NEARLY 4,000 COPIES OP THE
ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE
HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY
AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN
HflTirfig
NEARLY 4,000 COPIES OP THE
ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE
HOMES OP MARTIN COUNTY
AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN
VOLUME XLMII—NUMBER 65
r
William at on, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, August 17, 1945.
T
ESTABLISHED 1899
First of New Tobacco
r
t
►
r
9
More Than Quarter
Million Pounds On
Floors the First Day
Opening Sales To Get Under
Way Tuesday Morning
At 9:00 O’clock
-«■
Opening for the first deliveries of
the current season yesterday morn
ing, Williamston warehouses report
ed a busy time and unusually heavy
receipts for the day. No one can
foretell with any degree of accuracy,
but if the deliveries are maintained
at the pace set yesterday up until
selling time next Tuesday morning,
a record poundage will be on the
local warehouse floors.
The first loads of the new tobacco
reached here yesterday morning at
5 o’clock, and they were followed
almost without interruption during
the day, and by nightfall the first
sale was just about loaded, and to
bacco started moving into the other
houses. It is estimated that about
one-quarter million pounds of leaf
are on the first-sale floor this morn
ing, and some are predicting that
possibly close to a million pounds
will be on the market during the
early days of next week. Tobacco
is moving in from nearly every coun
ty in the eastern section, it was stat
ed.
There is some difference of opinion
as to the quality of the early de
liveries. Some say it is possibly bet
ter than It was on opening day last
year, while others say it just does
not measure up in looks, at least. It
was agreed, however, that most of
the leaf delivered yesterday was of j
the smoking type. While the first
sale is made up mostly of primings,
there are a few tips scattered on the
floor. Tlie piles, while fairly large,
are not weighing as much as they
did a year ago, some pointed out.
As to the price outlook, market ,
authorities sound an optimistic note, '
and are fairly confident that the ]
average for the first sales will range ;
between 43 and 45 cents per pound.
It is fairly certain that the war’s end
will not affect prices, not this year,
at least. The companies need and
want tobacco, and they are expected
to compete for every pound.
In accordance with cooperative
agreements, each warehouse firm |
will put out no more tobacco in any
one house than can be sold in one
day, meaning that the parton will
have a pretty good idea when his
tobacco will be sold. Under the i
selling arrangements this year, the J
companies can buy no more than J,- j
400 miles in any one day. However, j
the warehouses can buy a limited
number. Warehouse purchasers are
to be made during the regular sale,j
however, and as members of the
Bright Belt Warehouse Association,
local warehousemen have pledged to
‘‘preserve the auction system and
eliminate entirely private buying
and selling of tobacco on warehouse
floors.”
A closer cooperation between the
growers, warehousemen and buying
companies has been pledged, and
a closer cooperation with the grow
ers in maintaining a stabilized mar
ket at satisfactory prices throughout
the season has been pledged.
The Bright Belt association will
check the sales on all the markets
in an effort to promote smooth and
(Continued on page six)
----
Reconversion Plans
Advancing Rapidlyj
—*— .
Although poorly planned ahead of
time, reconversion plans from war
to peace were placed in operation ,
soon after the surrender of the Japs ;
last Tuesday. War contracts, total
ling a reported 23 billion dollars,
were cancelled, and the first of the
unemployed started moving toward
home. The number will approxi
mate seven million or more by next
spring or before the reconversion
job is com jilt ted.
At the same time Selective Serv
ice was ordered to reduce its month
ly inductions from 80,000 to 50,000,
and take no men over 26 years of
age, as a rule. The order was just in
time to save Moses Wheeler and
John Gurganus, two local boys, who
reported for final induction that day.
“They were just getting ready to call
our names when the order came to
send all men over 26 back home,”
W'heeler was quoted as saying.
Gas rationing was lifted Wednes
day along with points on all canned
foods. Fuel oil is no longer on the
ration list, but sugar, shoes, meats |
and some other items are likely to !
be there for some time, with the j
possibility that the supply of tires
will be ample to meet the demand
without rationing in a few more
weeks.
Plans have been made to return
five million army men and two mil
lion navy men home within the next
twelve months.
Transportation bans are being lift
ed to a certain extent, but crowded
conditions are to be expected for
quite a while.
11 _ SPEAKER
r
Kay Bandy, National Vice j
President of the Junior Cham- |
her of Commerce, will address I
the organizational meeting of
local Javcees this evening in the
Woman's Club here. Members
front Jaycee clubs in other towns
of eastern Carolina are expect
ed here for the meeting.
Judge Calvin Smith
Calls Fourteen Cases
In the County Court
—®—
Long Road Term* Imposed
Substantial Fines
Exacted Monday
——<»
Judge J. Calvin Smith in a regu
lar session of the Martin County Re
corder’s Court last Tuesday started
clearing from the docket quite a few
cases that had been continued so as
not to interrupt the tobacco harvest.
Fourteen cases were called during
the session, one of the longest held
by the court in recent weeks. All
but one were disposed of, and that
one was continued until next Mon
day.
i The session attracted a fairly large
number of spectators, and several
long road terms were imposed along
with one or two substantial fines.
Proceedings:
Herman Mooring, charged with an
assault with a deadly weapon, plead
ed not guilty. Adjudged guilty, he
was sentenced to the roads for four
months. In a second case, Mooring
j was charged with assaulting a fe
inrale and fornication and adultery.
He was sentenced in this case to the
roads for twenty months, the sen
tence to begin at the expiration of
| the first.
Charged with an assault with a
deadly weapon, Tom Brown was sen
tenced to jail for five days and fin
ed $25. He was taxed with the court
costs.
Charged with an assault with a
deadly weapon and disorderly con
duct, John Nicholson was adjudged
guilty of simple assault, the court
suspending judgment upon the pay
ment of the costs.
Judgment was suspended upon
the payment of the cost in the case
charging Johnnie Moore with as
saulting a female.
Charlie Thomas, charged with an
affray, was found not guilty.
Dallas Gurganus, charged with
carrying a concealed weapon and
with disorderly conduct, was found
guilty of being drunk and disorderly
and was fined $10 and taxed with
the costs.
Charged with an assault with a
deadly weapon, Laura Edwards was
found not guilty.
The case in which William Henry
Williams stands charged with lar
ceny and receiving, was continued
until next Monday.
(Continued on page six)
War Veteran Suffers
Nervous Breakdown
—*—
Sgt. Hubert Bland, returning last
week after going through the entire
African-European campaign, this
week suffered a sei ious nervous
breakdown at the home of his
mother, Mrs. J. T. Bland, here on
Smithwick Street. He was said to
be in a coma much of the time, and
paid little attention to anybody or
anything. He was removed to a
Veterans’ hospital in Virginia Wed
nesday afternoon, and one report
| stated his condition seemed to be
'slightly improved.
The young man, a member of the
armed forces before Pearl Harbor,
returned home last Thursday after
noon. Ten minutes later his brother,
S/Sgt. John IX Bland, who had been
wounded four times in the Italian
| campaign, reached home, the two
meeting for the first time in over
three years.
I Beth of the young men have been
I honorably discharged.
Lest We Forget—
County's War Dead- In Pacific Tiieatre
K~
mm
tv men today sleep the eternal sleep m foreign soil or in the clean grave.of the sea Tno
bodies of two others rest in home soil, all of them going to premature graves that we
might live and enjoy the good things in life in a world at peace.
That there are not more names in the list of honored dead is cause for rejoicing, but
if a people ever owed a debt of everlasting gratitude to anyone they owe it to the young
men who so willingly and gallantly gave their lives for country and humanity,—for you
and for me, for those who follow after us, and for all that which is good and noble. It’s
good to celebrate the coming of peace to a war-torn world, but in our celebrations now and
the years to come let us not break faith with those who sleep. Let us ever hold high the
torch of righteousness, liberty and freedom, and join in the good cause for which they so
ably and nobly made the good fight. To succeed in that solemn obligation is as little as
we can do in striving to pay the great debt due them in their everlasting sleep. And let
us remember that while they are not here in person with us to celebrate the accom
plishments of their sacrifices, they are the ones who made possible the celebrations
which shall give first place forever and ever glowing tribute to the memory of our war
dead and to those who made the good and noble fight for mankin.
Fifty-three Martin County men are known to have made the supreme sacrifice in
World War II. The names of those who surrendered their lives in the great Pacific strug
gle follow with a brief sketch for each:
MURRAY CARGILE—Son of Mr. and Mrs
George M. Cargilc of Parmele, was one
of the first two Martin County men to
make the supreme sacrifice in the war. He
was killed on that day of infamy at Pearl
Harbor while on the USS Oklahoma.
JOHN GOLDIE LEGGETT—son of the
late Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Leggett of Pop
lar Point, made the supreme sacrifice at
Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, while
serving on the “Arizona” He was one of
the first two county men to die in the war.
AUSTIN RANDOLPH JACKSON—Son of
Mrs. Ora Jackson Burnette and the late
Austin Jackson of Jamesville, lost his life
at Pearl Harbor on February 16, 1942.
WILLIAM FREEMAN HAISLIP, II.—Son
of Mrs. Nannie Haislip and the late H. J.
Ilaislip of near Oak City, was the first
Marine youth from this county to fall mor
tally wounded in the bitter struggle for
Guadalcanal. Wounded on October 22,
1942, he died the following day.
WILLIAM THOMAS SULLIVAN—Son of
Mrs. Blanche Sullivan Jones of William
ston and Elizabeth City, lost his life during
a naval engagement off Guadalcanal on
November 12-14, 1942. The young man was
on the USS Atlanta.
DONALD CLARK GODWIN—Son of the
late B. F. and Emma Wentz Godwin, was
accidentally killed on January 21, 1943 in
a plane crash while returning from Pearl
Harbor. A captain in the Navy, he is be
lieved to be the highest ranking officer
from this county ever to die in the service
of our country.
ROLAND MOORE—Son of Mr. Whit
Moore and the late Mrs. Mony Perry
Moore lost his life in the Pacific Theater
on March 23, 1943.
WILMER T. GLOVER—Son of Mr. and
Mrs. E. L. Glover of Oak City and Scot
land Neck, was reported dead on May 8,
1943 after being missed for one year fol
lowing the naval battle in the Coral Sea.
LEMUEL DANIEL ROEBUCK—Son of
Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Roebuck of near Ham
ilton, was reported dead on August 10,
1943 after being missing since August 9,
1942, when his ship, the USS Quincy was
sunk off the Solomons Islands.
EARLY BRILEY—Son of Ed Briley of near
Robersonville, was drowned at Oahu, T.
H., on December 23, 1944.
J. R. MINTON—Son of Mrs. Gussie Min
ton, formerly of Robersonville, was kill
ed in the Philippines in February, 1945.
CECIL B. BONDS—Son of Mrs. Ella Alien
Bonds of near Williamston and John
Bonds, lost his life in the South Central
Pacific in early June, 1944.
EDWARD S. BROWN-Son of Mrs. Dare
Brown and the late Archie Brown of
Jamesville, was mortally wounded on June
21, 1944, in far-away North Burma, dying
there four days later.
VERNA LAND—Son of Harrison Land of
RFD 3, Williamston, was killed in a ship
munitions blast at Port Chicago, Calif., on
July 17, 1944. He was the first colored
man from this county to die in the Pacific.
ARTHUR T. BROWN-Son of Elijah
Brown and his late wife. Eulalie Wig
gins Brown, died on New Guinea on Oc
tober 2, 1944, presumably of natural causes.
LOUIS THOMAS HOLLIDAY—Son of the
late Will Holliday and Mrs. Holliday of
Robcrsonville, died in a Japanese prison
camp on or about May 3, 1943, in the Philip
pine Islands. He was a veteran of Bataan.
DENNIS MAYO HARRISON—Son of the
late Redmond Harrison and wife, was
fatally wounded on Luzon, P. I., on March
30, 1945, dying later that same day.
HUBERT DAVIS BROWN- Son of Guil
ford Brown and Hattie Brown Dempsey,
died in a Columbia, S. C., hospital on May
27, 1945, of tuberculosis contracted while
serving in the Southwest Pacific.
REGINALD FLEMING RAWLS—Son of
Mrs. Dora Rawls and the late J. D. Rawls
of near Robcrsonville, was killed on Oki
nawa May 27, 1945. He was the second of
two county youths to lay down his life in
the bitter fight for that island.
DAVID WILSON HARDISON—Son of
Mr. and Mrs. Lee D. Hardison, RFD 1,
Williamston, made the supreme sacrifice
on Okinawa May 26, 1945.
VERNON EVERETT CASPER—Son of
Mr. and Mrs. Wayon W. Casper of Oak
City, lost his life on the destroyer “Luce”
near Okinawa on May 9,1945.
NATHAN T. EDMONDSON—Son of Mr.
and Mrs. Herbert Edmondson of RFD 1,
Robersonville, was killed in operational
combat in the Pacific, presumably in the
Okinawa area, on July 15, 1945. He was the
last action casualty reported during the
war.
CLYDE E. MIZELLE—Son of Mrs. Minnie
Moore Mizelle Roberson and the late Jos.
Mizelle of Jamesville, died in the Philip
pines on July 26, 1945. He was the last
casualty reported during the war.
r DRIVERS LICENSES
__—-'
Beginning next week, the
North Carolina Highway Safety
Division will receive applica
tions for drivers’ licenses in the
Martin County courthouse each
Wednesday and Saturday morn
ing between the hours of 9:00
a. m. and 12:00 o’clock, noon, it
was announced today.
James Boyce, formerly with
the division, was recently dis
charged by the Navy and he is
succeeding Miss Howard who
has served as examiner in this
» district for the past several
months.
County Young Men
On Their Way Home
Writing in to have his mailing ad
dress changed, Pfc. Harry M. Peel,
RFD 1, Williamston, stated that he
was at a redeployment center on
August 6, and “on my way home, I
hope.” He was scheduled to have
sailed last Sunday.
Continuing, the young man said,
S. C. Griffin, Jr., is in the same camp
and I hope we can go home together.
“I went to Paris last Saturday on
a 24-hour pass, and had a pretty
i good time for the length of time I
was there. But the town is too big
for me, and it goes without saying
that I’d rather see Williamston than
all the places over here.”
Wounded Soldier Home
For Visit With Parents
-<»
Losing his left foot as a result of
wounds received when his tank
struck a land mine on the Italian
front last February 7, Pfc. William
C. Bunch, Jr., returned home recent
ly for a visit with his parents and
friends. He had been a patient in
an Atlantic City hospital for a num
ber of weeks.
FACULTY VACANCIES
j
After searching for talent
here, there and everywhere,
school authorities said this week
that approximately a dozen po
sitions were yet to be filled in
the various county school facul
ties. At that time two prin
cipals places were vacant, one
at Farm Life and the other at
Everetts. It was learned that
Professor G. W. Iauudter, Farm
Life principal last term, was
going to Battleboro.
All positions in the local school
faculty have been filled, provid
ed contracts outstanding are ex
ecuted. Miss Helen Summerrell
of Ayden, former teacher in the
Jamesville school and mors re
cently in Moore County, was
elected this week. Contracts
have been mailed to Miss Ada
Morris of Edenton for the first
grade, and one to Miss Evelyn
Case for the eighth grade posi
tion.
DAY OF PRAYER
r
V.
y
Sunday, August 19, has been
proclaimed a day of prayer by
President Harry Truman to
mark the return of peace. The
Chief Executive is calling upon
all Americans to find their way
into houses of worship and bow
down on that day and give hum
ble thanks for victory and peace.
No formal program for the day
has been announced, but surely
the services will center around
and carry out the meaning of the
proclamation.
Victory Celebrated
Very Quietly Here
——«—
Martin County people celebrated
victory over the Japanese in a very
quiet and thoughtful manner last
Tuesday night and Wednesday.
While there was cause for rejoicing,
the celebrants apparently were con
scious of the sorrows of others, and
acted accordingly. The town’s fire
siren was sounded for several min
utes, and auto horns blasted away
for a short time. Children paraded
the streets, heating on old drums
and cans.
Church bells were sounded in
most of the county towns, and the
populace rejoiced in the knowledge
that however bad the struggle was,
it could have been worse.
Delay Experienced In
Sriiltrml Ri.^istaiwr
Likely To Continue
For About Ten Days
Occupation of Japan Delayed
\l Request of Japanese
Authorities
-<t
Following the announcement last
Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock by
President Harry Truman of the Jap
anese surrender, considerable trou
ble lias been experienced in getting
the Japs to cease firing. Late re
ports state that resistance is still be
ing offered in scattered areas, that
possibly representatives of the Im
perial family will have to go in per
son and give the order to cease fir
ing. During the meantime, delay
has been experienced in fixing a
definite date for the formal signing
of the surrender terms. Representa
tive. oJ the Japanese government
were scheduled to fly to Manila foi
the formal signing, but late yester
day the Japs were quoted as saying
that they could not meet the sched
ule on account of the “scarcity of
time". The report went on to say
that instructions as to the type of
plane to be used were not clear. It
is believed by some that all’s not
well among the once high and
mighty in Japan, that final plans for
signing the surrender terms are be
ing advanced with great difficulty.
However, universal peace will gain
a foothold soon, it is expected, pro
vided a postwar war does not break
out in China.
News of victory came last Tuesday
evening after long hours of anxious
waiting. A( 7 o'clock that evening.
President Truman announced:
"I have received this afternoon a
message from the Japanese govern
ment in reply to the message for
warded to that government by the
Secretary of State on August 11.
“I deem this reply a full accept
ance of the Potsdam Declaration
which specifies the unconditional
surrender of Japan. In the reply
there is no qualification.
“Arrangements now are being
made for the formal signing of sur
render terms at the earliest possible
moment.
“General Douglas MacArthur has
been appointed Supreme Allied
Commander to receive the Japanese
surrender.
“Great Britain, Russia and China
will be represented by high-ranking
officers.
“Meantime, the Allied armed for
ces have been ordered to suspend
offensive action.
“The proclamation of V-J Day
must wait upon the formal signing
of the surrender terms by Japan.”
And thus World War II which had
its beginning at the Marco Polo
Bridge, in the streets of Madrid and
over the plains of Ethiopia, and
which for more than a decade roar
id unchecked to all parts of the
world, was over except for scatter
ed resistanci in isolated areas.
The Japanese note received last
Tuesday after false rumors had been
freely circulated, made no specific
reference to the great power demand
that llirohilo become the puppet of
the Allied Supreme Commander, but
the Emperor’s statement that he
would insure the surrender and thus
become the Allied agent in the all
important act of compelling the Japs
to lay down their arms, made it
quite clear that the Imperial throne
of Japan is now ready to go under
1 < i:?! i’UA no\ j\ .,!«nn
v---/
Enthusiasm runs riot in New
York “Little Italy" as news of
the Jap surrender is received
there Tuesday night.
Special Servic es Are
Held Here To Mark
The Return of Peace
-®
Small (>roii|)H OfTor IYay«*i>
Of 'liiaiiks<!iv I'or
Peact> Thin Week
Services of prayerful thanksgiv
ing were held in local church this
week following (lie announced sur
render of the Japs by President
Marry Truman last Tuesday evening.
While not largely attended, the
services were marked for their
solemnity and impressiveness.
The first of the services was held
at 8:15 o’clock Tuesday evening in
the Episcopal church where the
rector, Kev. Joseph S. Iluske, Jr , led
the prayers.
In accordance with a previously
arranged program a service was held
in the Methodist church Wednesday
afternoon tit 4 o’clock with ap
propriate music, prayers and a brief
talk by the pastor.
In the course of his talk, the
pastor, Rev. R T. Hurley, said that
without the help of Almighty God,
we could not have won the war.
"God is always on the side of right,”
he said, adding, "Even though at
times it seems that lie is far away
and unconcerned, but in due time
He stretches forth His mighty arm
in defense of the rigid Therefore,
we should give thanks unto Him for
this great victory over the fanatical
forces of tin' aggressor nation.”
Tribute. was paid to the men of
the armed forces for their .valor and
sacrifice. Soon, many of them will
be returning to their homes and
loved ones. A silent prayer was of
fered for tiie loved ones of those who
lie under the while “crosses row on
row” in tiie war cemeteries in the
islands of the Pacific and on the
I continent of Europe.
“While the war is over,” the min
ister said, “the lug job of recon
struction and rehabilitation is before
us.” Tiie people were urged to sup
port this work with the same vigor
and fidelity as they supported the
war. “If the United Nations stand
by the terms of tiie San Francisco
Charter, the dreams of Isaiah and
Tennyson of a warless world can be
made a reality.”
Wednesday morning at !):80 o’clock
(Continued on page six)
Two County Mon
Missing in Pacific
Of the twenty-three Martin Coun
ty men reported missing in World
War II, all but five have been ac
counted for, and it earnestly hoped
now that hostilities have ceased, that
news—favorable news—will be re
ceived from them.
Two of the men—Lt. Col Wheeler
Martin, Jr., of Wiiliamston, and
Steward 2/C James Edward Crom
well, RFD 3, are listed as among the
missing in the Pacific theater, Col.
Martin over Tokyo last March 10,
and Cromwell "in the Pacific” last
October 6.
In the European theater, according
to Enterprise war records, Lt. Jesse
Wilson Price of Wiiliamston, S/Sgt.
James Burnette of Jamesville and
Sgt Henry Wesley Allen also of
Jamesville, are still missing, Id
Price over Germany in February of
last year, Sgt. Allen, son of Mrs.
Bettie Allen Jackson, over Germany
on January 5, 1944, and S/'Sgt.
Burnette over Italy on February 28
of this year .
(Continued on page six)
-. . - -<$
Martin County Men
Wounded in Pacific
—»—
Twenty-one Martin County young
men were wounded, some of them
more than once, in the Pacific The
ater of Operations, the count in
cluding those injured in accidents on
the west coast, according to Enter
prise war records. The list does not
include those young men who died
of wounds.
Names of the wounded and their
addresses follow:
Captain Roscoe Everett of Rober
sonville, Duke Walston of Williams
ton, Howard B. Cone of Williams
ton, Geo. H. Wynne of Williamston,
Jimmie B. Taylor of Williamston,
Dallas Marion Taylor of RED 3, Wil
liamston, Melvin D. Bennett of RFD
3, Williamston, Harold Nicholson of
Williamston, E. P. (Ned) Cunning
ham of Williamston and Smithfield,
Jasper S. Brown of Robersonville,
Marvin Price of RFD 1, Jamesville,
George Norman White of RFD 1,
Oak City, Joseph Paul Simpson of
Williamston, James E. Moore of Wil
liamston, Franklin V. Modlin of
Jamesville, Thomas Boston of RFD
1, Jamesville, George Griffin. RFD
1, Williamston, Kenneth 11. Rober
son of Robersonville, Simon A.
Perry, Jr., of RFD 2, Williamston,
Bruce Lambert Peel of RFD 1, Wil
liamston. William Vi rnon Roebuck
of RFD 2, Williamston.
Eighty-eight Martin County men
were reported to have been wound
ed in all theaters of war fropn Pearl
Harbor through V-J Day last Tues
day evening at 7 o’clock.