Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-20

deed he would not tell tbs name Of tn,
State which had upset tho draft plan
Secretary Baker did that later.
But as result Of that message
there was hurried call over the tele
phone for Secretary Baker. Genera
Crowder informed him OF tho news
IL was that several Of the Jersey
boards, each one of which included sew.
eral election districts, instead OF shut.
| ming the registration cards of all the
districts together before placing the
red ink numbers on them. had taken
whole districts by themselves and mum
bered the cards in order, right down
! the line. This meant that should the
cards OF certain district be in the
: l.Ooo's, while tho ones of another dis
/ trict under the same board ran over
into the o,oo0's. all the men holding
LOCO cards would be ordered out first
should that number be drawn first in
the pulling OF the ten master numbers
at Washington. In other words. the
/ whole district would be called first,
While the next district. with the cards
numbered 1000. would escape in n body.
The whole fair DEAL" as heretofore
arranged for the draft. would be de-
{ stroyed There would follow charges
VI ohiaii ness WHICH WOULD De ma
tional scandal. and the whole drawing
might be invaldated-after hundreds
OF thousands OF homes had been
caused suffering by the threatened de-
parture OF a member of the family.
AS soon as Secretary Baker had
heard the news from General Crowder.
he called the newspaper men in the
State. War and Navy Building. and told
them of the developments He stated.
however. that General Crowder had
told him he would not let this inter-
fere with the draft. and that a sub
stitute plan would be announced at S
o'clock.
When that hour came, General
Crowder was ready, and so was the
plan. II was the original plan, sim
plihed as TO figures. but made more
arduous physically.
DECIDES on DRAWING
OF STRAIGHT NUMBERS
General Crowder after a short talk
with his aids. had quickly decided to
abandon the master numbers" and
instead have a drawing of 10000
straight numbers.
. He immediately ordered the numbers
already prepared for to-morrow's draw
ing destroyed, modified his entire
clerical force to writing numbers on
new slips. sent an officer scouting for
selatine capsules in whichsto inclose
the numbers. and another scurryine
around the china stores for great
glass bowl-large enough to contain
all the 10000 capsules.
Wholesale druggist establishments
were secured for capsules The cap
sules IN which the numbers are inciosed
are just the same as three-Crain oui-
nine capsules The numbers are writ
ten IN red ink. on small slips Of paper
The PAPER IS white on one side-the
side with the nun bsr-and black on
The other side, so thai the number can
no. show through the transparent cap
sule
After whole lot II difficulty. boxes
~ capsules began 70 arrive at the
provost 7:a-snars Office. From an r
street establishment came wagon
bearing ire attendant with = huge
glass bowl = looked like an all-nieht
Job numbering the slips /, takes a
LOT of writing BY a number Of people
20 carefully draw l6.50o numbers. and
J, i14:es whole %, more labor 10 tx
thST II order. so that there will be
1oSTnisS!nC numbers and no Duplicates:
not - mention the work eata:led in
rolling the slips and h,ting them INTO
Capsules. che end Of the capsule being
Vet, 50 tina, after the ends ara Atted
they VIII sticl: together and have TO
be broken IN order 70 &c, The number
OUT Bur General C-owde- was deter
Enirsd that nothing should delay the
draft The disappointment, was keen.
but NJ VAS Phi!oso ahical about it.
THINKS 1T ONLY HUMAN
THERE SHOULD BE ERRORS
We had hoped and expected tina,
everything would go smoothly" he
said, but II was only human that out
OF 1857 boards OF three persons each
there should b. some rrors.
The cards in the districts affected
might have been renumtered. but tina,
would have DELAYED the drawing and
kept 100000 OF ou. young me,. wait
ing longer 10 kaow what they wanted
10 know
These men have been KEEP, on ,enter-
hooks long enough. Many are una BILE
10 go TO work because employers say
they do not want 10 hire q man who
may have IL leave at any day. am
told, so the daft VIII not be DELAYED.
We viii be ready at $50 Tomorrow
morning ETeFE number w!ll be there
and every man Will have square
deal"
50, crowded into a Senate hearing
r"om-226 Senate Office Building
which has been the scene Of many
national events. the fate Of 10000 900
men wili he decided Tomorrow
Inc Weathe! Bureau says the day
Is going 10 be warm. ana that side Of
the senate Once Building is always
stuny In the morning. In the room
VIII be crowded 1928 persons Among
them Will bc Secretary OF War Baker.
several OF his military chiefs. includ
ins Mnjor-General Tasker II Elss, act
ing chief Of staff; General Crowder.
me man Who ala al! the registration
"nc !ra!t work; Brigadicr-Gcnera,
DuraI, the mathematical expert. VIII,
designed the drawing: Major Hugh