Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-07-19
PLACES FOR ALL
REGISTERED MEN
Everyone of 100000 to Know
Order of Liability for
Service.
DRAWING TO BE PUBLIC.
VIII Probably Take Place at Washing
ton Some Time during the Week
Of July 20.

Washington. July 12-Drawing Of lots
for the selective draft not only will de-
termine what men are to be called to the
colors in the first war army, but will
show in what order the others registered
will be liable for service when later
armies are organized
1t was revealed tonight that plan
Of drawing will be followed under which
a definite place in the waiting lists will
be given every one of the millions who
registered. Those standing at the head
Of the list in each county or city district
will be called first before the examination
boards and then the obligation will pass
on down the line long men are
needed
This does not mean that a separate
name or number will be drawn for every
one of the country's 100000 registrants.
In fact every number drawn, under the
theory of the plan, will represent more
than 1900 men, one for each of the regis
traton district. Details of the system
have not been made public, but an out
line of its principal features follows:
INDICATED DRAFTING PLAN.
Every registration board has numbered
the cards in its possession in red ink.
beginning at number one and continuing
to a number corresponding with the total
in the district.
At the drawing. numbers will be used
ranging from number one up to a mum.
Der corresponding to the total in the
largest district of the country.
The first number drawn will determine
what man in each district is to be taken
first. If it be number 10, for example,
II will mean that the men in each district
holding card number 10 will be called for
examination before any other men in that
district.
The second number drawn will deter
mine what man in each district is to be
taken second. and so on, as long as men
| are needed. Those not needed for the
| first war army will retain their positions
on the lists and these positions will de-
| termine the order of their liability when
| they are needed.
DRAWING TO BE PUBLIC.
The drawing will be public and each
number will be announced as 1t Is
drawn. At the offices of most exemp-
ton boards the red ink numbers Of the
registrants already are posted, so that
| registrants may inform themselves be-
forehand of their respective numbers.
If they do as soon as word of the draw
ing comes they will know in just what
| order Of liability they stand. Obvious
ly there will be high numbers drawn
for which there are no corresponding
| registrants in small districts. The
smallest district in the country is un-
derstood to have but 1877 registrants
and the largest about 1000. When.
ever a number beyond the total in any
given district comes out, 1t will op.
crate as a blank for that district. Thus
if the theory works out evenly. the
larger districts will be constantly as
sessed in excess Of the smaller. on
pro-rata basis corresponding to their
size.
PROBABLY WEEK AFTER NEXT
The drawing will not take place this
week and probably will be held some
time during the week of July 23. ae-
cording to present indications. Only
"a States have completed the organiza.
ton of their exemption boards and the
posting of red ink numbers. The
drawing cannot be held until all States
are complete, SO that no juggling Of
numbers will be possible.
The drawing probably will be held in
the big reception room of war department
adjoining Secretary Bakers offices. TIE
lsecretary is willing to do the drawing him.
Iself, but that point has not been decided.
The President will not take part person.
ally in the drawing.
officials are unwilling to disclose the de-
tails of the drawing itself, but the SUCCESS
ton which seems to have the most sup
. port is that the number. stamped on thin
slips Of paper. be inclosed in non-trans-
parent gelatin capsules and placed in a
, large glass vessel to be removed one at a
time by the official designated to do that
work.
The number of capsules which would be
necessary will be equal of course to the
total in the largest district. Thus under
the present arrangement, seven thousand
numbers would have to be drawn. ANAL
gamation of smaller districts and division
of the large ones may be decided on, how
: ever, to reduce the variations.
HOW 1T MAY BE DONE.
, Information so far available Indicates
that the drawing will work out in this
way:
There are 1850 exemption districts,
When the first number is drawn-say
number lot will be recorded as number
one. with the serial number QO) follow
ing. The record would show that the
, men whose cards bear the serial number
10 in each of the 4.55o exemption districts
| would be first to appear before the ex-
emption boards. Presumably the an.
nouncement made at the drawing would
be number one. serial number 10.
1t is assumed that when the drawing
is complete. the government will compute
how many men are represented by num-
Der one in the drawing and by the num-
, bers Immediately succeeding. and then
issue an order for enough to report to
\ make the total desired for the first army
For instance, the first call might be fol-
a numbers one to 100 in all districts. When
the first exemption came in each dis.
trict. number 10l would be called, and SC
on.
S BADGES FOR THOSE EXEMPT.
To prevent embarrassment among thos,
who are exempt, the war department ha.
: decided to give with each exemption
certificate bronze badge bearing the in
scription "Exempted-U. s." The design
q for this badge has been approved b,
1 Secretary Baker and a number alread,
" are In process of manufacture. 1t is in
u tended to prevent those exempted from
u any suspicion of being slackers
: The law specifies that exemptions ar,
:. not permanent unless the cause for which
u they are granted is permanent. For in
: stance. If man should be exempted 81
u the first call because Of dependent rela
tive and that relative should die or be
come self-supporting before the seconC
a call, the registrant would be liable fol
i service under the second call. 1t will b.
n the duty of the exemption boards TO keel
q watch Of such cases and recall men who
have been passed over once but whose
It status may have changed before the sec
d ond call Is made