44; Martin County, $20,014.54; Town of William'ton, $2, 615.18; Town of Robersonville, $1. 419.37; Town of Oak City, $488.03, and Town of Jamesville, $481.06 Nearly $3,000, or $2,779.80, was set aside as a reserve for law enforce ment. Of (lie $172,526.25 taken in by the stores last quarter, $127,639.15 was paid to the distillers in Ken tucky, Pennsylvania and several oth er states. To operate the system, the board paid $2,961.07 for direct store ex penses and $1,580 98 for administra tive and general expenses. As of last December 31, the system had $34,740.51 in cash on hand, $38, 377.26 m inventories, $257.67 in fix 'd assets after depreciation reserve md $876.78 accounts receivable from foster and Company, boosting its issels to $74,552.22. Liabilities were listed: $7,457.57 due distillers, $6, 163.12 accrued taxes, $229.40 with holding tax, $25,018.18 due county md towns, $13,383.95 for law en ’orcemont reserve and $12,000 sur plus. A comparison of profits for the mirth quarters, 1943 and 1944, fol ows, by stores: 1943 Villiamston $11,349.90 toberson vil le 6,123.68 )ak City 2,460.98 'amesviile 2,326.29 1941 $21,472.58 11,751.51 4,161.43 4,093.90 $22,260.85 $41,479.42 Total sales for the two quarters indcr comparison follow, by stores: 1943 Villiamston $41,950.25 toberson vil le 22,912.70 Dak City 9,484.75 amesviile 8,982.70 1944 $ 88,088.10 49,015.15 17,844.40 17,578.60 $83,330.40 $172,526.25 A review of legal liquor sales and (Continued on page six) Eleven County Children Look To Easter Seal Sale For Help Eleven little county children, their limbs warped and twisted, are anx iously awaiting the outcome of the sale of Easter seals now underway. A liberal response to the current call for support of the annual sale of Easter seals means that the little tots wiil have a chance to have their limbs mended and travel through Without crutches or retarding limps. Three of the eleven were treated at a clinic in Tarboro this week. Two others are on the waiting list and will take their turn at the orthopedic clinic It. Gastonia' — "if their appeals are heard. This county is being asked to raise $1,475 for the Crippled Children’s Fund, Miss Mary W. Taylor, chair man, said yesterday. Special appeals have been issued by direct mail, and the school children are being called upon to again support a worthy un dertaking. The schools are asked to raise approximately $400 while ten persons are being called upon by di rect mail to contribute $25 each. Twenty-five are asked to contribute $10 each and one hundred are being called upon for $5 each, and seven ty-five for $1 eflch. will be offered for sale- on the streets next Saturday. A large portion of the money rais ed will be spent directly in this coun ty, while the remainder will be used for the support of special clinics. The drive is to close this wee. - end The amount asked fur is based on actually needs .and our people are asked to respond liberally.