THE
Roanoke Beacon
and
Washington County News
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
In Plymouth. Washington County.
North Carolina
The Roanoke Beacon Is Wash
ington County’s only newspaper.
It was established in 1889, consoli
dated with the Washington County
News in 1929 and with The Sun
in 1937.
Subscription Rates
Payable in Advance)
One year_$1.50
Six months_ .75
Advertising Rates furnished
Upon Request
Entered as second-class matter
at the post office in Plymouth,
N. C., under the act of Congress
of March 3, 1879.
September 3, 1942
ALMANAC
' ARE VOU
" JATIJFlEP"
'>r
y£s
"He kmenoueh who is
cortfenl
JSBPTEMBER
3—Treaty of Versailles end
v ing American Revolu
tionary war, 1783.
i4—'World's first electricpow
" er station opened in New
, York. 1882.
■ 5—First Continental Con*
/ gress meets, 1774.
6— President McKinley shot,
1901.
7— Corbett defeats Sullivan
for the heavyweight
^ championship, 1892.
8— Senator Huey P. Long
assassinated, 1935.
9— Six women convicted oi
witchcraft, Salem, Mass.,
L 1692.
Education Not Really
Measure of Fighting Men
IUiterac> is deplorable. It is a
bar to progress, contributes to illegal
acts, to deeds of violence and cruel
ty; illiterate citizens are in the low
est grade of citizenship.
Functional illiteracy means less
than a fourth-grade education and
inability to read a newspaper.
Fourth-graders who can read a news
paper doubtless added to their edu
cation outside school classes, but
those who could not or did not do so
are functionally illiterate. These have
been rejected by the army as unfit to
be soldier- It conscientious objec
tors would claim functional illiteracy
and show proof of it, w-hich often
might not be difficult, they could
more easily avoid service in the arm
ed forces
In the middle ages virtually all the
soldiers who fought in the wars would
have been barred from military serv
ice had the illiteracy measure of to
day been applied Yet they made
good soldiers. The priests and schol
ars were educated, more or less, but
except for the leaders only a few of
these ever bcame soldiers. The fight
ing men were illiterate, by educa
tional measure, and many of them
proud of it. The standard of living
was different then, however, and
most of the illiterate had plenty of
common sense, which the illiterate of
today is supposed to lack.
If unlit to be soldiers in this age
why is it that the illiterate are fit to
be citizen- - To be a good citizen is
as important as to be a good soldier.
In some states an illiterate may not
vote, but otherwise he is a citizen.
Efforts are being made throughout
the land to combat illiteracy, but for
the most pari without cooperation of
the illiterate Many of them do not
want to be educated.
The army would seem an admir
able place for the illiterate. There
they would get the rudiments of an
education at least. They would learn
discipline neatness, obedience, com
radeship, be spurred by competition
to acts of bravery, for many of them
do not lack courage. If placed in
divisions having only illiterate men,
except for the officers commanding
them, they might prove as good fight
ing men as the divisions of men hav
ing some education. Rivalry might
bring out in many the common sense
that has lain dormant and make them
the best fighters.
It does not seem fair to take the
men who are qualified by education
al standards to be good citizens to
do the fighting and leave behind, be
cause illiterate, the men who do not
possess the qualifications of good citi
zens; who may even become a men
ace after the duration. The Ameri
can educational standard is not ad
vanced, the number of illiterate is not
lessened, by refusing to accept as
soldiers even the functional illiterate
-®
President Plans To
Prevent Inflation
Labor and agriculture will have
joint official recognition on Labor
Day. when the President proposes to
send to Congress a message outlin
ing a new program in which these
two interests will have a part to pre
vent inflation. So that all may know,
on the evening of Labor Day the
President will make one of his radio
fireside chats, an address to the Na
tion on the same subject.
This program soon to be revealed
in detail will be somewhat flexible,
the president told a recent press con
ference, and does not suggest the
stabilization of wages and farm pric
es to the extent that they be frozen
at certain levels. Freezing to some
extent is indicated, but apparently
room is to be left for a few thaws.
The president is expected to in
sist that no group shall profit from
the war effort, but that the people
in all walks of life must be prepared
and willing to make sacrifices, and
some sacrifices are necessary, equit
able to all.
Labor may continue to resist wage
ceilings and agriculture oppose fixed
maximum prices, or legislation under
another name that amounts to that,
but it is far from their best inter
ests to do so. Inflation is trying to
raise its evil head. Being a wily and
insidious devil it does not move
along straight paths but chooses
crooked ways and jungle mazes so
its victims may become confused,
lost, destroyed. Few sacrifices that
labor or agriculture might be called
on to make now w-ould compare with
the desolation that would grip them
should inflation gain a foothold.
They have a part in preventing it.
-®
Mother Necessity
Continues To Produce
Since necessity is the mother of in
vention—so it is said so it has often
been proved—the present stricture on
some commodities imposed by the
war or possibly imposed by profiteer
ing may lead to the discovery of sub
stitutes that are equally good and
sometimes better.
Take camphor, for instance. It
has always been obtained from the
camphor tree which flourishes at its
best in Formosa, long under Japa
nese control. Having a monoply,
they boosted the price to a high level
which was paid. Now because of the
war the supply has been cut off.
Scientists looking for a substiutte
I have discovered that from a by-pro
duct of pinene, the essence of tur
pentine, may be made a camphor
that has all the qualities of the ori
ginal article. One concern already
is turning out large quantities of it
each month. The Japanese will no
longer have a monoply on camphor
nor will Formosa again be the sole
source of supply. And it is a much
needed article in industry.
Synthetic rubber is being produced
by several processes differing widely.
Possibly the best process has not
yet been discovered. Those in use
have not been entirely satisfactory,
for one reason or another; one that
is entirely satisfactory is needed.
This need may forecast the inven
tion.
A substitute for gasoline power
may also be obtainable. That would
be far-reaching.
This is a scientific age. In other
years scientists have been compara
tively few and only occasionally has
some great scientific discovery been
made. Each of these has been sig
nificant in effect. In recent years
scientists have increased in number
and many of them are giving their
best efforts to the discovery of na
ture’s hidden secrets. Day after day
some progress is made and since ne
cessity now drives many much-need
ed results are certain to be obtain
ed.
-«
Giving Loyal Service
To Country and Church
When the women of a club, a
church or a community, working to
gether, determine to do anything,
they usually accomplish it. The
means to the end may not always be
the most direct, but what they set
out to do they do. They may have
to enlist the aid of the men, but this
does not phase them and the men do
not often fail to respond to the call.
In some communities ladies aid so
cieties are said to be endeavoring to
aid the government in obtaining me
tals, which are needed in the con
Here’s Mine, Where’s Yours?
paymaster j
—From Huntington [(fV. Va.) Advertiser.
structton ol war supplies and at the
same time raise funds for church aid
by enlisting the boys and girls to
gather the scrap metal about t'he
homes or scattered in vacant lots.
The scrap will be sold to the govern
ment and the money received used
for work of the church.
The women are serving in two
ways: they are aiding the govern
ment and aiding their church. Both
ask loyal service and the women are
giving it.
Come To Plymouth
Where Life Is Serene
Talking about the weather—it is
mentioned occasionally, you know,
haven’t the last ten days been de
lightful in Plymouth. ’Tis a pity it
cannot be shared with those sections
from which pitiful complaints of the
heat have come. Most of these
moanings have been heard outside
North Carolina, of course. The suf
ferers who are murmuring should
come to Plymouth, where sea breezes
blow, winding across Albemarle
Sound and up the Roanoke River.
There was a time when the mos
quitoes liked Plymouth, it is said,
but they come no more. Or if a few
stray in occasionally their stay is
short, for they get no welcome. Once
they drove citizens away from Plym
outh, but they have since been driven
away. Now the people can sit on
their lawns or porches in the after
noons and eevnings without disagree
able mosquito company.
Plymouth has many charming fea
tures besides the weather. It has
age .which gives it dignity. In the
year 1799 the United States Con
gress made it a port of entry, in 1808
it was also made a port of delivery;
l^eligious News
and Views
By Rev. W. B. Daniels, Jr.
The Christian Has Wings—
From the pen of a London min
ister who has spent
month after month
of life in a bomb
shelter, comes a
very penetrating
and clear explana
tion of “what we
are fighting for” in
the book "The
Christian Has
Wings.” The min
ister-author, W. E.
Sangster, seeks to
go oeiow tne sur
face of meaning in the current war
time “catchwords” and to point out
the true Christian significance of
such terms as “security,” “democra
cy." "justice,” “freedom" and “peace’
Mr. Sangster's analysis of the val
ues which the United Nations claim
as their- war aims is a very searching
and challenging one. An example of
the author’s keenness may be gath
ered from his discussion of “free
dom" . . . "You do not give me free
dom if you guard me from the Ges
tapo, or if you safeguard the press
from propaganda and grant me lib
erty to speak my mind. All these
are only the conditions of freedom,
in 1807 it was incorporated. It has
been the scene of historic battles,
some of its buildings yet showing
scars. Many of its sons have become
distinguished citizens in the world
outside.
Plymouth also has a future with
potential riches to be developed. Let
the doubter come and see. If he
stays long enough to absorb the at
mosphere he will not willingly go
away.
We Have Just Received a Shipment
of the Nationally Advertised
Nurre Mirrors
GENUINE PLATE GLASS
Approved by Good Housekeeping Institute
We urge you to come in and see these
beautiful new mirrors, in a wide variety of
shapes and sizes. With them there is no
distorted reflection, and they have genuine
copper-sealed backs. Nationally advertised
and guaranteed to give absolute satisfac
tion, the prices are nevertheless very rea
sonable. See them while our stock is com
plete.
M. H. Mitchell
Furniture Co.
F. H. MODLIN, Mgr. PLYMOUTH, N. C.
ROPER
Mi' and Mrs. Potter Dixon, of Eliz
abeth City spent Sunday with his
mother. Mrs. George Dixon.
Mrs. Milton Oliver, of near Roper,
is spending the week in Norfolk with
her son, Willie Oliver, and her
daughter. Mrs. Dwight Miller.
Mrs. C. J. Ainsley spent the week
end with Mrs. John Asby near Plym
outh.
Mrs. Henry Hardison returned
home Sunday after spending last
week with her mother, Mrs. Mattie
White.
Mrs. Claude Murray, of Efland,
visited Mrs. Leon Brey last Wednes
day.
Mr. and Mrs. E. D Carstarphen,
of Durham, spent the week-end in
Roper with Mr. Carstarphen's sis
ters, Miss A. C. Carstarphen and
Mrs. Fannie Cordon.
Mr. and Mrs. William O'Connell, of
Baltimore, spent the week-end with
Mrs. O'Connell's parents, Mr. and
Mrs. R. M. Peacock.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Burgess
were Sunday dinner guests of Miss
A. C. Carstarphen.
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Sexton and Wil
bert Sexton spent Sunday in Suffolk
with Mr. and Mrs. Roy Sexton.
The Revs. Fred Steele. Jesse Mc
Cloud and Ace Dobbs, of Norfolk, will
be here Saturday and Sunday and
will also hold services at the Pen
tecostal Holiness church here.
Miss Ella Harrington returned to
Norfolk last Wednesday after spend
ing soiree time with Mrs. C. E. Mizell.
Mis. C. L. Walker is spending a few
days in Norfolk this week.
Mrs. Sallie Chesson returned home
last week after spending some time
in Norfolk with relatives.
Miss Zephyr Marie Tarkington,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Tar
kington, has entered a hospital in
Durham for a three-year nurse’s
training course.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Jernigan. of
immensely important as conditions
but not the thing itself. Freedom it
self is spiritual; it is a state of the
soul. The bravest soldier cannot win
it, nor the most astute of statesmen
shape it into law. It is a gift of
Jesus Christ."
“Life is not a matter of fact mere
ly, but a matter of degree . . . are
you living, or passing the time?" So
says the author in another place as
he analyzes the claim that democra
cies are fighting for "a way of life.”
“Not any life is worm dying for,”
continues Mr. Sangster, "surely, only
a rich, full, rounded life is worth a
man risking all he has.”
“The Christian Has Wings" is well
worth reading. It is a keen, question
raising treatment of the Christian’s
attitude in the world today. The
book was published in 1941 by the
Abingdon-Cokesbury Press. New
York. There is a copy on the shelves
of the Washington County Library.
Thought for the Day—
“This is the day which the Lord
hath made; we will rejoice and be
glad in it.”—Psalm 128.24.
Episcopal Church
Services Outlined
——$
Rev. VVM. B. DANIELS, ,!r„ Rector
Special intercessions for the
Church and its work in foreign and
domestic mission fields will be said
at the 11 o'clock service on Sunday
morning, September 6. at Grace Epis
copal church.
At. the evening service, which will
Portsmouth. Va., spent the week-end
with Mr. and Mrs. W M. Bateman.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Williams, of
Wilmington, spent the week-end with
Mr. and Mrs. H. M Williams.
be held at 8 o'clock, the Office of In
struction will be used and will be fol
lowed by a sermon on "The Order of
Confirmation."' This sermon will be
the second in a series on “The Sacra
ments of the Church.” which are to
be delivered by the Rev. William B
Daniels, jrat successive Sunday
night services.
Other services for September 6, the
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, will
include Church School at 10 a. m
and junior choir rehearsal at 2 u
clock in the afternoon.
The Young People's Service League
will meet immediately after the eve
ning service.
Tire senior choir will hold its prac
tice Wednesday evening at 8 o'clock
in the church.
FIVE STAR
We Still Have on Hand a Few
PYROFAX
MAGIC CHEF
GAS STOVES AND RANGES
We will be glad to explain how you
can get one of these ranges, but we
urge you to hurry, as we have only a
limited number on hand.
C. E. Ayers
Owens Building Washington Street
NOTICE!
Delinquent 1941 Taxes
OF WASHINGTON COUNTY WILL BE
Advertised for
Sale Next Week
AND SOLD ON
THE FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER
Embarrassment and Advertising Costs Can Be
Avoided by Those Who Pay Their Past-Due
Tax Accounts Immediately
PLEASE PAY YOUR TAXES WOW!
J. E. Davenport
Tax Collector—Washington County