The Roanoke Beacon
* * j* * * * * and Washington County News ★★★★★★★
VOLUME LIV NUMBER 24 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, June 17, 1943
Victory.,.
RUUD STATES DEFENSE
BONDS * STAMPS
ESTABLISHED 1889
I
I
Town
opics
There was no session of recorder's
court this week. The few cases on
the docket were all continuances from
previous sessions, and it was decided
not to hold a session before next
Tuesday.
Harry Gurkin, fireman first class,
of the United States Naval Reserve,
visited his parents. Mr. and Mrs. L.
W. Gurkin. here the first of this
week. He returned to Norfolk Tues
day night. For the past six months
he has been on duty in Newfound
land.
Every Monday is War Bond Day at
the Plymouth Theatre, patrons are
reminded. Starting about a month
ago, the management agreed to use
the entire box office receipts each
Monday for the purchase of War
Bands. Movie-goers are urged to
remember this in making plans to
attend shows at the local theatre.
The new TT gasoline coupon,
which will replace the present T
coupon, becomes valid July 1st.
The old-type T-coupon will be
invalid after July 25, truck own
ers are advised. The OPA ex
pects the change in coupons will
help take up the “slack” mile
age and remove potential sources
of black market gasoline.
Mrs. William Long, of Mackeys, has
been notified that her husband. Priv
ate William Long, of the U. S. Army,
has arrived safely at an Army post
somewhere in the Pacific area. Priv
ate Long entered the service last De
cember and received his basic train
ing at Camp Wheeler, Ga.
Pfc. Norman Seldenridge, of Fort
Jackson. S. C.. has been spending this
week here with relatives and friends.
He entered the Army in January and
has been training with a mechaniz
ed calvary outfit at Fort Jackson
since that time.
Douglas Carter, local young man
who was driver of a car which fatal
ly injured a colored man near
Greensboro several weeks ago. was
absolved of blame for the accident by
the Guilford County grand jury Tues
day of this week, when it declined to
return a true bill against him.
The new shoe ration stamp.
No. 18 in War Kation Book No.
1 became valid Wednesday,
June 16. and will be good until
October 31.
Pfc. Thomas G. Gardner has been
visiting relatives and friends here
this week. He will leave the latter
part of the week for Fort Jackson.
S. C., where he has been stationed
since entering the Army several
months ago.
Wool in the hands of farmers,
sale of which has been prohibited
for some time, was released this week
and may now be sold by producers to
anyone, County Agent W. V. Hays
said yesterday. A number of county
farmers have already disposed of
their spring shearings since the re
lease order was issued.
The combination of a good crop
and recent hot weather has created
an urgent demand for more potato
pickers in Tyrrell County, according
to the local employment office. For
information regarding hiring, wages
and transportation, those interested
are urged to call at the employment
office in the basement of the court
house here at cnce.
-$
Short Session Court
In July Is Forecast
-«>
Local lawyers were to meet this
week to set the civil calendar for the
July term of Washington County Su
perior Court, which will convene on
July 12, with Judge J. Walter Bone,
of Nashville, scheduled to preside.
It is not believed there will be many
civil cases to be tried at this session.
There are some old cases on the cal
endar which have been hanging fire
for many months, but it is prob
lematical that they will be disposed
of, and very few new actions have
been instituted in recent months.
The court has a number of cases
on the criminal docket. There is one
murder case, several will be tried for
breaking and entering, and there are
a few other miscellaneous matters
to be cleared up. It is expected that
the July session will be a very brief
one, barring unexpected develop
ments.
Young Naval Flier Who Crashed Here
Last Julv Killed in Accident Nav 14th
Ensign Robert L. Wist, the
young Naval aviator who para
chuted to safety when his air
plane crashed near here late in
July of last year, was killed on
May 14th, this year, when the
Naval plane on which he was a
passenger crashed while on a
routine flight, it was learned
here this week.
J. Roy Manning, jr., local
young man. who had been cor
responding with Ensign Wist,
received a letter from the Naval
flier's wife this week informing
him of the accident. Mrs. Wist
said her husband was killed in
stantly in the crash, which oc
curred somewhere in Florida. He
was not piloting the ship at the
time, but had simply gone along
to get in some hours of night
flying, she said.
It will be recalled that Ensign
Wist “bailed out" of his plane
when it became unmanageable
over Plymouth during a sudden
electrical and windstorm last
July. He landed in the Roanoke
River swamp near Warren Neck
C'reek and was not located un
til 10 or 12 hours later. His
airplane crashed on the farm
of W. H. Gurkin about two miles
south of here.
Following his rescue by R. S.
and Van B. Martin. Ensign Wist
spent the night at the home of
J. R. Manning here. He and
Roy Manning, jr„ became friends
and corresponded with each oth
er until the fatal accident last
month.
Prices Good For
3 Carloads Lambs
Although complete returns on
the lamb sale Tuesday of last
week have not been received,
County Agent W. V. Hays re
ceived a telegram yesterday stat
ing that prices were good for the
three carloads shipped from here
to New Jersey.
In the telegram, it was report
ed that the following prices pre
vailed at the sale : Blues, 17.25;
Blue Bucks. 16.25; Reds. 16.50;
Red Bucks, 15.50; Yellows, 14.50;
Yellow Bucks, 13.50; and No. 4's
were quoted at 12 cents per
pound.
Mr. Hays said most of the
lambs shipped from here graded
blues and reds, with a very few
yellows.
23 Colored Men Left
Today for Possible
Service With Army
-$
26 Originally Called, But
Three Changes Made at
Last Minute
-®
Notices were sent out 10 days ago
for 26 colored men to report to the
local draft board this morning at 10
o'clock, when they boarded a special
bus for Frot Bragg for examina
tions and possible induction into the
various branches of the armed serv
ices. A few transfers were effected
and other last-minute changes made,
reducing the number which actual
ly left this morning to 23.
The number sent away this morn
ing represents only a fraction of the
call for the month, but it was all
the local board could get ready to
answer the summons. Calls have
already been received for both white
and colored to leave in July, but the
board will not be able to fill either
of them, it was said.
For the first time since draft calls
have been issued to the local board,
Plymouth was not called on today to
furnish most of those going to camp.
Roper came first this time, with 10
summoned; Plymouth was second,
with 7; Creswel! third, with 6; while
Mackeys was called on for the other
three.
The 26 men to whom summons
were recently sent are as follows:
From Roper; Jack Johnson Moore,
Luther Augustus Grimes. Jasper
Everett, Otis Nixon, Anthony Craw
ford, jr„ George Washintgon Nor
man, James Earl Fuller. Theodore
Roosevelt Chesson, Robert Lloyd
Green, and Randolph Woods.
From Plymouth: James Whitley,
William Henry Thomas, Wallace Lee
Skinner. Daniel Hoggard. John
Downing, Stewart Oneal Bowser, and
William Alexander Gee.
From Creswell: Louis Leonard
Leary, Joseph Bolton, Leroy Wynn,
Clifton Jones, George Dallas Jones,
and Roy Blount.
From Mackeys: Henry Everett, jr„
Herman Lee Wilkins, and Johnnie
Thomas.
County Club Women To Work One Day
In Potato Fields of Section Next Week
Approximately 25 young wom
en of Plymouth have indicated
their willingness to help relieve
the shortage of help in the pota
to fields of this section by putting
in at least one day to picking up
potatoes next week. The matter
was taken up by the Junior Wo
man's Club here, and the group
will leave at 7 o'clock Wednes
day morning of next week, ac
cording to present plans, to put
in a day in the fields.
County home demonstration
members have also indocated
their willingness to help. It is
understood that members of the
Swain club, from the Westover
section, are planning to put in
one day in the fields next week;
and the idea may spread to
others of the approximately one
dozen clubs in the county.
Not all those going from Plym
outh are members of the Junior
Woman s Club, but that organi
zation is sponsoring the under
taking. _The women will be paid
the regular scale of wages for
their work, 13 cents per 100
pounds for potatoes picked up
behind plows, and 15 cents per
100 pounds for those picked up
behind diggers.
Those who are interested in
going are invited to leave their
names at the county agent’s of
fice here.
Work Hunters Must
Gef Certificate From
Employment Office
Statement of Availability Is
Necessary To Apply for
Jobs Elsewhere
-*
A warning that workers in the
Washington County area planning to
get jobs elsewhere will not be hired
without a statement of availability
from the local office of the United
States Employment Service was is
sued today by R. T. McKeithan.
manager of the Washington office
of the USES, in discussing the new
employment stabilization plan cover
ing Region IV which incldes North
Carolina.
Mr. McKeithan called attention to
provisions of the Region IV plan,
developed by representatives of la
bor and management, which require
that all workers whose most recent
employment was in an essential ac
tivity must obtain a statement of
availability from their present em
ployer or the United States Employ
ment Service before seeking other
emloyment. He added that workers
in activities other than essential do
not need statements of availability
unless they are planning to seek jobs
outside the area.
The plan, which went into effect
on May 15. places restrictions on in
ter-area migration and on hiring in
order that workers will be provided
where needed to do war production
and essential civilian work. It is
based upon the War Manpower's
Commission regulations issued un
der President Roosevelt’s "Hold-the
Line" Order stabilizing wages, prices,
and employment, and the War Man
power Commission’s national policy
on Employment Stabilization.
"Workers in activities not desig
nated as essential may be hired by
employers engaged in essential ac
tivities without restrictions, provided
they work in the area where they are
hired,” McKeithan explained.
"When a worker desires to quit or
be transferred under the conditions
outlined in the plan, he shall notify
his employer of that fact and give
his reasons. If the employer fails to
issue a statement of availability, the
worker may apply to the local Unit
ed States Employment Service office,
which will investigate and decide if
the statement is to be issued. Either
employer or worker may appeal this
decision to the area appeals panel.
Further appeals also may be taken.
Mr. McKeithan emphasized that a
worker in an essential industry may
obtain a statement of availability, if
he:
Is discharged by his last employer:
Is laid off for an indefinite period
or for a period of seven days or more:
Can establish that his present em
ployment does not utilize him at his
highest skill or that he is not being
employed full time.
Has compelling personal reasons
for wishing to change employment.
Mr. MceKithan also said that an
area appeals panel will be establish
ed here in the near future. C. M.
Taylor will serve as the non-voting
chairman of the appeals panel, which
will be composed of an equal number
of representatives of management
and labor.
Respiie From Draft
Is Seen for Fathers
-®
Induction of fathers into the
armed forces has been delayed, it was
indicated by spokesmen for the Na
tional Selective Service System this
week, one report stating that they
will not be called before October or
November. The new ruling means
that few draftees will leave this coun
ty in the near future, for the man
power for the draft in this county
has been just about exhausted for
upwards of a month or more.
There is some talk about denying
deferment to certain groups, but even
then hardly more than one out of
six fathers in the classifications in
this county will likely be called be
fore the latter part of the year, if
the Selective Service spokesmen are
correct in their statements this week
County Nears Goal
In War Bond Sales
For Month of June
Over $13,000 of “E” Bonds
Sold Up To Today;
Quota Is $2?,343
-<*>
Washington County is gradually
closing in on its goa' of $22,343 in
War Bond sales for the month of
June. Sales of “E” bonds at the
local bank and post office amounted
to $18,475. maturity value, or $13.
856.25 issue price, up to today. Bond
quotas are assigned on the issue-price
basis, which means that the county
is only $8,486.75 short of its June
goal today. In addition to the series
"E” bonds sold so far this month,
over $7,000 worth of series "F" bonds
have been disposed of. and these will
be credited against a 50 per cent in
crease of the regular quota announc
ed this week by Charles H. Robert
son. state administrator of the War
Savings Staff.
Administrator Robertson announc
ed that all city and county chairmen
are being asked to increase their sale
of bonds for June by one-half or more
of the regular “E" bond quota pre
viously set for June.
Tire purpose of this increase, he ex
plained. is to help meet the short
age in the national goal of 12 billion
dollars by sales of "E", “F", and “G"
bonds for the fiscal year set by Presi
dent Roosevelt last June. This goal
is now short by 337 million dollars,
and North Carolina is expected to
sell during June approximately five
and one-half millions in bonds, in
cluding all types, in addition to the
total quota of “E" bonds originally
set for the state.
Last December the War Savings
staffs of the various states were re
lieved of the responsibility of selling
“F” and “G" bonds, but for the
month of June, the local chairmen
are expected to push the sale of “F"
and “G” as well as "E” bonds in or
der to help make up for the 337 mil
lion shortage in tie year's total
sales. Administrator Robertson point
ed out.
-®
Application Blanks
For Fuel Oil Mailed
Out Here This Week
-®
New Allotments Expected
To Be About Same as
For Last Year
-®
Fuel-oil application blanks are be
ing mailed out this week by the lo
cal rationing board to all persons in
the county who use oil for heating
their homes and places of business.
The blanks are being sent to all those
who had fuel-oil allotments last sea
son.
Those who have moved since last
winter should not fill out the blank
sent them, but should apply to the
board, preferably by mail, for a new
application. The applications being
mailed out are for those who will
use oil to heat the same premises
they did last year.
Consumers are urged to complete
the blanks and return them at once
to the local board. Allotments will
then be figured up and coupons
mailed to them immediately.
While the coupons may be used
now to fill fuel-oil tanks, the oil
should not be used before Septem
ber 1st, as the allotments being made
for next winter are not supposed to
be used until after that date.
In general, it is expected that fuel
oil allotments for heating purposes
will be about the same as last year,
so far as homes are concerned.
Those who have used oil burners in
the past for heating their stores or
business establishments are being
advised to convert to heating equip
ment using other fuel. So far. they
have not been ordered to convert,
but rationing officials say that in the
event of a serious shortage, the oil
allotments used in business establish
ments will be first to be cut.
Local Merchants
To Meet Monday
Members of the Plymouth Mer
chants Association will hold
their June meeting next Monday
afternoon at 2:30 in the munici
pal offices here, it was announced
today by If. H. Allen, president.
Monday night of this week was
the time originally scheduled for
the meeting, but it was called off
on account of the postponed
meeting of the town council at
the same time and place.
It is understood that the prin
cipal business for consideration
by the merchants is the matter
of closing for July 4th. Inde
pendence Day comes on Sunday
this year, and it is presumed
that Monday, July 5th, will be
observed as a holiday. Last year
the Fourth came on Saturday,
but merchants here postponed
observance of the holiday then
until Monday, the 6th.
Mayor and Council
Members Sworn in
Ai Meeting Monday
All Town Employees Are
Reelected for Ensuing
Two-Year Period
-$
The Town Council of Plymouth, in
cluding the mayor, was sworn in at
a postponed meeting Monday night.
The meeting was supposed to have
been held Monday of last week, but
due to the absence of Mayor Camp
bell. was postponed until this week.
J. T. McNair, justice of the peace,
swore in the new council, and it en
tered immediately upon its duties.
Those taking the oaths of office
'were as follows: Mayor. B. G. Camp
bell: J. Roy Manning and H. E. Har
rison. councilmen from the first
ward: James W. Norman and W. A.
Roebuck, councilmen for the second
ward: and E. E. Harrell and G. R.
Leggett, for the third ward.
After taking the oaths of office,
members of the council perfected the
town's governmental set-up by re
electing all present officers for a
period of two years. The town em
ployees reelected are as follows:
Chief of police and tax collector.
P. W. Brown: night patrolmen. G. F.
Coburn and Paul Basnight; and city
clerk. Move W. Spruill.
Messrs. Harrison and Roebuck are
new members of the council. The
mayor and all other members have
had from two to ten or fifteen years’
experience in their work.
After being sworn in and complet
ing the municipal organization for
the ensuing two years, a routine bus
iness session was held.
A committee to have the water
tank painted was appointed as fol
lows: Mayor B. G. Campbell. Council
men E. E. Harrell and G. R. Leggett
and Chief of Police P. W. Brown.
Former Slave, Said
112 Years Old, Died
In County Last Week
“Aunt” Annie Norman Last
Link With Pre-Civil
War Days
-®
By MARY GOTTEN DAVENPORT
Mackeys. — Washington County's
last living link with the ante bellum
days was severed last Wednesday
when "Aunt" Annie Norman answer
ed the call and went to join her "Old
Marster" and her fellow slaves w’ho
have long since passed into the Great
Beyond.
According to her statement and her
knowledge of contemporary people
and events, Auna Anne was 112 years
old. When questioned about her age
she would produce from her rusty old
handbag a time-yellowed scrap of
paper torn from an account book. On
it was written in a fine Spencerian
hand by some white friend long dead
the date, March 10. 1831.
"Yas'm," Aunt Anne would shake
her grizzled head in pleased confir
mation, "Dat's de day I was born.”
When questioned about her childhood
she shaid that she was bom a slave,
on the plantation of Mr. Bob Davis
near Creswell. "Marse Bob,” she
said, "had so much mercy on the
people about their taxes that he
himself was sold out." Major Charles
Louis Latham, of Plymouth, bought
some of the Davis slaves, among
them Aunt Anne. She helped look
after the children and was so faith
ful that the first Mrs. Latham be
came greatly attached to her and
asked her husband in her last illness
i See FORMER SLAVE. Page 6'
Surprise Blackout
Is Success Locally
-9
Without advance warning, a test
blackout was called throughout this
section at 9:50 Tuesday night,
lasting about 30 or 40 minutes. Tire
signals followed the pattern outlined
in a test here several months ago.
and Chief Air Raid Warden P. W.
Brown said he was very agreeably
surprised with the response by the
local people.
Mr Brown said the test was met
here just about 100 per cent. All of
the wardens except one were round
ed up and reported in when the first
"yellow” signal was flashed. The
one exception was out of town at the
time. The first "blue" signal was
sounded by the siren at 9:50. follow
ed at about 10-minute intervals by
the "red", second "blue", and then
the “all-clear" was signalled by
turning on the street lights.
A few house lights were left on by
householders who were not at home,
but in these cases wardens managed
to get them turned off without hav
ing to do any damage.
Local Baptist Church Is
Without Speaker Sunday
Due to inability to secure a min
ister in time, there will be no preach
ing service at t Ire Baptist church
Sunday, it was announced by church
officials today. Sunday school, how
ever, will be held at the usual time.
Labor Shortage Topic
At Special Committee
Meeting Here Friday
No Applications
Before August 1
Those persons who failed to
secure and file their applications
for War Ration Book No. 3 be
fore June 10 will not be able to
get an aplieation blank now be
fore August 1, it was learned at
the office of the local War Price
and Rationing Board this week.
Postal authorities have been
instructed to return unused ap
plications to the local boards
throughout the country, and the
latter have been directed to place
these applications under lock and
key. as they are not to be dis
tributed before the first of Au
gust.
Detailed information as to
handling late applications will hr
furnished to the rationing boards
before August 1, it was stated by
the state OPA office. Provision
will be made for every person to
secure War Ration Book No. 3
before the time to put it into use.
it was stated.
Will Continue Price
Support for Potatoes
Throughout Season
-*
Not Necessary for Growers
To Dig Permaturely,
Official Says
-®
U. S. Department of Agriculture
support prices on irish potatoes will
be continued in North Carolina
throughout the entire marketing sea
son and it is not necessary for the
growers to dig potatoes prematurely
in order to obtain prices at the sup
port level, according to H. A. Pat
ten, state AAA executive assistant.
The Department announced ear
lier this year that it would support
the 1943 crop of irish potatoes at
$2.25 per 100 pounds for No. 1 po
tatoes in carload lots. Potatoes grad
ing at least 85 per cent No. 1 will
be supported at $2.15 per hundred,
and U. S. Commercials will be sup
ported at $2.05 per hundred. The
support price for potatoes grading
No. 2 or U. S. No. 1 size B will be
supported at $1.35 per 100 pounds.
The ceiling price at which growers
may sell potatoes in North Carolina
is $2.70 per hundred.
“It is reported in several areas that
some producers are speeding digging
operations in order to receive higher
prices, even though the potatoes
they are marketing are unusually
small,'' Patten said. “Since arrange
ments for government buying will be
gin as soon as prices go below the
support levels, many producers will
find they can obtain a larger net re
turn for their potatoes by marketing
them a little later in the season."
In addition to the price supports,
growers this year will receive a spec
ial payment from the AAA of 50 cents
per bushel, times the county's normal
yield, on all potatoes produced on
acreages between 90 and 110 per cent
af individual farm goals, provided the
farm has a goal of at least two acres.
O. M. Spurlin New Manager
Virginia Dare• Beauty Shop
O. M Spurlin, of Greensboro, on
Monday became manager of the Vir
ginia Dare Beauty Salon here.
Mr. Spurlin is considered a very
fine hair stylist. He has been hair
stylist in beauty shops at Southern
Pines, in Florida and in other places I
and comes to Plymouth highly rec
ammended.
500 More Workers
Needed in Potato
Fields of Section
Large Part of Crop May Be
Lost in Next 5 Weeks If
Labor Not Secured
-»
Ways and means of securing ap
proximately 500 extra hands to as
sist in the harvesting of the irish po
tato crop in this section was the
problem considered' at a meeting of
the Washington County Labor Ad
visory Committee in the Agriculture
Building here last Friday night.
This section is faced with a critical
shortage of manpower during the
next five weeks, when approximately
4.700 acres of irish potatoes in this
section must be harvested. If suf
ficient labor is not secured during
this period, producers face the pros
pect of losing a large part of their
crop, which is said to be of bumper
proportions.
Business and professional men in
the towns, organisations of young
boys and girls, and ladies are being
asked to volunteer to help in picking
up and grading the potatoes. Several
groups of white ladies have indicated
they would go to the potato fields on
designated days to assist in the
work. They are not asked to work
for nothing, as they will be paid the
established piece-work scale now pre
vailing on potato farms. The rate of
pay is 13 cents per 100 pounds for
picking up potatoes behind plows,
and 15 cents per 100 pounds for pick
ing them up behind diggers.
In former years, most of this
work has been done by colored peo
ple. both men and women. This
year it Iras been almost impossible
to secure such help. Many who are
not working elsewhere have refused
to do this work, althougbithe rate, of
pay is high. One colored womaft is
reported to have made over $9 for
about 10 hours' work. The yield is
high, which moans that it doesn’t
take long to pick up 100 pounds.
At the meeting Friday night, it
was decided to call on Boy Scouts,
girls’ organizations, civic and busi
ness associations and ask their help,
as a patriotic undertaking, in saving
the current crop. Colored ministers
were also requested to use their in
fluence in helping to obtain labor.
It was stated that some merchants
in Columbia weie closing their stores
and taking clerks and other em
ployees into the fields with them.
Merchants here may be requested to
See LABOR SHORTAGE. Page G1
Big Crowd Masons
At District Meet
.-$
The Rev. C. K. Proctor, superin
tendent of the Oxford Orphanage,
was principal speaker at the district
meeting of Masons held here yester
day afternoon. Mr. Proctor made a
very interesting address and was
heard by a large delegation of Masons
from the local and other lodges of the
district. Tire State Grand Master
was unable to be present and desig
nated Mr. Proctor to represent the
grand lodge officials at the meeting.
H. H. McLean, district deputy
grand master, presided over the ses
sions which began at 4 o'clock in the
hall of Perseverance Lodge. No. 59.
here. Reports were heard from four
of the seven lodges of the district
which had delegations at the meet
ing. There also were visiting dele
gations from the lodges at William
ston and Farmville. which are not in
this Masonic district.
Following the general sessions in
the lodge room, a barbecue supper
was served to all those present in
the Christian Church Annex.
Reports From All Sections oi County
Indicate Condition oi Field Crops Good
Crop prospects at this time in
Washington County are declared
to be very good. While there is
much grass in most of the fields,
due to heavy rains recently, dur
ing the past few days farmers
have been busy eliminating this
threat.
According to County Agent W.
V. Hays, the cotton crop, as a
whole, has the best prospects of
any he has ever seen. Peanuts
were a little late in being plant
ed. but those that are up are
looking good. Some farmers
were still planting peanuts this
week, although it is considered
very late.
Tobacco is another crop that
is looking good, the county agent
said. However, there is more
sun scald than usual in some lo
calities. Corn was said to be
grassy, but looking very good at
this time. Soybeans are just
abouf in the same boat as pea
nuts. late. Those which have
come up are declared to be in
good shape, but some farmers
are still planting beans. Pastures
were said to be only fair. Les
peder.a has been smothered by
rye grass in spots, according to
the farm agent.
As a whole, farm prospects
are much brighter than usual at
this time. The most serious
threat is the labor shortage, but
with a favorable season this
probably can be taken rare of.
Price prospects are considered
only fair, most crops being gov
erned by ceilings that will not
permit any real “big money" be
ing made: but. at the same time,
no one should lose any money at
present prices.