The Roanoke Beacon
4444444 and Washington Coln i y News ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A home newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
County and its 12,000 people.
VOLUME LII—NUMBER 50
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, December 11, 1941
ESTABLISHED 1889
Town
opics
Private Ernest J. Davenport, of
Creswell, Route 1. a member of the
Army Medical Department, recently
was relieved from duty in the office
of the Port Surgeon, San Francisco
Port of Embarkation at Fort Mason,
and was assigned to duty aboard the
U. S. Army Transport "Cynthia
Olsen.” This information came
tlie War Department, and was
December 2.
,s
vn
Commodore Heath, widely
and highly respected colore el" uan, I
who served as cook for ma'-tteriunt
ing and fishing parties in ^.is sec
tion, and who cooked at the Hamp
ton Fisheries here for years, died!
this week and was buried Wednesday :
afternoon.
A. B. Combs, state high school j
inspector, visited the Plymouth
school this week and discussed
addition of the twelfth grade in j
the local school. He found that
plans had already been made for
this addition, and extended his
congratulations on the work be
ing done locally.
L. R. Ausbon was last week exhib
iting a carpenter’s hand saw reported
to be more than 50 years old. He
said the steel in the saw was of the
best quality. Mr. Ausbon said he has
not had the saw very long himself,
but he knows that its age is about 50
years. It was a well-known brand.
Tire Navy Department announced
this week that Cecil E. Blount, of
Roper, had been recommended for
promotion from lieutenant junior
grade to lieutenant senior grade. The
information was released throug dis
trict headquarters at Charleston, S. C.
William E. Cheshire has accepted
a government appointment as asso
ciate inspector of engineering mater
ials for the Navy Department at the
plant of the Aluminum Company of
America at Alcoa, Tenn. Mr. Chesh
ire was employed here with the North
Carolina Pulp Company. Mr. and
Mrs. Cheshire will make their home
in Knoxville, leaving in two weeks.
The Plymouth Merchants As- i
sociation, at a meeting Monday, ,
decided that stores here would
begin remaining open until 9 p. ‘
m. on Friday of next week, De
cember 19. From then until
Christmas the stores will remain
open until 9 p. m., except on Sat
urday and Christmas Eve nighfe
when the closing hour will be
even later.
The Beacon regrets that the name
of W. F. Winslow's 5c To $1 store was
inadvertently omitted from the list
of members ef the Plymouth Mer
chants Assc'0ir. „3” which :»open red in
an advertisement 'last week. Mr.
Winslow was one of the charter mem
bers and is still a leading figure in
affairs of the association.
S. E. Beasley, local painter, this
week received a very pleasant sur
prise. Forty years ago he loaned an
acquaintance $2.40. This week the
man sent the money to him and
thanked him for the loan that had
been made nearly a half century ago.
Cotton Growers Will
Ballot Saturday on
Quotas for 1942 Crop
619 Farmers in County Eli
gible, But Not Over 150
Expected To Vote
-<s>
A> total of 619 cotton producers of
Washington County are eligible to
cast their ballots Saturday in the ref
erendum on acreage control, market
ing control and accompanying loan
program, for 1942. It is believed here
that hardly more than 150 of those
eligible would vote. Last year the
county vote was 133 to 4 in favor of
allotments.
Polls will be open from 8 a. m. to
5 p. m. Voting places will be as fol
lows in the three AAA districts in the
county: Plymouth Township, agricul
ture building, Plymouth: Lees Mills
Township, Jim Gaylord’s station, Rop
er; and Scuppernong Township, W.
D. Phelps’ store in Creswell. The
names of poll holders were not avail
able yesterday.
Every farmer who produced cotton
in 1941, regardless of whether he is
a tenant, sharecropper, or land own
er, may vote in the referendum.
Quotas—and loans, wh'sh this season
were offered at 85 per cent of parity
to AAA cooperators—have been in
effect for the past four seasons. Dur
ing this period state and county
growers have witnessed a sharp in
crease of prices, which for this sea
son, was more than double the dis
couraging 8-cent average in 1937, the
last year in which there were no
quotas. North Carolina cotton prices
this year have been above 17 cents.
Marketing quotas will be in effect
only if approved by at least two
thirds of the cotton producers voting
in the referendum. Cotton growers
throughout the United States will al
so vote on the question Saturday,
The surplus or world supply of cot
ton today is approximately 48,500,
000 bales. American cotton on hand
today is approximately 23,800,000
bales. Agricultural officials of the
AAA say that this is enough cotton
for the country’s needs for two years
even under war conditions.
If there are no marketing quotas
in 1942, there will be no loans on cot
ton in that year, and there will be
no restriction on the amount of cot
ton marketed in 1942. A farmer may
market without penalty all the cotton
produced on his allotted acreage.
Air-Raid Warning Spoilers Advised
To Standby Their Posts tor Service
The fact that the United States
is at war with Japan struck
home forcibly this week to Wash
ington County people, as volun
teer civilian air-warning spotters
in Eastern North Carolina were
ordered to man their observation
posts 24 hours daily until further
notified, it was reported today by
Chief of Police P. W. Brown, of
Plymouth, head of the organiza
tion in this county.
Washington County posts are
under the direction of the First
Interceptor Command, which is
controlled from Mitchell Field,
N. Y. These posts were ordered
activated, and while they are not
actually being manned at pres
ent, observers were ordered to be
ready to take over on short no
tice.
Four of the 220 posts in the
area embraced in the First Inter
ceptor Command are in this
county. The northeastern sec
tion of North Carolina is consid
ered of importance in the warn
ing service, since invading planes
may well sweep over the section
in proceeding up the coast to
Norfolk, Washington, and other
important cities along the east
ern coast.
Air-raid warning spotters in
the county, who received practice
during the maneuvers completed
in November, include the follow
ing: No. I post, J. L. Rea, at We
nona; No. 2, J. E. Phelps, at Rop
er; No. 3, J. C. Tarkenton, at
Pleasant Grove: and No. 4. Earl
Davenport, at Creswell.
Red Gross Issues First
War Call on County;
Ask $1,500 Be Raised
No Fireworks in
Business District
Shooting of fireworks will not
be allowed in the down-town
section nor around churches dur
ing the Christmas season. Chief
of Police P. YV. Brown warned
today.
However, the chief explained
that regulations prohibiting the
shooting of fireworks through
out the town would be suspend
ed during the holiday period, ex
cept as to the business district
on Water and Washington streets
and around churches.
The officer warned that he
wasn’t fooling, either, about this;
and those who just must have
their pyrotechnics would do well
to keep them out of the prohib
ited areas unless they want to
spend some Christmas money in
paying fines.
Merchants Here Say
Business Increasing
As Christmas Nears
Decorative Street Lights To
Be Turned on by Santa
Claus Friday Night
Retail business in the downtown
section of Plymouth was reported to
be steadily increasing daily, as mer
chants trim their display windows
with attractive Christmas articles
and the town is preparing to empha
size the Yuletide season by lighting
the 700 vari-colored street lights to
morrow night.
The many colored lights, forming
an arched canopy over Washington
and Water Streets, will be turned on
about 8 o’clock tomorrow night, when
Santa Claus arrives in the down-town
area to visit the children. Gifts will
be distributed to the boys and girls
who are present at ths hour.
With three large V-for-Victory
emblems aglow with lights on the
front of the market building, the
Christmas decorations this year have
a patriotic motif as well as religious.
Atop the community hall is a tri
angle surrounding a cross, and the
whole surmounted by a star, all
worked out in electric lights. Lighted
circles on each side add much to the
beauty and effectiveness of the dis
play.
Store windows are now filled with
suggested gift items, and the larg
est selections of toys ever to come to
Plymouth are being offered by the
merchants. The toys, Christmas
trees, colored lights and tinsel dec
orations have been profusely use in
window displays to add attractive
ness to them.
More and more people are begin
ning to do their Christmas shopping
here. Merchants report that they
have been laying away merchandise
for two or more weeks. Those who
wish to make selections of the items
they want are urged to do so at once,
because, with only 11 shopping days
left, the merchandise will disappear
rapidly from the stores.
United States at War With All Axis Nations
By the time this article ap
pears in print, the United States
doubtless will be officially at war
with all the Axis Powers—includ
ing Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Following a dramatic appearance
of President Roosevelt before the
Congress Monday, Congress pass
ed a joint resolution declaring
that a state of war existed be
tween this nation and Japan, and
the President made it official by
signing the measure at 4:10 p. m.
the same day. War had previ
ously been declared by the Jap
anese on the United States the
Meet Monday Night
To Formulate Plans
Of Quick Campaign
Amount Asked Is Addition
al To That Raised in
Roll Call Drive
An urgent special meeting of work
ers and officials of the Washington
County chapter of the American Red
Cross was today called for Monday
night. December 15, at 7:30, in the
courthouse here, by Chairman John
W. Darden. The meeting will be held
primarily to consider plans for rais
ing $1,500 as the county's quota in
the $50,000,000 campaign in the na
tion to take care of the expenses of
the Red Cross, which has been called
upon to be ready to assist the na
tion in connection with the war in
Japan.
Mr. Darden issued the call for a
meeting upon receipt of the-following
telegram from Norman H. Davis, na
tional Red Cross Chairman:
“Again the Red Cross is called up
on to serve our nation in war. Both
nationally and locally we face vast
and definite responsibilities for serv
ices to our armed forces and for re
lief to distressed civilians. To pro
vide essential funds, the Red Cross
today is launching a campaign for a
wrr fund of a minimum of $50,000,
000. President Roosevelt will on Fri
day issue a proclamation supporting
this appeal. Your chapter quota is
$1,500. Chapters may retain 15 per
cent of their collections for local war
relief expenditures. Chapters should
at once devote full efforts to raising
their quotas in the shortest time pos
sible. Please report action taken
We must not and shall not fail in
this crisis.”
In outlining plans for answering
the first call made upon Washing
ton County citizens for war service,
Mr. Darden said that Plymouth and
Plymouth Township had been allot
ted the task of raising $700; Roper
and Lees Mill Townsh.p (Wenona not
included), $400; Creswell, Scupper
nong and Skinnersville Townships,
$350; and Wenona, $50.
The chairman said that he would
suggest at the meeting Monday night
the naming of a Central Red Cross
War Relief Committee chairman, and
that this committee organize a work
ing committee in each of the subdi
visions of the county, as indicated in
the quotas for each section.
Plans for the campaign include at
least a fourth of the amount allotted
each section being raised through the
See RED CROSS, Page Four
Young Man Critically Hurt
In Accident at Plant Here
-§
Robert Wright, local young man,
was critically injured Wednesday
night, when he was buried beneath
a pile of bark in a bin at the plant
of the North Carolina Pulp Company.
He remained under the bark for some
time before he was rescued. Reports
today indicate that he will recover
unless unforeseen complications de
velop. He was thought to have
slipped and struck his head while at
work in the bin.
day before, official announce
ment coming after United States
Pacific outposts had been attack
ed and bombed without warning
and with heavy loss of life in
Hawaii.
This morning, the German
Reich officially declared war on
the United States, as also did its
aTi. partner, Italy. President
Roosevelt dispatched a message to
the Congress shortly after it con
vened at noon today, asking that
acknowledgement be made that
a state of war existed between
the United States and Germany
Plans Will Be Made
Friday Night to Care
For Poor in County
Representative of Each Or
ganization in Town Is
Asked To Be Present
Indigent families in this section
will be taken care of this Christmas
through the organized efforts of
clubs and other organza'ions, repre
sentatives of which are asked to meet
with Chief of Police P. W. Brown in
the community hall Friday night
just as soon as the crowd disperses
after the visit of Santa Claus.
The chief hopes at that time to
have a representative present from
every club and organization in the
town of Plymouth. They will be
asked to put their shoulders to the
wheel in helping to solicit funds and
to prepare and distribute the baskets
which will be prepared for the sec
tion's needy.
Several clubs have already voted
to donate money to the Christmas
Joy Fund, but there has been no cen
tral organization set up to accept the
money and handles the purchase,
preparation and distribution of the
articles of clothing, food and toys
that will go into the Christmas bas
kets.
The local volunteer firemen have
been at work for weeks in repairing
and repainting discarded toys to be
delivered to the needy They still
would like to receive any old or dis
carded toys for renovation. It is sug
gested that those who do not have
any old toys might purchase a new
one and leave it with the firemen to
be included in the lot. School chil
dren will probably be asked to bring
contributions of old clothing next
week, and everyone will be given an
opportunity to contribute money,
clothing, food, toys, fruit, or what
ever else may be needed for the un
fortunate.
The committee to be appointed to
investigate the needy cases will very
likely include the welfare superin
tendent, Miss Ursula Bateman. It
will be decided soon the kind of bas
ket that will be best suited for any
needy famliy, and those who wish to
prepare baskets will be advised what
each should contain.
So far as known now, those who
wish to receive a basket from the
Christmas Joy Fund will have to call
for them, as it will impossible to
perfect an organization to deliver
them before Chirstmas. it was stated.
Schools To Complele
Half of Year's Work
Prior To Christmas
Examinations Scheduled for
Next Week; Attendance
Stressed by Principal
When the Plymouth .school closes
for the Christmas holidays on De
cember 19, it will have completed half
of the year’s work, according to Prin
cipal Robert B. Trotman, who added
that semester examinations will be
gin next Monday afternoon, Decem
ber 15, with two examinations to be
given daily through Thursday, De
cember 18.
Mr. Trotman also said that exam
inations in the elementary grades will
be given next week according to the
schedules announced by the various
room teachers.
Review work is now in progress at
the schools in all grades, making it
very important that all students at
tend regularly, and the principal
particularly urges parents to coop
erate by seeing that their children
attend as regularly as posisble dur
ing this period. He especially asks
that students not be permitted to re
main away from school to go on shop
ping tours or to work in local stores
or other places of business. The
schools must maintain their sched
ules, he said, and work missed by
students now will be their loss.
In the announcement, Mr. Trotman
made it clear that if a child misses
an examination for any reason other
than illness, the examination will not
be given over. In the case of illness,
a doctor’s certificate must be secured
by the student in order for the teach- '■
er to give the examination over.
During the examination period, the
school hours will continue the same
as usual, classes beginning at 8:30
and dismissing at 3:30, with the lunch
period from 12:15 to 1 o’clock. All
pupils are expected to be in their
places during these hours, the prin
cipal said.
—o— —o- -O
and Italy. There was no doubt
about the passage of the meas
ure, as the Japanese declaration
received only one adverse vote in
both houses.
The raid of Japanese bombers
on United States outposts early
Sunday morning came while the
special envoy and ambassador ot
Nippon were still in conference
about negotiations to settle their
Pacific difficulties peaceably. The
attack caught the United states
off guard, and severe damage was
reported to the American Navy In
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. A total of
Number County Men in Area
Bombed by Japanese Sunday
Yon Better Watch Out, Yon Better Not
Pout—Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Santa Claus will make his an
nual visit to the Plymouth busi
ness section Friday night at 8
o'clock in front of the communi
ty building on Water Street,
facing Washington Street. All
preparations have been made for
his visit, which is sponsored by
the Plymouth Merchants Asso
ciation.
Dave Kulman, L. II. Lowe, and
W. F. Winslow have completed
arrangements for the annual visit
of the patron saint of ail chil
dren. The Plymouth High School
Band will play, and all the girls
and boys present will receive gifts
from the hand of Santa himself.
The method of his coming is
a deep, dark secret. But it will
not be by bus thi. year.
Begin Organizing for
Civilian Defense Work
In County and Region
Several Phases of
Work Have Been
Put Info Operation
Civilian Defense Council,
Inactive for Some Time,
Recalled To Service
Inactive for some time as defense
lagged along, the local Civilian De
fense Council bounced back into
prominence this week, as Wilbur M.
Darden, chairman of the Civilian De
fense Council of Washington, Tyr
rell and Hyde Counties, announced
the appointment of men who are
being urged to begin immediate or
ganization for active service when and
if this section is faced with an emer
gency.
The aircraft warning service is
headed by P. W. Brown, who has his
organization ready for immediate ac
tion. Mr. Darden will arrange for
volunteer registration of those who
wish to enlist for home defense serv
ice. A group, to be designated as
"V-Men,” who will be available for
public speaking and other such serv
ices. will be named later; and a civil
ian protection committee, to aid in
general protective arrangements, is
also to be set up later.
Plymouth Fire Chief Miller War
ren has returned home after a visit
to Raleigh yesterday, when State Fife
Marshall Sherwod Brockwell laid the
groundwork for a school to be held
later to teach firemen and other vol
unteers the proper fire and air-raid
warning signals, as well as how to
handle the various types of bombs
and take precautions for general air
raid protection. The local fire chief
will probably head the fire protec
tion group. Air-raid wardens will be
named throughout the county. Chiefs
of police in Roper, Creswell and
Plymouth will comprise the police
protection committee.
In additions appointments are still
to be made of those who will b^ in
charge of emergency medical service;
See DEFENSE. Page Four
Funeral Services
For Warren Swain
Funeral services were held Tues
day at the home near here for Travis
Warren Swain, 49, who taken sud
denly ill at the Norfolk Navy Yard
last Friday and died Monday at his
home. The Rev. E. C. Morris, of
Elizabeth City, officiated, assisted by
the Rev, L. B. Bennett, of Creswell.
Interment took place in a cemetery
near here.
Mr. Swain was well known in this
bounty and for years he was a mem
ber of the Piney Grove church.
Surviving are four daughters: Mrs.
Ethyle Ballance, of Portsmouth; Mrs.
Vida Sawyer, of Princess Anne, Va.;
Misses Gaynell and Dorcas Swain, of
ihis county; and five sons: Whitford,
Loomis. Rex and Ottis Swain, of this
bounty, and Travis Swain, jr., of Nor
folk. He also leaves two brothers:
D. S. Swain, of Pinetown, and J. L.
Swain, of Roper; and three sisters,
Mrs. Belle Alexander and Mrs. Della
Alexander, both of Roper, and Mrs.
Maggie White, of Columbia.
3,000 persons, mostly civilians,
were killed or wounded on the
Island of Oahu. Army and Navy
bases in the Philippines have
since been attacked again and
again, but latest reports from
Manilla indicate that the situa
tion is well in hand there. There
are no reports of casualties
among young men in the service
from this county, although a
number of them are known to be
in the areas where the attacks
took place.
Allied with the United States
In its war on th« axis are most
DEFENSE
BONDS
STAMPS
C. C. Lang Cucumber
Plant Here May Be
Doubled in Capacity
Hope To Make It Central
Receiving Point for
Several Counties
Plans are now being formulated foi
the local receiving and processing
plant of C. C. Lang & Son, Inc., to
become the focal point for 1,000 acres
gf cucumbers to be produced in three
or four counties in this section dur
ing 1942. according to G. S. Respass.
manager of the local plant.
The company hopes to arrange for
the planting of about 500 acres to
cucumbers in Washington County;
250 acres in Tyrrell; 200 in Bertie
County around Windsor; and 100 in
Beaufort County around Pinetown;
bringing the total to 1,000 acres.
The Baltimore concern has already
made agreements in this county for
about 200 acres, and others who wish
contracts for cucumbers are asked to
apply either at the plant on Brinkley
Avenue or to the E. S. Blount Hard
ware and Seed Store here.
Arrangements are being to double
the capacity of the local plant. There
are now 48 vats at the station here,
and it is hoped that sufficient acre
age can be contracted for to add 50
more vats, which will be installed in
time to receive the crop produced In
this section, it was stated.
Program of Services at
Grace Episcopal Church
The following services will be held
at Grace Episcopal church Sunday:
10 a. m., Church school.
11 a. m., morning worship and Holy
Communion, with the Rev. Sidney E.
Matthews as celebrant.
There will be no evening services.
of the Central and South Amer
ican nations, as well as the Brit
ish Empire and most of its Do
minions, the Chinese Republic,
practically all of the exiled gov
ernments of the European con
tinent. including the Free French,
and Russia. The latter country
has not yet announced its inten
tions toward the Japanese, but it
has already proven its worth to
the Allied cause. Vichy France
is reported to be leaning toward
closer collaboration with the axis,
and eventual war with the Petain
government may follow.
Eight or More Said
On Duty With Army
And Navy in Pacific
Several of Number Known
To Be Stationed in and
Near Honolulu
Washington County was well rep
resented in the bombed areas of the
Pacific early last Sunday, w’hen. with
out warning, Japanese airplanes raid
ed Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, in the
Territory of Hawaii some points on
the Philippine Islands, and other
United States outposts in the Pacifiic
Ocean. Announcement that war had
been declared was not made by the
Japanese Empire until several hours
after the first bombing raids had been
made.
Little information has reached the
United States Irom the attacked areas
concerning the identities of those in
jured or killed in the raids. Al
1 though considerably w-orried about
the safety of relatives in the zone of
attacks, so far as can be learned here
today, no one in the county has re
ceived any word direct from there.
Those who have relatives in the Pa
cific area, however, are still hoping
that no harm befell them and are
anxiously awaiting word from them.
Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Hurley, of
Plymouth, last heard from their son.
D. A. Hurley, at Fort Kam, seven
miles from Honolulu. Lonnie H.
Craddock, of Roper, was also with
young Hurley at the time. Nothing
has been heard from either since the
attack early Sunday. First Lieu
tenant Joseph H. Patterson, a broth
er to Mrs. Ellis Maples here, is ad
jutant of the 18th Pursuit Squadron,
stationed at Schofield Barracks near
Honolulu. He lives in the suburb of
Wahiawa, where a Japanese bomber
was reported shot down within a few
feet of the courthouse.
Hubert L, Cox, son of Mr. and Mrs.
W. B. Cox here, is on the U. S. S.
■Maryland," last reported at Pearl
Harbor. Young Cox is a petty officer
on the ‘Maryland,’’ which is com
manded by Captain Donald Godwin,
a native of Wilhapjstnn. <Tr. Cox
has been stationed i ‘ r’ca. Harbor
for about six years. Bob Bateman,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bate
man. sr„ of the U. S. S. ‘ Solace.’’
was last heard from in Pearl Harbor.
Herman Craddock, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Walter Craddock, of the Roper
section, is reported to be in Hono
lulu ; and Albert Garrett, also of Rop
er, is another county youth who is
understood to be with the army in
Honolulu.
Kay Swain, son of Mrs. Maggie
Swain here, is reported to be at Pearl
Harbor. He has been in the Navy
for a number of years.
Tom Davenport, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Milton Davenport, of Creswell,
a pharmacists mate in the Navy, is
reported to be in Guam. This is the
island closest to Japanese territory,
and President Roosevelt, in his speech
Tuesday night, said that we may ex
pect to hear it has fallen into the
hands of the enemy at any time. At
last reports, however, the Japanese
had not been reported to be in pos
session there.
Master Sergeant William W Wood
ley. son of the late Mi-, and Mrs.
Monroe Woodley, of the Skinnersville
section, who made his home with
Mrs. Maggie Davenport, is said to be
in the Army Air Corps at Panama,
where raiding attempts are expected
at any time.
A. R. Patrick, jr„ son of Mr. and
Mrs. A. R. Patrick, sr„ of the Skin
nersville section, first-class gunner in
the Army Air Corps, left Norfolk
lecently for an unknown destination
which it was believed would land him
some place in the Paciflic.
Lieutenant Commander Lawrence
Clark, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H.
Clark, who has been stationed in
California, was ordered to leave this
week for some undisclosed destina
tion. It is believed he has been or
dered to one of the Pacific outposts
of the nation. He is a graduate of
Annapolis and commands a squad
ion of airplanes. His parents went
o Washington. D. C.. early this week
to bid him good-bye.
Corporals Carlton and Thomas
Spruill left New York some time “go
for an unknown destination They
are in the Army and may be sta
tioned at anyone of the nation’s
widespread outposts.
w B Cox, jr., another son of Mr.
and Mrs. W. B. Cox. is on the U. S. S.
I 'Wfikes." a destroyer, and is believed
j to be on the Atlantic Ocean. Recent
letters from him bore no postmark,
and he was not permitted to tell
where he was.
Samuel Bray Bateman, son of Mrs.
Pauline Bateman, of Plymouth; and
Hickman B. Jackson, son of Charlie
Jackson, formerly of Plymouth, are
on the cruiser ’ Brooklyn,” and last
reports had them on the Atlantic
Ocean.
There have been reports that a
large number of young men from the
county have left to enlist in various
blanches of the armed service since
first reports reached this country
Sunday afternoon that the Japanese
; had attacked American islands in the
[Pacific.