North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon ,,****» and Washington County News ******* VOLUME LV NUMBER 34 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, August 24, 1944 4 ********** ************** KEEP Fiti.ft t- \withus—\ \by buying'-. WAR BONDS ESTABLISHED 1889 Town! OPICSj Hubert L. Cox. son of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Cox, of Plymouth, now in San Pedro. California, has recently been promoted from Chief Petty Officer to Chief Warrent Officer. His father advised that he is now awaiting as signment to return to the South Pa cific. A. L. Alexander, one of Plymouth's leading insurance men, has secured the agency for the Jefferson Stand ard Life Insurance Company, of Greensboro, for both Washington and Tyrrell Counties. Negotiations for the new agency were concluded the first of this week. The number of applications for general election absentee ballots for men in the military service is showing an increase, according to W. VV. White, of Skinnersville. chairman of the county board of elections. Up to Thursday of last week. 118 ballots has been mailed, as compared with about 75 issued for the primary in May. An application blank for the bal lots is published in this issue of The Beacon. Lt. <jg> and Mrs. James A. Ches son, jr„ spent several days last week with Lieutenant Chesson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. James A. Chesson. sr.. near Roper. Lieutenant Chesson is a Naval aviator attached to a con verted carrier recently engaged in convoy duty in the Atlantic. He has made several crossings since he was assigned to this duty some months ago. The price parfel of the local ration ing board is planning to check ceil ing-price compliance by dry-goods merchants and restaurants through out the country in the near future. Owners of such establishments have been called on to furnish certain in formation in order to establish their ceiling prices, after which the com pliance check will be instituted. The Rev. and Mrs. E. B. Quick have gone to Lake Phelps to spend a 10-day vacation. Mr. Quick will be back to fill his pul pit at the Christian church here Sunday morning, August 27. re turning to Lake Phelps Monday. Anyone desiring to get in touch with him concerning church matters may do so by addressing his mail in care of the Rev. T. F. Davenport, Creswelt. J. D. Bowen, storekeep, second class, of the U. S. Navy, is - ••ruling this -veek with hi;, t-.ther, E Bowen, near here. Br. Bowen vol unteered for service in the Navy in April, 1942, and has been practical ly all over the world since that time as member of the armed guard on a merchant vessel. His sea duty car ried him to India, Africa, and vari ous ports in the Atlantic and South Pacific areas. He now has a shore station at Quonset Point, R. I. Southern Albemarle Meeting Called Off - -<S> Polio Situation Causes In definite Postponement, Whitley Announces The annual meeting of the Southern Albemarle Association, orig inally scheduled to be held at Manteo Thursday of next week, August 31. has been indefinitely postponed on account of the infantile paralysis situation, it was announced early this week by W. L. Whitley, of Plymouth, president of the organization. Mr. Whitley said he had canvassed the opinion of all officials of the as sociation. and that it was decided best to call off the gathering in view of the circumstances. Plans for the meeting will be taken up at a later date, it is stated. Mr. Whitley said that at an early date he would call a meeting of the executive committee of the as sociation to be held at Columbia to discuss matters of interest to the member counties of the organization, Tyrrell, Dare, Hyde and Washington. It is understood that the road pro gram will be brought up to date at the The annual meeting of the South ern Albemarle Association was called off last year on account of the se vere storm which made travel to Manteo impossible at the time the gathering was scheduled. The last regular meeting was held in 1942. John W. Darden, of Plymouth, is the Washington County vice presi dent of the association. THREE BROTHERS OVERSEAS—TWO WOUNDED IN FRANCE The three sons of Mr anti Mrs. M. G. Warren, of Roper Route 1, are all serving overseas, and two of them have been wounded since the invasion in France. They are, left bo right, Sgt Vernon W. VVarren 2o ser.ous^ lv wounded in France June 14th; Pvt. Lacy M. Warren, 2!). sligthly wounded in the left arm in France on July 12th: and Pfc. Tim L. Warren, who is in Italy. Sergeant Vernon and Private Lacy have received Purple Heart awards for wounds received in action. Teachers, Principals To Meet Here Week Before Schools Open ] Rationing Board ! j Asks Cooperation j Due to the fact that many peo ple are waiting until Thursday to file their aplications for gaso line and tires, the Rationing Board announces adoption of the following rule, and strict adher ence to it: “All aplications received in the office of the Board or postmark ed as late as Wednesday night preceding each Thursday, will not be given consideration before Thi ;day of the following week. This „ being don from the fact that I! cf.icc fe-ee cannot re i eeive the bulk of a week's appli | cations and get them ready for the Board to review the same day. This should be kept in mind as no case will be made an ex ception, and all will be treated alike.’’ Compliance Check *is Made in County 30 Out of First 71 Grocery Firms Checked Get Rat ing of “Perfect” The price panel of the Washington County War Price and Rationing Board is completing a check of ev ery grocery establishment in the county. The check is being made as to compliance with ceiling prices and posting of ceiling prices, as required by OPA regulations. There are 82 stores in the county, and approxi mately 70 have been checked so far. Miss Mary Elizabeth Bray, price clerk of the board, said yesterday that in checking the reports made to date. 30 had been found to have perfect records of compliance. The check also disclosed about 30 per cent of the remainder were within close range of receiving a rating of “per fect,” leaving less than half of those checked in error. The check is being made in order that any who may not be complying with OPA regulations may be given more explicit information. Miss Bray said that no willful violations had been found, but that ignorance is not always acceptable as an excuse before the law: and the main pur pose of the survey is assist all mer chants to keep within the regula tions. Very few were found to be selling goods at prices above the es tablished OPA ceiling, while many ! were found to be selling them below' I the ceiling prices. Merchants are re quested to examine their price lists 'and keep them posted, as required by the law. Hay Lose AAA Benefits If Dealer To Handle Grant-of-Aid Seed Not Found Farmers of Washington Coun ty may lose a portion of their i soil-building program benefits this season unless a dealer ran be secured to handle materials offered as grants-of-aid, it was learned at the AAA office here yesterday. Lime, super-phos phate and Austrian winter peas are available to a number of farmers not eligible for cash benefit payments; but so far the county AAA committee has not been able to get a dealer to han dle the Australian winter peas at the fee allowed. 30 cents per 100 pound bag. _ _ While figures are not now available as to the amount of benefits that will be lost if no dealer is secured, it doubtless will be a considerable sum in the ag gregate. Those who are eligible for the grants-of-aid in mater ials, especially those who want to order seed Austrian winter peas, are requested to use their in fluence in helping the county committee secure someone to handle the seed in this county. While it is not necessary that a seed dealer be secured, it is stat ed that whoever handles the peas would have to secure a state seed licensee. > September 18 Date Set by State Board Polio Situation Causes Post ponement; Teachers To Meet 14th and 15th Washington County schools, white and colored, will begin the 1944-45 term on Monday, September 18, it was announced yesterday by H. H. McLean, county superintendent of public instruction. Mr. McLean said this was in compliance with instruc tions issued by the State Board of Education, which met in Raleigh last Thursday and decided on a uniform postponement of school opening dates throughout North Carolina. This action was taken on account of the infantile paralysis situation in the state. Although there have been no cases of polio reported in this county, it is believed bringing teachers from areas which are infected would constitute a possible source of infection. Based on the experience of past years, it is believed the danger of an epidemic is past by the middle of September. Schools in this county were original ly scheduled to open on August 30, next Wednesday. Mr. McLean said yesterday that county principals would meet here on Wednesday September 13, before the schools open the following Monday. Teachers also are being notified to meet here on Thursday and Friday, September 14 and 15, in order to have everything ready for the formal opening of the schools on the 18th. It is hoped, by holding these meet ings of the principals and teachers before the schools open, that some of the lost time can be made up by en tering immediately upon classroom work on the 18th. Dr. J. Henry Highsmith, director of instructional service for the State Board, will be here for the principals’ meeting on the 13th. The meeting will be held in the Plymouth High School Building, Mr. McLean said. School Heal Plant 1 May Be Repaired First Ray of Hope Is Seen For Improvement in Conditions Here A glimmer of liope for better heat ing of the high school building here next winter was aroused this week, when advice was received from the manufacturer of the heating plant that an effort would be made to do something about the quipment. Just what kind of efforts would be made could not be learned, but the fact that some interest was shown is consider ed more hopeful than anything else that has occurred in this respect in the past two or three years. Last winter, conditions reached an intolerable stage during the really cold weather. There were several rooms in the building where the temperature did not reach the 50 I degree mark at any time during the school day. Teachers and pupils alike were forced to keep on their over coats or any other heavy wraps they i had available. Up to this week, school officials had been unable to get anyone with heating equipment experience to even check over the local plant. —--® Fire Department Called By Grass Fire Tuesday The Plymouth Fire Department was called out Tuesday afternoon about 2 o'clock to extinguish a grass fire close to the pickle plant. The fire was soon put out without any damage. Two Sons of Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Warren Wounded in Action: Both With Invasion Forces In France; Another Son On Italian Front -»> Two sons of Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Warren, of Roper Route 1. have been awarded the Order of the Purple Heart. Sgt. Vernon W. Warren was seri ously wounded in France on June 14th while in combat with an infan try outfit. Twenty-five years of age, Sergeant Warren enlisted in the Army in December, 1940. The nature or extent of his wounds could not be learned, but it is believed by his par ents he will soon be back in the United States. Pvt. Lacy M. Warren, brother to Vernon, was wounded July 12th, also in Fiance. He is 29 years old and was inducted into the Army on September 21, 1941 ^"cording to a reet-nt letter from him, ins wound was in the left rrm and it is not be lieved to be serious. In the same letter Private Warren told of having a shell land and burst within eight feet of where he W’as, throwing dirt all over him. but he escaped without a scratch. He describes the battle front as "hell on earth," and said he had been places “where only God could save me from harm.' He said that his wound was slight and that, he believed "God intended it that way to get me out of that place.” He went on to say that he was now in England and getting along fine, and for his folks not to worry but to pray that the war would soon be over. Mr. and Mrs. Warren's youngest son. Pfc. Tim L. Warren, is also in the Army and overseas. Now 21 years old. he was inducted October 26, 1942. and trained at Camp White, Ore. At the present time he is in Italy serving as special police, and writes that he is getting along fine. He, too, has seen front-line action, coming through it all unscathed. -$ Raymond B. Smith Anothei Local Man In French Invasion Among Other Things, He Has Learned That Crime Doesn’t Pay Life may not be entirely tranquil and safe in that sector of France where Private Raymond B. Smith, of Plymouth, is located, but at least there's never a dull moment—and.J as far as that goes, there never have been many dull moments anywhere with Raymond around. In a letter received last week by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Smith, Raymond makes a few characteristic observa tions about his manner of living since landing in Fiance with the Allied in vasion forces. Incidentally, men who have been in the service, after reading Private Smith's letter, will decide that he must be in Utopia instead of France, or that the millenium has arrived, be cause he says that the men in his uotfit are so easy to get along with that they even like the first sergeant. This is possibly the first time on record that a private ever had that good a word for a “top kick." In a previous letter from France, Raymond stated that he liked the French girls all right, but he pre ferred the English variety, because of differences in language. "Trouble with the French gals, ” he wrote, “is that when I ask them a question, they won't shake their heads, and I don’t know whether they've answer ed ‘yes' or no’.” Those who know Raymond figure he has gotten this i straightened out before now. Following are some excerpts from ; his most recent letter, dated “Some Continued on Page Four) Lt. Jno. G. Geisinger Seriously Wounded In France August 1 Letter From Hospital At tache Says He Lost His Right Arm in Battle Mi’s. John G. Getsinger. of Polk ton. who is visiting relatives and friends in Plymouth, was advised Monday that her husband. First Lt. John G. Getsinger, formerly of Plym outh, had been seriously wounded August 1st in France. The news was contained in a letter written to Mrs. Getsinger by an Army hospital at tache in France. The letter went to her home in Polkton. and her father called Mrs. Getsinger by telephone. According to the letter, written at the direction of Lieutenant Getsinger, he had lost his right arm and his right leg was seriously injured. He was reported to be getting along as well as could be expected at that time, but it was not indicated how long it would be before he would be returned to the United States. Mrs. Getsinger has not yet received of ficial notification that her husband has been wounded from the War De partment. Lieutenant Getsinger volunteered for service January 24, 1942. and was assigned to an armored force group at Fort Knox. Kv. He went overseas and was in the North African and Sicilian campaigns with a medium tank unit. He was wounded in a foot on July 11. 1943, during the Si cilian campaign, and spent four months in the hospital before rejoin ing his unit on December 10, last year. Later he was transferred to England and moved on to France with the invasion forces Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Getsinger, of Dardens, ‘'Jack." as he is well knowm here, attended the Plymouth schools, graduating in 1936. He then went to State College, at Raleigh, graduating in 1940. At the time he entered the Army, he was enployed at the Hans Rees Tannery in Asheville as a chemist. His wife is well remembered here as Miss Ruth Kiker. teacher in the local schools. Lieutenant Getsinger has a sister and brother living in Plymouth, Mrs. Gc'V”'e Harder, and S. E. Getsinger. Another brother, Pfc. Duncan Get singer, is attending an Army Dental College in Richmond, Va. His rela tives and many local friends are anxiously awaiting further informa tion about his condition, and it is hoped he will be able to come home in the very near future. Last of Wednesday Half Holidays Here Next Week The last of the Wednesday half holidays for the current year will be observed by Plymouth stores and business houses next week. Begin ning September 1st. stores will ob serve the regular week-day hours on Wednesday, opening at 9 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. The mid-week half day closing has been in effect since the first of April. -® Elmo Mayo Is Released From Naval Hospital Aviation Cadet F. E. Mayo has been released from the U. S. Naval hos pital in Bainbridge. Md.. after re ceiving over three months' treatment in Naval hospitals and will be as signed further duty with the Navy. Cadet Mayo suffered injuries last February while in basic training with the Navy Air Corps at Athens, Ga., which consisted of torn liagments be tween his right shoulder and arm. The injury eliminated him from fur ther training in the air corps. -s Local Legion Post Festival Next Week -« W. C. Kaus Shows Will Furnish Attractions On Midway The annual fun festival of the James E. Jethro Post of the Ameri can Legion will be held here next week, with the W. C Kaus Shows providing the midway and free at tractions. The festival will be held at the old Brinkley ball park, with a part of the proceeds going to the charity fund of the local Legion post. Booked earlier in the year for a fall showing here, local officials were undecided about holding the festival at this time on account of the polio situation. However, state officials were called Monday, and they said there was on ban on this type of en tertainment. Since this was the only open date available, Legion officials here decided to go ahead as planned. The midway attractions are said to be bigger and better than last year, and include a number of rides, shows and concessions. The free-act program features the Albinis, four aerialists formerly with the Ringling circus, who perform on the high wires, bars and trapezes. The mid way will be open each night, begin ning at 7 p.m., and there will be u band concert each evening. Tobaccco Markets To Open Next Monday; Good Crop in County I Charles Ed Brinn | Is in Hews Again The New Yolk Times last Sun day placed a quotation from CpI. Charles Ed Brinn, of Plym outh, now in Italy, in very dis tinguished company. In its edi torial section, under the heading "Quotations,'’ The Times prints remarks made by sundry promi nent world figures, including Gen. Ho Ying-Chin, Chinese chief of the general staff; Mohandas K. Gandhi, Indian nationalist lead er; Australian Brig. Gen. Ken neth P. Lord; Queen Wilhelmina, of the Netherlands; Lt. Gen. Ben Lear, commander of the Army Ground Forces. It then concludes with the following im provement on Nathan Hale's im mortal saying; “Cpl. Charley Brinn, of Plym outh. N. C.. during a hotly resist ed attack on a German position j in Italy: ‘My only regret is that j I have but one life to give for my country—which if I had two I’d feel safer.’” One Creswell Man Missing, Another Wounded Recently Seaman Will Mitchel Haire Reported Missing After Airplane Crash -• One Creswell man was reported missing, following an airplane crash on August 20. and another was re ported seriously wounded in Fiance on August 1st. it was learned here yesterday. Mr. and Mrs. Ashley Haire were notified Monday by the ' rav' 'Depart ment that their son. Seaman First Class Will Mitchell Haire, was miss ing. following an airplane crash on August 20. “in the performance of his duty and in the service of his coun try." No details of the occurence were announced by the Navy Depart ment, and it is not known where the crash occurred. On the same day, Isaac. Spear, sr.. also of Creswell. was notified by the War Department that tiis son, Cpl. Isaac J. Spear, was seriously wound ed in Fiance on August 1st. Mr. Spear had received a letter from his son the day before, stating that he had been wounded in the left arm and was in a hospital, but anxious to rejoin his buddies and get back into action. Scrap Paper Drive Now on in Creswell Creswell.—-The scrap paper drive in Creswell, being sponsored jointly by the Episcopal. Baptist and Metho dist churches, is meeting with excel . lent success, according to reports this week. A large amount of waste paper 1 is on hand, and an appeal is being made to everyone in the commun ity to gather up all they have on hand and turn it in for the final j round-up during the coming two i weeks. A special appeal is being directed | to those who live in the country around Creswell to join in the cam j paign and bring any scrap paper they ! have on hand to swell the total ! amount, It is urgently needed. -ig ■ Rev. Jenkins Returns To Methodist Pulpit Sunday -a— ■■ Rev. T R. Jenkins will preach at the Plymouth Methodist Church next Sunday at 11 a.m. filling his pulpit for the first time in several weeks. Sunday school will be held at 10 a.m.. and Youths' Fellowship will be j held at 7 p.m. Farmers Pleased Al Price Outlook Few Have Had Time To Prepare Tobacco for Opening Sales Tobacco will hold the center of the stage next week, when sales get un der way on the Eastern Carolina auc tion markets. A casual review this week indicated that less Washington County tobacco than usual will be placed on the opening sales next Monday, as the farmers are still busy with the curing and grading task. However, the county has a larger acreage this year, with a fair ly good yield indicated, and farm ers generally are optimistic over pros pects. The tobacco selling season opened on the Georgia markets about a month ago and in the border belt two weeks ago. The price averages, making allowance for the 3V2 cents differential allowed for graded and tied tobacco, is considered very satis factory by most growers in this sec tion. The OPA has fixed a ceiling of 43 !-2 cents per pound for the type of tobacco raised in this section, which is more than 2 cents a pound high er than last year’s average. The Washington County crop this season, in general, is considered as one of the best in recent years. For a time, about a month ago, it looked as if the crop would be a failure, due to lack of rain. However, most sec tions have since received enough moisture, although there are a. few exceptions. Quality is generally re ported to be good, and a fair yield is indicated, although some farmers say the crop will be lighter than most people expect. There are upwards of 300 tobacco farmers in this county, and many of them wiU take Monday .off to visit, the opegring sales. Gasoline and tire ! ratioivn* will serve, ta &>wn the inuniD .•)•,(tending, > ■' A* ntparison with pre?TT tTnf- W flam ers will pool their transportation and visit the near-by markets. Williams ton. Washington and Robersonville are the nearest markets, but some county farmers go as far away as Greenville. Wilson and Rocky Mount to sell their tobacco. No Survey Yet for Extension of Mains -(t> However, Mayor Says Fav orable Report on Project Expected Next Week Up to yesterday no further action had been taken by the town toward surveying the proposed extension of water and sewer lines, as ordered by the council at a special meeting Tues day night of last week. Tire special committee. Mayor B. G. Campbell, Councilman H. E. Harrison, and Chief of Police P. W. Brown, had not been able to up to that time to secure anyone to make the survey, a necessary prerequisite to estimating the cost of the proposed improve mnts. However, Mayor Campbell said yes terday that he hoped somethig defi nite could be determined by next week as to the cost of the undertak ing. The Mayor indicated he be | lieved a favorable report would be made on the project, which calls for extending water and sewer mains to the housing development on Easi Third Street Extended, as well as out East Main Street Extended possibly as far as the Conaby Creek bridge Erection of the 25 houses on East Third Street Extended depends on extension of the water and sewer lines, since they are to be financed under FHA regulations, which re quire that these facilities be avail able Extension of the mains out East Main Street will serve some 60 oi- more houses in that region, be sides making possible further do velopment of a residential neighbor hood in that direction. j County Farmers Must Call lor Their | j Tobacco Marketing Cards This Year j Comparatively few of tlie near ly 300 tobareo farmers of Wash ington Count> have railed for their 1944 marketing cards so far, according to Miss Miriam Ausbon. chief clerk at the AAA office in the agriculture build ing here. The cards have all been made out and will be de livered to the farmers if they call, but none will be mailed out this year it is stated. Only seven farmers ovcrplant cd their allotments, and they have indicated that they would pay in adavnee the penalty on their excess poundage, so that they can set the regular white marketing cards. If the penalty is not paid in advance, a red card is issued those with excess acre age. and they must pay a por tion of the penalty every time they have tobacco on sale at warehouses. Farmers who have not yet called for their marketing cards are advised to do so as soon as possible, so that they will have them when they get ready to sell tobacco. Again, it is emphasized that the cards will not he mailed out this year. They must be called for at the .AAA office in the agriculture building.