North Carolina Newspapers

Buy A War Bond Today And Get A Free Ticket To Special Show At Local Theater Wednesday, May 30 NEARLY 4,000 COPIES OF THE ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN THE ENTERPRISE NEARLY 4.000 COPIES OF THE ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, May 29, 1945. ESTABLISHED 1890 VOLUME XLVIII—NUMBER 43 liarge Congregation Hears Annual School Sermon Last Sunday J <t> Dr. W. R. Burrell, Retiring Minister, Bades Seniors Farewell “This is your commencement, but it is my valedictory,” Dr. W. R. Bur rell explained to the members of the senior class in opening his com mencement sermon in the local high school auditorium last Sunday morn ing before a large congregation. The minister, retiring as pastor of the Baptist church here after devoted pastorates, pointed out that the meeting would possibly be the last of its kind he would be able to at tend. The minister, despite advanc ed years, continues unusually active and will leave for a cottage in the mountains possibly some time next week. Basing his sermon on the first chapter of Galatians, first verse, “Stand fast, therefore, in the liber ty wherewith Christ hath made you free,” Dr. Burrell said: “It is emminently fitting that what is called ‘commencement’ in the life of a graduating class in our public schools should be closely associated with the Christian Church and the Christian religion, for, in its essence, all true education is simply Chris tianity moving in the field of en lightenment. “The major task of education, as of Christianity, is the release of souls, minds and bodies from every form of bondage. ‘If the soul shall make you free, you shall be free in deed,’ and ‘The truth shall make you free,’ are simply two ways of say ing the same thing, for our Savior declared that He was ‘the truth . . . “First of all, then, both of these great institutions are committed to i the task of making free that most wonderful thing in us. For the want of a better word, we call it ‘person ality,’ but what it is or how to de fine it no man knoweth save only that it is that which makes us what we are. It is the you that makes you. So marvelous is this and so sacred that even God will lay no coersive hand upon it. God will plead; He will sacrifice even to the death of His Beloved Son, but He will never force, never compel the surrender of this, the center and soul of our being, even to himself for our etern al good. This is the divine spark, the good within us which is the end and purpose of all redemption. If this is bound in the fetters of ignorance, superstition of sin, it means loss of all that is good in life, both now and hereafter. This we must nourish and keep free even as we would keep our most sacred honor. Any surren der to bondage in any way whatso ever is to surrender life itself, and anything that would help to strengthen and enlarge this divine freedom is to be sought, used and treasured as the noblest thing in life. “Scarcely less valuable and nec essary to our well-being is the free dom of our minds. Nothing can be more intolerable than the fettering of the human mind, and even when done in the scared name of religion it is an insufferable affront to all that is great and God-like in us. We have, all too sadly seen and terribly suffered from, what that means in Germany, for instance, where an en tire generation has been educated and seduced from the knowledge and religion of the great and noble fathers and faith of the race until they have become a race of degen erates and brutes, sadists who outdo the most savage tribe of even dark est Africa. “In the third place we must keep our bodies free from the bondage of evil habits. When these bodies, in tended to be our obedient servants and the temples of the Holy Spirit, begin to usurp the master’s place and through indulgence or evil hab it degrade and defy our better in stincts and become instruments of wicked devices, then our state is sad indeed. Here, the word of the Master is pertinent and imperative: ‘Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they turn again and rend you.’ Oh, the rent and torn bodies and souls of men and women that we see all about us, people, of ten superlatively endowed, who thought they could play fast and loose with this great law.’’ In conclusion, Dr. Burrell said, “See to it then, young people, that inasmuch as you are the custodians of yourselves, you are also of the dearest hopes of the world; for, as St. Paul tells us: ‘The whole crea tion is waiting for the manifestation, of the sons of God that it also may be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the Glory of God’.” Oak City Negro l* Badly Cut Near Here Recently Richard Davis, Goose Nest Town ship farmer, was dangerously cut by Dennis Jones near Oak City a few days ago. The man was sliced on the arm and another blow struck near the victim’s heart. WHERE HERMANN SOAKED IN STYLE YOU CAN GET A GOOD IDEA of the bathtub In which No. 2 Nazi Hermann Gocring used to soak his overample figure, from this photo taken in his wrecked summer residence at Berchtesgaden. Sitting side by side in the tub with room to spare are correspondent Howard Cowan and Pfc. Pete Cogan of Newark, New Jersey, just demonstrating. (International) ROUND-UP r ■N Five persons were arrested and temporarily detained in the round-up handled by local and county officers last week-end, the list of week-end inmates in cluding at least one habitual im biber. In addition to three drunks detained in the hoose gow, two persons were jailed for alleged larceny and receiv ing. One of them was released when no charges were brought against him. He was turned ov er to military police. Three of those arrested were white, and the ages of the group ranged from 18 to 49 years. "Service Roll” For Oak City Schools As their farewell gift to their alma mater, the seniors are present ing to the Oak City School a “serv ice roll,” carrying the names of all the graduates who have or are now serving in the armed forces. Made of light oak and decorated with the Stars and Stripes and eagle, the service plaque will carry the names of the three youthful graduates who made the supreme sacrifice and that of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the last President, will head the list. Activities for the 1944 45 term are rapidly drawing to a close at Oak City. Mrs. J. B. Bowers presented her pupils in a music recital on the 18th, and Rev. Robert S. Hough of Tarboro preached the commence ment sermon Sunday afternoon to a large congregation in the school au ditorium. Class exercises, centering around the playlet, “They Gave a Party,” will be held Friday evening of this week at 8:30 o’clock in the auditor ium there. Dr. E. E. Pittman, chair man of the local board, will present the diplomas. Class officers are, Frances Raynor, president and vale dictorian; Elwood Everett, vice pres ident; Hazel Etheridge, secretary treasurer. Bobbie House is the salu tatorian. The final exercises are un der the direction of Miss Madge Lane, English teacher. County Young Man Promoted To Private First Class in Army An Eighth Air Force Service Com mand Station, England.—William V Ward, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Ward, Williamston, N. C., has re cently been promoted to Private First Class at this strategic air de pot where battle-damaged B-24 Lib erator bombers are reconditioned for further combat against the enemy. Pfc. Ward is assigned to duty as a mechanic in the transportation divi sion, where he assists in the repair and maintenance of the many trucks that are necessary for the move ment of vital supplies at this major repair and supply base. A 1D41 graduate of Bear Grass high school, Pfc. Ward was engaged in farming prior to his entry into the service at Fort Bragg, N. C., in May, 1943. After technical training he came overseas in February, 1944. CHANGE IN MEETING r 'V V. The Martin County War Price and Rationing Board will meet on Wednesday instead of Friday of this week, it was announced by Chairman “Frosty” Martin. The change, announced for this week only, is being made to make it possible for the board and pai. ! members to attend commencement exercises in the various schools. The board members, Messrs. Martin, Roebuck and Crisp, will meet here from about 10 o’clock until 5 tomorrow afternoon, and the members of the various pan els will meet at 7:30 tomorrow evening to review the different I types of applications for rations. Hubert Davis Brown Passes In Hospital At Columbia Sunday Serviceman Contracted Fatal Disease While in the Pacific Theater Seaman Hubert Davis Brown, county colored youth, died in a gov ernment hospital at Columbia, South Carolina, at 4:00 o’clock last Sun day morning following an illness of several months’ duration. His health impaired while serving in the Paci fic theater, Brown contracted tuber culosis and other ailments end was returned to the States. After a short stay in California he was removed to South Carolina. His condition was thought to be improving about a week before when relatives visited him and he told them that he felt better and how he longed to get back home. Last Friday, relatives were advised that his condition was much worse, and when they reached the hospital Saturday morning he was unconscious. Seaman Brown was born near Williamston on September 1, 1024. He entered the service in February of last year and following a six weeks’ training period at Bain bridge, Maryland, he returned for his last leave at home. Going to Cal ifornia, he was on a ship for a while but was later stationed on some is land in che Pacific theater where he drove a truck and worked in the division of supply until his health failed. He is survived by his parents, Guilford Brown and Hattie Biggs Brown Dempsey, two brothers, Wil liam Nelson and Samuel Thomas Brown, and a sister, Verna Mae Woolard, all of near Williamston. The body was removed to an un dertaking establishment in Green ville late yesterday and is being moved to the home on the old Wil liamston-Bear Grass Road near here today. Funeral services will be con ducted at the Cedar Hill Baptist Church Wednesday afternoon and interment will follow in the family cemetery near the Aaron Hassells in Williamston Township. Rev. Jas. McNair will conduct the last rites. SearrK'n Brown was the 4fith Mar tin County man to have been killed or who died while in the service of their country. f COMING HOWE A prisoner of the Germans for two years and two days, T/Sgt. Eli Clayton Rogers is now on his way home, according to let ters and a cablegram received from the young man yesterday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eli Rogers of Willlamston. It was announced last Thurs day that he had been returned to military control. The messages received yesterday stated that he was liberated on May 3, and that he was getting along all right and at the time the cable was sent he was in France and on his way home. Wreck Three Liquor Plants And Arrest Persistent Violator —» — Apparent Increase in Dlieit Liquor Busness in the County Recently -« Battling to check an apparent in crease in the illicit liquor manufac turing business, ABC Officer J. H. Roebuck and Deputy Roy Peel last week wrecked three liquor stills and arrested an alleged violator of the liquor laws. The increase in the questionable business is hard to ex plain at a time when the manufac turers could make good money farm ing and when the consumers could do nothing better than invest their extra money in war bonds. Officer Roebuck would not comment on the exact status of the illicit business at the present time, other than to say that he had work to do. The first of the plants wrecked last week was found in the Gus Lane section of Cross Roads Township where a 50-gallon capacity oil drum was torn up and 100 gallons of mo lasses beer were poured out. Raiding along the Martin-Edge combe boundary in Hamilton Town ship, the officers wrecked another 50-gallon capacity oil drum used as a still and poured out 250 gallons of molasses beer. Striking across the county on Wed nesday, the officers wrecked their third 50-gallon capacity gas drum still, poured out 50 gallons of beer and confiscated four gallons of white liquor near the plant. Armed with a search warrant, the officers searched the home of Mil tor, James, a victim of rheumatism (Continued on page four) r DEFEAT ENEMY With the Dixie Division in Mindanao—(Special)—The 31st Infantry Division battalion of which Pvt. Garland B. Wynne of Williamston, N. C., is a mem ber, defeated a force of 604 Japs on the Sayre National Highway recently in what was described as “the first meeting engage ment in the Pacific war.” A meeting engagement is a battle in which two opposing columns marching head-on collide. Wynne’s battalion met the enemy just before midnight and the fight raged in the tall cogon grass on either side of the road until dawn, when the Japs broke and retreated. Rifleman Wynne is the son of Mr. B. D. Wynne, of 107 Cherry Street. Powerful Attack Is Made on Yokohama By B-29s Yesterday —*— Japs Losing Gradually in the Bitterly Contested Fight For Okinawa Virtually destroying Tokyo as a strategic center in previous raids, American airmen yesterday turned on Yokohama with their B-29's in force. The results of the raid were not immediately disclosed, but the nearly 500 Superfortresses are be lieved to have almost knocked out the city, Japan’s third largest, as far as its usefulness to the war is con cerned. American losses were not officially announced, but the Japs claim quite a few of the air giants were shot down. The Pacific war is traveling now in a detinite direction, some observ ers declaring that the island-hopping phase is nearing an end, that the air war will get first consideration right on. During the meantime, the Japs are withdrawing from their ill-got ten possessions to form a tight de fense in the home area. Recent successes scored by the B-29’s and the preparations for car rying the fight to Japan on an ever increasing scale have caused much optimism in some quarters, and it has been predicted in unofficial cir cles that it is possible to knock the Japs out by the first of the year, if not before Christmas. During the meantime, the bitter fight for Okinawa continues. Amer ican troops yesterday scored large gains and now occupy two-thirds of the island capital of Naha, but they are still meeting strong resistance in the center of the line around Shu ri despite reports that the enemy was withdrawing to the south. The Japs, it is admitted, are caus ing heavy losses with their suicidal aerial attacks. Striking recently in the Okinawa area, the suicide squads sank a light naval ship and damaged a dozen others. Boys returning from the bloody-fighting area, declare our losses are heavy, but officials de clare that they are no larger than was to be expected. The recent aerial attack cost the Japs 77 planes. In the Philippines, MacArthur’s forces have captured Santa Fe, city guarding the rich Cagayan Valley in northeastern Luzon, where an esti mated 30,000 Japs are being herded for a last stand. On the home front, restrictions on building construction have beep relaxed to some extent. It is now within the regulations to build a dwelling up to $1,000 without a per mit. Quite III Partially recovered from a heart attack suffered several weeks ago, Mr. Fiank Hitch, retired highway engineer, had a relapse last week and was removed to a Washington hospital Thursday. He has been seriously ill since that time, reports stating that there is little change in his condition today. . Change in Hours First scheduled for 8 o’clock, the remaining events on the commence ment program in the local schools will be held at 8:30 o’clock, it has been announced by Principal Sam Bundy. The seniors will hold their exercises Thursday evening at 8 30, and Rev. W. M. Maness of Tarboro will deliver the literary address Fri day evening at the same hour. Personal Property Values in County Despite a quarter million dollar loss in one township, personal property values as assess ed by the list-takers this year for Martin County are $329,587 greater than they were a year ago, according to a comparison report just released by Tax Supervisor M. Luther Peele. The huge loss of slightly more than a quarter million dollars was reported in Jamesville Town ship where pulp wood stock of the North Carolina Pupl Company was reduced or just about wiped out from the previous year. All other townships forged ahead to show gains ranging from a few'thousand in Bear Grass to $267,370 in Robersonville. The value of property held by colored citizens shows a gain of 21 per cent while the value of property owned by white citi | zens gained only 4.7 per cent, the pulp mill loss materially affecting the figure. The figures be i low, showing personal property listings, gain or loss and percentage variations, if any, are of fered by townships as reported by white and colored owners. A review comparison of real property listings is scheduled for next week and it is to be followed by a review of total property values in the county, exclusive of corporation property listings. Whit* i 1944 Jamesville $ 1,277,361 Williams 89,517 Griffins 277,894 Bear Grass 244,003 Williamston 1,253,803 Cross Roads 187,950 Robersonville 780,458 Poplar Point 105,235 Hamilton 276,677 Goose Nest 357,037 $ 4,849,935 1945 Gain $ 1,019,423 $257,938* 100,359 10,842 293,508 15,614 250,973 6,970 1,397,472 143,669 206,203 18,253 1,019,182 238,724 113,625 8,390 310,920 34,243 370,121 13,084 $ 5,081,786 $231,851 *—Denotes decrease. Pet. *20.2 12.1 05.6 02.8 11.4 09.7 30.5 07.9 12.3 03.6 04.7 1944 41,219 10,851 17,110 25,191 67,564 20,096 104,517 8,400 60,223 108,875 464,046 Colored 1945 $ 45,461 16,920 20,204 28,124 91,210 25,218 133,163 11,354 71,550 118,578 $ 561,782 Gain $ 4,242 6,069 3,094 2,933 23.646 5,122 28.646 2,954 11,327 9,703 $ 97,736 Pet. 10.2 55.9 18.0 11.8 35.0 25.4 27.4 35.1 18.8 08.9 21.0 Bond Sales Make Fair Gain In Martin County RAIDS Before the people at home start complaining about being bombed with requests to contrib ute to worthy causes and buy bonds, they should ponder over a report coming from a Martin County boy who is toughing it out on Okinawa. Writing to relatives in the county the young man said that he had been through right at 700 air raids, that fifty of them came in a single day, leaving them nervous, to be sure, but more determined than ever to carry on the fight. In view of the fart that the war isn't over in the Pacific and in the. face of the casualty re ports still coming in and the suf ferings your neighbors’ boys are experiencing, it isn't asking too much of any person in this coun ty to forego trips, routine and special events and save every nickel for war bonds Finals In Colored Seliools This Week -<s> Vacation days for approximately 3,700 colored children will begin the latter part of this week when the 22 Negro schools end the 1944 45 term. Most of the schools will complete the term Friday, but formal exercises will be held in only a few cases. The elaborate program for the c*l ored high school here has been an nounced, but no program for the Parmele school could be had immed iately. Principal W. V. Ormond announces that the first two grades in the Higgs school will appear in a play Wednes day evening, and that a debate, “The hypocrite is a more despicable char acter than the liar,” by the seventh grade boys, and an allegory, “The Search for Happiness,” by ten girls, will feature the final program on Thursday night. Principal Geo. Hyman's first two grades will appear in a vaudeville Wednesday evening to mark the first in the series of program events at the Salsbury school near Hassell The third and fourth grades will ap peal' in a one-act comedy that night Thursday night the grammar grades will present the farce comedy, "The Only Man on the Jury,” and a min strel to mark the closing there. Hamilton is presenting an operet ta Wednesday night at 0:30, and the elementary grades will pr* sent an original musical novelette and May pole drill Thursday night at 8:30 to end the term. The Robersonville Graded colored (Continued on page four) Two Minor Wrecks In County Recently —<*>— No one was hurt and no great property damage ^resulted in motor vehicle accidents in the county re cently, according to reports reach ing here yesterday. Damage estimat ed at $100 was done to R. A. Ed mondson's car last Thursday after noon when it was sideswiped be tween Oak City and Hobgood by a truck owned by the Ormond Whole sale Company of Greenville and driven by Hezekiah Anderson. The truck started to pass the Edmond son car, Officer Edmond Early stat ed. Driving toward Williamston on Highway 125 last Sunday afternoon, James Donifro, sailor stationed at Edenton, ran off the hard surface on the Whitley curve and lost con trol when the car skidded into the path of a car driven by John Fen ner Bonds. Damage to the Bonds car was estimated at $25 by Cpl. W. S. Hunt. Earlier in the week, Willie Mack Bryant wrecked his car near Has sell, but no damage estimate could be had. EXCEEDS QUOTA Marlin County’s $643 quota in the American Cancer Society fiV>d drive has been exceeded by a fair margin, according to a report released yesterday by County Chairman Clarence W. (iriffin. A check for $667.65 was mailed the N. C. Division, Field Army of the American Cancer Society, by the chairman this week. Three towns raised approxi mately $370—Williarnston, $225; Robersonvitie, $138, and Oak City, $7—the schools, both white and colored throughout the county, carrying the drive to the top. Sales Gain $47,000.00 During Second Week Of the Current Drive -<$>—— Poplar Point First In County To Go Over Top; Several Olliers !\1ake Hi" Gians Investing slightly more than $47,, 000 in "E’’ bonds last week, Martin County patriots boosted the total sales in the current war loan cam paign to $147,406.25. County Drive Chairman D. V. Clayton announced this week. Mr. Clayton hurriedly pointed out that the total was still short of the quota hv a big margin, that $223,592 75 more would have to be invested between now and June 30 if the challenge is met. Nearly $50,000 will have to be invested each week, on an average, during the re mainder of the drive if the "E” bond quota is to be met, and Chairman Clayton, on behalf of the leaders in the various districts and above all the welfare of the men at the fight ing fronts, is urging all people to get behind the drive now and help push it over. It is quite reasonable to be lieve a bad reaction will follow in late June or July when the boys, af ter finishing (lie fight in Europe, come home and are then ordered to the Pacific, knowing that the peo ple of this county could not measure up to the task of investing $371,001) in "E” bonds. If any soul in this county thinks he has been bombed too often and too hard with requests to invest in bonds, let him think for a moment about the young Martin County man who wrote home from Okinawa a few days ago and explained that he had just gone through his 700th aii raid, that there were fifty in a single day No, the war isn’t over .and there is no assurance there won’t be a depression after the war is over. And the future surely doesn’t look very ( ncouraging for those who choose to squander or otherwise dis pose of their money instead of in vesting in bonds. Commenting on the war bond drive to date. Chairman Clayton says he is not disheartened, hut he point ed out that there can be no let-up. “It is no little job, to be sure, but it. has got to be handled, and all the people in the county must help.-” A review of the sales through last Saturday shows Poplar Point over the top with some to spare. The following figures show the quota and sales through last Satur day, by townships: Quota Sales Jamesville $ 14,750 $ 1,H18.75 Williams 7,300 2,381.25 Griffins 18,500 2,831.25 Bear Grass 13,000 4,950.00 Williamston 157,500 57,281.25 Cross Roads 11,300 6,225.00 Roborsonville 111,300 48,856.25 Poplar Point 7,300 7,725.00 Hamilton 14,750 12,112.50 Hassell 7.500 Goose Nest 11,300 3,225.00 $371,000 $147,406.25 Robersonville last week almost doubled its sales over those of the first week, according to a report re leased by Chairman D. R. Everett. Sales in Cross Roads were almost three times greater, but all the pledges made to Chairman Paul Bai ley at tile rally last Wednesday night apparently have not been met. But the chairman has confidence in his lellowman and he feels certain that the pledges will be met .aid the quo ta exceeded very shortly. An error was made in the first re port for Jamesville, and while the sales are still not up to the first re port, tin1 sales showed an increase last week. Williamston dragged through the week with about a $7,000 gain, and during the time free tickets were be ing offered for a special bond show at tlu Marco theater tomorrow night. It is not too late to buy a bond and get a free ticket to the special show, one that was reviewed just a few days ago in Life magazine. The banks will be closed tomorrow, and the bonds must be purchased at once from them, or from the post office before 6 o’clock Wednesday evening. Williams Township, one of the smallest in the county, really got underway last week when Chairman Chas. Daniel reported a jump from $75 to $2,381.25. (Continued on page four) Sr -♦ Surfacing Main Streets In Town Of Oak City Under a contract let some time ago. Kiker and Yount wyitraotors, are surfacing several of the princi pal streets in Oak City. Grading work was started Monday, and the streets wiil be covered with an as phalt-rock preparation. The contract 1 price could not be learned here im I mediately. I