The Roanoke Beacon
♦ * * * * * * and Washington County News *******
Piper must be used to keep
naval shells unmarred for
accuracy in firing at our
enemies . « . And waste
pafer reserves are the
lowest of a ay vital war
marc-ial!
SAVE WASTE PAPER
rrrru.rH
VOLUME LV—NUMBER 14
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, April 6, 1944
"i . . ■ - j
ESTABLISHED 1889
Town
OPICS
. ..............
It is unofficially reported that
around 45 colored men were accept
ed for service in the Army and Navy
out of the contingent of 54 which
left here for Fort Bragg last Friday
morning. Several were held over, and
It could not be learned definitely
how many were rejected.
Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Jordan return
ed to their home in Dardens last
Thursday night after spending some
time at Hot Sprinks, Ark. Friends
will be glad to learn that Mrs. Jor
dan is much improved after suffer
ing intensely with arthritis and neu
ritis.
Major R. Gregg Cherry, of
Gastonia, candidate for the Dem
ocratic nomination for governor
in tile primary May 27. was a
visitor in Plymouth last night and
this morning. After spending the
night here and meeting a num
ber of local people this morn
ing, he went on to Manteo, where
he will speak tonight.
Pfc. Clarence E. Ayers, jr„ of the
U. S. Marine Corps, was recently
graduated from the mortar gunnery
school at the Camp Elliott, San
Diego, Calif., training center with a
rating of high expert. Pfc. Ayers,
son of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Ayers, of
Plymouth, made an exceptional rec
ord at the gunnery school, it was an
nounced by the Marine Corps pub
lic relations sections.
Lee V. Landing, jr., son of Mr. and
Mrs. Lee Landing, of Plymouth, ad
vised his parents by telegram Mon
day that he had arrived at a U. S.
Maritime Service cadet school in Mis
sissippi, where he will receive train
ing. He left here Saturday.
The Rev. Lee A. Phillips returned
yesterday after undergoing a medi
cal examination at the Baptist hos
pital in Winston-Salem. He an
nounces that the regular schedule of
services will be held at the local Bap
tist church Sunday.
Announcement was made this
week that an Important meet
ing of the Plymouth Parent-Tea
cher Association will be held next
Tuesday night, April 11, at 8
o’clock in the auditorium of the
high school. All patrons of the
local school are urged to attend.
Pfc. Delbert D. Allen arrived Tues
day to spend a few days here with his
father, P. D. Allen, and brother, H. H.
Allen. Private Allen is stationed at
Camp Shanks, N. Y., with a provost
marshal’s detachment.
No new candidates for county of
fices announced this week, and filing
time for such candidacies expires on
Saturday of next week, April 15, at
6 p. m. At the present time, only
three candidates are in the field:
Edward L. Owens and Ben A. Sum
ner for county representative, and
J. Robert Campbell for register of
deeds.
Four Cases Tried
In County Court
Four cases were tried Tuesday in
recorder's court here by Judge W.
Ronald Gaylord. The various charges
included theft and escape from the
county prison camp, in addition to
traffic violations. Following is the list
of proceedings:
Willie Brown, colored, of Plymouth,
charged with theft; assessed the court
costs.
Robert Chase, colored, was given
an additional six months for escap
ing from the county prison camp.
For allowing a minor to operate
his car without driver’s license, R. I.
Collins, white, of Mackeys, was fined
$10 and costs.
E. H. Spruill, white, found guilty
of operating a motor vehicle after
his license had been revoked, was
fined $100 and costs.
-<s>
Easter Services at
Methodist Church
-®
T. R. Jenkins, Minister
Church School, 10 a.m„ Easter pro
gram given by choir.
Morning worship, 11 a.m., sermon
topic: 'He Saved Others—Himself
He Could Not Save.”
Youth Fellowship, 6:30 p.m.
Evening worship, 8 p.m., sermon
topic: “The Burning Heart.” Junior
choir and possibly adult choir in
charge of music.
You are cordially invited to all
these services.
Relatives oi Service Men Are Urged To
Have Absentee Ballots Sent To Them
In an effort to get absentee
ballots to as many srvice men
and women as possible, the coun
ty board of elections this week
delegated Mrs. Hermine Ramsey,
of Plymouth, and Mrs. H. W.
Pritchett, of Creswell, to assist
in filling out and distributing ap
plications. They will also receive
the applications from relatives
of those in service and mail them
to the chairman of the county
board of elections.
Walter VV. White, chairman of
the board of elections, said this
action was taken for the conven
ience of relatives who wish to
apply for ballots for members of
their families now in the service.
Any member of the immediate
family of those in the Army,
Navy, Marine Corps, or Merchant
Marine may apply for the bal
lots. An application blank fs
printed in this issue of The
Beacon which may be clipped
and used, or an official blank
may be secured from Mrs. Ram
sey or Mrs. Pritchett.
Mr. White urges that relatives of
service men eligible to vote take
advantage of the plan to provide
them absentee ballots. If appli
cation is made now, ballots for
both the primary in May and
general election in November will
be sent.
Practically No Chance
For Deferment of Any
Registrants Under 26
GETS COMMISSION
Joseph Brinson Cox received
his Navy "Wings of Gold” and
commission as ensign in the U. S.
Naval Reserve following his
graduation from the Naval Air
Training Center at Corpus Chris
ti, Texas, March 22. He is the
son of Assistant Clerk of the Su
perior Court and Mrs. XV. B. Cox,
of Plymouth.
Colored Employee
Instantly Killed at
Box Plant Monday
-&
Alexander James, 32, Acci
dentally Struck by Heavy
Piece of Lumber
-®
Alexander James, 32-year-old col
ored employee of the Plymouth Box
and Panel Company, was instantly
killed Monday afternoon about 4
o'clock, when he was struck by a
heavy cross-tie while at work at the
plant. Some heavy sills, or cross
ties, on the top deck at the saw mill
there, were being placed on an in
clined slide that carried them down
to the yard level. The slide ended
two or three feet from the ground,
and James was under it for some pur
pose. The workman at the top could
not see him and started one of the
heavy pieces of lumber down the slide
just as James raised his head, which
was caught between the descending
tie and one just ahead of it, crushing
his skull and killing him instantly.
James had been an employee of
the mill for a number of years and
was highly regarded as one of its
best workmen. Born in Plymouth he
had lived here all his life and was
respected by the members of both
races. He is survived by his wife and
three small children, in adddition to
his mother, Annie James, four bro
thers and seven sisters.
He was a member of the New
Chapel Baptist Church of Plymouth,
where the final rites will be conduct
ed next Sunday by the pastor, Rev.
A. R. Winbome.
■ I
| Zeph N. Deshields, Former Resident, |
I New Manager of Employment Office I
Zeph N. Deshields, former resi
dent of Plymouth, arrived in
Plymouth last Saturday to be
come manager of the local Unit
ed States Employment Office,
succeeding Mrs. Elizabeth DeKay
Johnson, who was recently pro
moted to area analyst for the
War Manpower Commission.
Mr. Deshields is a native of
Washington County and lived
here until 1907. He has recently
been connected with the Federal
employment service as an Inter
viewer in the Elizabeth City of
fice.
Mr. Deshields comes to Plym
outh well qualified to assume, his
new duties, which will include
recruitment and replacement of
workers and administration of
the employment stabilization pro
gram in this section. The Plym
outh office staff now includes
Mrs. Cottie Mae Gurganus, who
recently joined the organization
after several years’ employment
with the North Carolina Pulp
Company.
Many Will Have To
Come From Farms,
Draft Officials State
-<3>
New Directives Explained
At Regional Meet Last
Week in Washington
There is very little chance for the
deferment of any registrant in Wash
ington County under 26 years of age,
officials of the local draft board were
told Wednesday of last week, when
they attended a regional meeting of
selective service officials in Wash
ington. Those attending the meeting
from this county included R. L. Tet
terton, chairman: O A. Chesson,
member: and Mrs. Eliza Daniels,
clerk to the local draft board; W. V.
Hays and Miss Helene Duvall, of the
USDA War Board.
They were told that all registrants
under 26 years of age regardless of
their occupation or maritial status,
who have not been examined within
the past 90 days by the armed for
ces are to be ordered to report for
pre-induction physical examinations
in the immediate future. Directives
to this effect have been issued the
boards for the purpose of accelerat
ing the processes of induction of
younger men to meet urgent needs
of the armed services, as well as to
provide the director of Selective
Service and employers with informa
tion regarding those who are not
physically acceptable for military
service.
With regard to agriculture, it was
stated that a great many people
thought the withdrawal of the war
unit plan for measuring agricultural
activities would liberalize farm de
ferments. This is declared to be an
erroneous construction. While the
16-unit minimum has been eliminat
ed entirely, local boards were instruc
ted to bear in mind the national situ
ation and need for young fighting
men in the armed forces, as formerly
stated by the President, General Mar
iBee~DRAFr~RUTJSSr?ag<f 4)
-$
Ammon Smithson, Now in
India, Receives Promotion
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Smithson, of
Creswell, were informed last week
that their son, Ammon Smithson,
had been promoted to the grade of
corporal while serving with the Unit
ed States Army in India. Corporal
Smithson has been in New Delhi, do
ing administrative work, since last
December.
County Board in
RegularMeeiing
The Washington County Board of
Commissioners at its regular meet
ing here last Monday adopted a reso
lution approving a map filed by rep
resentatives of the State Highway &
Public Works Commission, showing
all public roads maintained directly
or indirectly by the state. A few
changes were explained by the high
way commission representative, and
the county commissioners agreed that
they were made for the best inter
ests of the county road system. The
re.1 olutions approved and ratified the
map, adopting it as the official road
map of the county.
Tire board also authorized County
Tax Collector J. E. Davenport to ef
fect a settlement with the Town of
Roper for property which had been
sold under tax lien by the town and
which had failed to bring the total
amount of back taxes due the town
and county. The collector was au
thorized to settle the tax accounts on
a pro rata basis, and he was relieved
of the difference.
Mrs. Prances M. Darden made her
report on county home demonstration
work during the month of March
which was accepted.
Equalization Board
Ups Tax Values of
31 Firms in County
Action Adds Total of $22,
150 To Personal Prop
erty Valuation
A total of $22,150 was added to
the listed values of 31 business es
tablishments in Washington County
at the meeting of the Board of Equal
ization and Review held here on
March 13, it was learned this week,
when the amended valuations were
recorded in the minutes of the board's
meeting. Prior publication was with
held, it was stated, until those af
fected had been notified directly of
the increases.
Practically all of the increases
dealt with the valuation of stock,
fixtures and equipment of the various
business establishments. It was
stated by one member of the board
that the additions were made to bring
the personal property valuations of
those affected into line with other
similar enterprises. No fixed per
centage was used in making the in
creases, as each was individually fixed
by comparisons w th similar estab
lishments or concerns.
Following is a list, of the increases
in valuation ordered by the equaliza
tion board:
Plymouth Township: Abe Adler,
$750; Arps’ Pharmacy, $500; C. E.
Ayers, $1,000; Allen's Store, $750; J.
S. Brown, $250; Byrd's Clothing
Store. $1,000; R. S. Browning, $2,
000; B. G. Campbell, $2,000; Econo
my Cleaners, $1,250; Ganderson’s
Quality Shop, $500; Hassell Brothers
Bakery, $500; Plymouth Furniture
Co., $500; H. E. Harrison Wholesale
Co., $2,200; Kelly’s Economy Auto
Supply, $250; Kelly’s Grocery, $500:
Kulman’s store, $500: E. H. Liver
man, $1,000; Plymouth Hardware
Store, $500; Satterthwaite Motor Co.,
$750; Outten & Tetterton. $500;
Womble’s Drug Store. $500: Win
slow’s, $500; White & Bowen, $500;
Lees Mill Township: W. A. Blount,
$500; Mrs. M. H. Mizell, $1,700; W.
Bruce Blount, $100; H. L. Lewis. $350:
Mrs. Joe Nowarah, $300;
Scuppernong Township: O, D Hat
field, $200; H. R. Stillman, $200; Mrs
H. H. Bateman, $100
Wealher Hampers
Clean-Up Drive in
Town This Week
Hope More Progress Can
Be Made Latter Part
Of Week
-«
Clean-Up Week got off to a bad
start this week, rain and cold keep
ing most folks indoors during the first
three or four days. However, town
and health department officials hope
that more progress will be made dur
ing the last three days, if better
weather conditions prevail.
The clean-up drive is a necessary
prelude to the mosquito-control pro
gram to be conducted here this year,
and every local resident is urged to
clean-up his premises and remove all
possible breeding places by the eli
mination of tin cans or any other
type of container where water can
stand.
Vacant lots should be cleaned off.
holes filled in, and weeds kept down
in order to lessen the mosquito nuis
ance. The town is preparing to do
its part by oiling all low places and
ditches where water stands during
the summer months. An early start is
necessary to keep ahead of the pests,
and everyone is urged to do his part
in the drive by cleaning up his prem
ises just as soon as the weather im
proves.
Board of Elections To
Hold Meeting Saturday
-«
Tire county board of elections will
meet at the courthouse here Satur
day to appoint registrars and judges
of elections for the primary on May
27, it was announced this week by
Chairman Walter W. White. J. M.
Clagon, of Roper, and J. R. Carr, of
Plymouth, are the other members of
the board.
April 15 Last Day
To File for Office
Saturday, April 15, is the last
da> for candidates for nomina
tion for the offices of state sena
tor, member of the state house
or representatives and county
and township offices to file their
notices of candidacy with the
county board of elections.
Through a typographical error,
it was stated last week in this
paper that the filling time ended
May 15, when It should have read
"April 15.”
All notices of candidacy must
be in the hands of the county
board of elections by 6 pan.,
Saturday, April 15, to be ac
cepted, Chairman Walter W.
White emphasised yesterday.
Two County Men Announce
For State Senator, Subject To
Democratic Primary May 27
W. L. Whitley Will
Resign as Member
Local Ration Board
Member of Original Board
He Has Served for More
Than Two Years
W. L. Whitley, Plymouth attorney,
yesterday announced that he was re
signing as a member of the Wash
ington County War Price and Ration
ing Board, after having served con
tinuously since the board was first
established over two years ago, in
January, 1942. He will submit his
resignation at the regular meeting of
the board tonight, and it is to be
come effective immediately
Mr. Whitley is one of the two origi
nal members of the board now serv
ing, the other being A. J Riddle. E.
P. Still, who resigned due to the
pressure of other work several months
ago, was the other member of the
original board.
Mr. Whitley served as chairman of
the board for the first 17 months of
its existence, during the period when
its duties were being constantly ex
panded. At the start it had only to
deal with the rationing of new autos
and tires; but as time went on it
became necessary to add gasoline,
fuel oil. sugar, rubber boots, shoes,
bicycles, and all types of food items.
At times the board was required to
remain In almost continuous session,
and an enormous amount of time was
required of the members. They serv
ed faithfully and without any com
pensation whatever, much of the time
in the face of unfounded criticism
Within the past year, the board has
been reorganized with various pan
els set up to handle the various phas
es of the rationing program. This
has reduced the amount of time re
quired of members by spreading the
work over a much gerater number of
people. Since the reorganization,
Mr. Whitley has served as chairman
of the tire panel.
Mr. Whitley said yesterday that he
felt he had been called upon to make
about all the sacrifices that could
reasonably be expected of anyone
and that he was stepping aside to
let someone else accept the respon
sibility. He said he intended to de
vote his time to rehabilitating the
losses he had incurred by reason of
his service on the board.
Registrants Now
Classified by Age
Whether a registrant is a father or
non-father no longer makes any dif
ference in preparing calls of regis
trants for induction, it was learned
this week at the local draft board of
fice. The determining factor at this
time is the age group to which the
registrant belongs.
Those under 20 years of age get the
first call, according to the sequence
of theier order numbers; those over
26 and under 38 are next, in their or
der-number sequence. Practically ev
ery registrant in the county under 26,
who has not been examined in the
past 90 days, will be called to go to
go to Port Bragg the latter part of
this month, as well as some who are
over 26. The fact that a man is un
married or married and a father no
longer has any bearing as to when he
will be called.
Monday Will Be
Holiday Locally
<*
Easter Monday, April 10, will be
observed as a general holiday in
Plymouth, with the bank, most busi
ness houses and stores to be closed
all day. The stores and business
business houses will not observe the
Wednesday half-holiday next week,
however, but will resume them the
following week, on Wednesday. April
19th.
The post office will not be closed
Monday, and mail deliveries will be
made as usual. The white and col
ored schools in Plymouth will be
closed both Friday and Monday, in
order to give teachers who live out
of town a chance to get a few days
at home. It could not be learned this
morning whether other schools in the
county would close Monday or not. as
this was left optional with local au
thorities.
Next Wednesday, April 12, is Hali
fax Day, which is usually observed
as a holiday by state banks. Mr.
Beam, cashier of the Branch Bank
here, said this morning, however, that
the local bank would not observe it
as a holiday this year on account
of the Easter holiday falling in the
same week.
MISSING IN ACTION
Staff Sergeant Ben.famin W.
Robertson has been missing in
action over Germany since
March 8, the War Department
informed his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. W. W. iDock) Robertson, of
near Plymouth, on March 25th.
Sergeant Robertson was top tur
i ret gunner on a B-17 “Flying
| Fortress” bomber.
Red Cross Campaign
Is Brought To Close;
‘$163.15 Over Quota
Chairmen for County and
Various Communities
Express Thanks
The Red Cross war Fund Cam
j uaign in Washington County was de
dared officially closed yesterday by
j Chapter Chairman John W. Darden,
'with total collections of $5,163.15,
j representing an over-subscription of
j $163.15 of the county’s- $5,000 quota.
Mr. Darden said that there might be
; a few more dollars outstanding, but
I that so far as he knew then the re
ports were complete and the cam
paign closed.
Mr. Darden expressed his thanks
and paid high tribute to the various
community chairmen for their part
in making the county drive a suciess.
J. Shepherd Brinkley headed the
campaign in Plymouth Township;
| Mrs. C. L. Everett was chairman for
j Skinnersville: Mrs. Sidney Smith
j son for Scuppernong; and Mrs. J.
L. Rea and Mrs. C. S ITeynen, co
chairmen in Wenona.
For their part, all the community
chairmen gave credit to their can
vassers and workers for putting the
county "over the top.” The goal was
really achieved nearly two weeks
ago, although reports were a little
late in being made in some instances.
The final tabulation, made yester
day, showed cash collections of $5,
113.15, plus credit for $50 from the
national organization for two dona
tions made direct Mrs. Sidney
Smithson, of Creswell. reported a to-,
tal of $608.95 for Scuppernong
Township, $123.25 of which was raised
by the colored people there. Last
week donations there stood at $525.01.
The list of contributors is being
continued on another page of this
paper, but it will be several more
weeks before publication of the names
of all donors is completed.
! e arm Bureau Meeting
To Be Held Tomorrow
The Washington County Farm Bu
reau will hold an important meeting
in the agriculture building here Fri
day night at 8 o’clock. J. R. Man
ning. president, urges all members
to attend. He said that some very
important information would be dis
cussed, including prices of tobacco,
peanuts, irish potatoes and the draft
situation as it applies to farmers.
Zeb Vance Norman
And W, R. Hampton
Enter District Race
Both Men Have Had Con
siderable Experience in
Public Affairs
Two well-known Plymouth men,
Z V. Norman and W. R Hampton,
announced Tuesday that they would
be candidates for the Democratic
nomination as senator from the Sec
ond Senatorial District, which in
cludes the counties of Washington.
(Martin, Beaufort, Dare, Hyde. Tyr
| rell and Pamlico. Two senators are
, to be chosen in the district, but it
I has been the usuai custom not to
: elect two from the same county.
The district was represented at the
1943 session of the General Assembly
by Hugh G. Horton, of Williamston
and E. A. Daniel, of Washington. It
has been reported that Mr. Horton
who has served two terms, will not
be a candidate this year; while Mr
Daniel’s intentions are not known
here at this time. Mr. Daniel has
served only one term, and it is un
officially reported he will be a can
j didate again this year The last
| senator from Washington County
! was Carl L. Bailey, who served at the
1933 and 1935 sessions of the legis
lature.
Both Mr. Norman and Mr. Hamp
ton have had considerable experience
in public affairs, and both have re
ceived assurances from other coun
ties of substantial support in the May
primary'. At the present time Mr.
'Hampton is a member of the State
' Board of Conservation and Develop
J ment and chairman of the committee
on commercial fishing for that agen
| cy. He was chairman of the county
i board of commissioners from 1933 to
1935 and has served as chairman of
the county board of elections and
Democratic executive committee. He
: is also a member of the Hatferas
I Seashore National Park Commission
and a director of the Carolina Motor
Club.
Mr. Norman had a lengthy legis
lative experience in 1931. when he
represented Washington County in
the house during the record five
month session. In the county, he
served as solicitor of the recorder’s
court for five years, as judge of the
same court for another five years,
and for 10 years or more was county
attorney. Until last year, he had been
tSee STATE SENATE, Page 41
--«
Two Vacancies on
City Council Filled
By Recent Action
C. O. Kelly Succeeds E. E.
Harrell; J. S. Brinkley
Is Appointed
The regular meeting of the town
council last Monday night was fea
tured by the election of one council
man and the swearing-in of another
to fill unexpired terms of members
who have resigned.
Clarence O. Kelly, who was elect
ed last month to succeed E. E. Har
rell, of the third ward, took the oath
of office and entered upon his new
duties. Mr. Harrell left last month
to enter the service of the United
States Navy.
J. Shepherd Brinkiey was elect
ed by the council to serve out the
unexpired term of W A. Roebuck, of
the second ward, who resigned Feb
ruary 1st to move to Bethel.
Various reports were received by
the council, including one that the
town had paid off all the bonds and
interest due during the current year
Policeman Paul Basnight also re
ported that eight dogs were caught
and impounded last month.
Local Draii Board Has Number Calk
To Be Filled During NonSh ol April
The Washington County Se
leetivc Service Hoard lias a flock
of calls on hand, it was learned
yesterday. Included are two
rails for pre-induction examina
tions and two others for men who
have already been examined to
report for induction during the
month of April.
First is a call for a relatively
small number of colored men to
go to Fort Bragg Friday morning
of this week for their pre-induc
tion examinations. Then on
Thursday of next week, April 13,
there is a call for induction from
both the Army and Navy for all
white men accepted from the
consent examined at Fort Brapg
last March 11th. The next is an
induction cal! from the Navy for
all the colored men accepted tn
the February 8 contingent.
The largest call of the month
will come on April 24. when a
contingent of white men will go
to Fort Bragg for their pre-in
duction examination. This call
will include every white regis
trant in the county under 26
years of age who has not been
examined in the preceding 90
days, plus a few who are over 26.
it was stated at the office of
the draft board.