Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume], October 29, 1942, SECTION A, Page 6, Image 6

About Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1931-1948

Image provided by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC

                
THE ROAJ^OuE RAPIDS
By Mail — $2. Yearly — In Advance
ROANOKE RAPIDS, NORTH CAROLINA
THE LARGEST NEWSPAPER IN HALIFAX COUNTY
CARROLL WILSON, Owner and Editor
Entered as Second Class matter April 3rd, 1914, at the post office
at Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, under Act of March 3rd, 1879.
OFFICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
ADVERTISING - PRINTING - EMBOSSING
VOTE DEMOCRATIC TUESDAY
• • Next Tuesday, November 3rd, is General
Election day in North Carolina and in the United
States. While we have no opposition to the Demo
cratic ticket so far as county offices are concerned,
there are at least four reasons why voters of Roan
oke Rapids and the rest of Halifax County should
make it a special point to go to their respective vo
ting places and vote.
(1) They should give a complimentary and
sanctioning vote to the county officials nominated
in the Democratic Primary by voting for all of the
county ticket with a cross mark in the Democratic
circle.
(2) On the State Ballot, they should likewise
vote in the Democratic circle where there is a race
between U. S. Senator J. W. Bailey, Democrat, and
a Republican nominee. A vote in that circle is also
a vote for the Democratic nominees for Superior
Court Judges (including Judge R. Hunt Parker),
Solicitors and members of the State Supreme
Court.
(3) Two important amendments are to be
voted on at this election. Most important for the
State is the State School amendment. The other
is an amendment affecting Solicitorial districts.
It is well that the vote on both amendments be
“Yes” for both are to the best interests of the State,
both have been passed on by the State legislature
and both have the approval of the State Democrat
ic party.
(4) Most important reason for voting Tues
day is that we in America are one of the few peoples
of the world today who still enjoy the right and
privilege of voting. The women, who are rapidly
taking the places of the men called away, must be
gin voting in larger numbers for this is a part of
their heritage of this war; they must vote for those
who cannot now vote for themselves — those who
have gone away to fight for the right to vote. Vote
Tuesday and when you mark those ballots, know
that you are voting against Hitler who would take
that right from you.
INVESTIGATE: FIND THE FACTS
• • While feeling that those who hold public of
fice are justly subject to proper criticism from the
rank and file of citizens, we have always been lenient
with those criticized on the theory that none of us
are perfect and therefore cannot perform to per
fection. Besides State Highway Commissioners,
it appears that those who draw much fire from crit
ics are connected with public schools and local po
lice departments.
Smoldering under the surface are resentments
and grievances built up to white heat, at times,
against those who direct our local schools and po
lice. This should be as evident to them as the evi
dence of their monthly checks or monthly meet
ings.
Despite the fact that we have a war to fight
and, we trust, to win, there is evidence that the
folks back home have not entirely forgotten those
things closest to them, which include the young
folks still in shool, the actions of their police force,
the payment of taxes and other daily duties of the
average American citizen.
Careful investigations should be made by those
in authority to get the facts when charges become
so widespread and recurring as to hold possibility
of civic explosion. It should not be left to the
general public to grope for proof in detail when
those elected or on appointed boards and in ap
pointive positions have the knowledge and the
means to quickly find the true facts. Such is not
the duty of the taxpayer and voter, but of those in
official capacity.
A most recent episode has brought forth re
newed stories of “black-jacking” in the past inso
far as the police are concerned. We are not in a
position to make any charges as we do not have the
true facts. We can say that there is enough smoke
now for those in official capacities to launch a com
plete and thoro investigation to show cause and
effect, which would clear the innocent and subject
the guilty to proper punishment.
It is our theory that the American system, as
the English, is based upon the premise that a man
is innocent until proved guilty. And for that rea
son, regardless of gossip and suspicion, we prefer
to wait until the facts have been officially gathered
before we charge any man or group with being
guilty of doing anything wrong against another,
his community, or his country.
What applies to the individual citizen applies
doubly to those in any official capacity. They, like
Caesar’s wife, must be “above reproach”.
OUT FOR THE DURATION
Letters and cards which we have been receiv
ing from our Roanoke Rapids boys in uniform
show (as one of the letters in this issue) that our
soldiers, sailors and marines are not in sympathy
with war strikes which still go on. Our latest re
port shows eight major union strikes reported in
Washington during the week ending October 17.
These involved 18,827 workers and had already re
sulted in the loss of 62,244 man-days of labor.
President Rosevelt has agreed with Economic
Stabilizer Jimmy Byrnes, Man-Power Commission
er Paul McNutt and War Production Chairman
Donald Nelson that the time has come to quit pet
ting and trying to pacify the impossible: organized
anything. Organized labor, organized business,
organized farmers or or
ganized “scouts” must
learn that this nation and
this war are bigger than
any of them. Organiza
tion as usual, business as
usual, picnics as usual,
are now out for the dura
tion.
Such is what we gath
er from the news from
Washington and, more
important, from the boys
in uniform.
RED CROSS CALLS
WOMEN
• Another urgent need
in the war effort which is
yet to be properly filled
is that of women of Ro
anoke Rapids neded for
sewing for the local Red
Cross Chapter.
Women are asked to
give two hours one night
a week or more from 7:30
to 9:30. Main require
ment is that they have
the desire to help the war
effort; if they know noth
ing about sewing, they
will be taught. Those
who can sew fairly well
are neded badly; if only
to “work buttonholes”.
Those who can really sew
could help so much.
If you are doing noth
ing for the war and want
to do part of your share,
here is your opportunity.
Go to Red Cross head
quarters at the old Rose
mary Band Hall on
Tenth Street and report
to Mrs. M. F. White or
call her for information
at R-676-1.
At present, the local
chapter is making uni
forms for the Nurses
Aides. When that is
finished they will start
back on the regular quo
ta for American Red
Cross needs which in
clude bed garments for
our wounded service
men. Please take your
neighbor and drop a
round to Red Cross head
quarters at the old Band
Hall one night next week,
any night but Saturday
and Sunday. The Red
Cross will give you a
warm welcome.
Big 2>weet Potato
Grown On Farm
Gaston Township
The sweet potatoes have been
growing rather large over in
Northampton County this year,
with several of unusual size re
ported by residents of the Gas
ton community. However, ‘top
honors” so far as we know, go
to Mrs. Sam Jordan, who dis
covered one raised on her farm
on the Garysburg Road in Gas
ton Township one day last
week weighing exactly seven
pounds. The yam is of the
Puerta-Rica variety, which
makes it doubly unusual as this
species of spuds do not usually
attain that weight, it is said.
Another interesting fact con- -
ceming Mrs. Jordan’s potato
patch is that one row of about
65 yards in length produced an
even dozen bushels of fine sweet
potatoes.
Unimpressed
WM
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