Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-20
ALL REGISTERED MEN
TO KNOW ORDER OF
SERVICE ON FRIDAY
Ccontdnusd From Page onsO

the public nina. II can pc CuTeu 10
some extent by putting every man
on the list.
For this reason. the whole 10000
900 names are to be given places on
the list Of order of examination.
The segregation into groups:
Obviously no single agency could
examine 10. 900. 600 men. There
fore, the 10000. 900 are segregated
into groups OF suitable size for
convenient examination. There are
1857 of these groups. For each
group a board has been appointed
to examine for selection. BY far the
greater number Of these groups
consist of approximately 5000 men.
Since this is so. our problem is
not TO put the whole 100000
names in one list, arranged in the
order OF examination. 1t is to de-
termine the order of examination in
each group.
EQUALITY.
The necessity for drawing:
Since all registered men stand
in an equality of right and duty,
the question of priority can only
be determined by lot or drawing.
1t would be possible to have 1901
separate drawings-one for each
group-but since methods will vary
and since supervision and absolute
insurance against the charge or
fraudulent manipulation could not
be had in that way. every consiu-
GRAFTON of expediency and justice
urges one drawing in Washington.
The method for the drawing:
In each group every registration
card has a red-inked number writ
ten on Its face and these numbers
run i'm a single series from unity
Cd to the number corresponding to
the greatest number of cards in the
group. Normally, this Is from
unity CI) to about 5000.
Exact copies of the cards in each
group have been attested and sent
TO the various state capitols. Lists
showing the name Of each man In
each group and the serial number
of his card have been posted In the
office of the board, published In
the press, and one copy is on file in
Washington. There is, therefore,
no chance of any mans number be-
ing changed without detection, or OF
any card being lost beyond replace
ment.
The idea of the central drawing
Suppose there were just S'OOo
names and members in every group.
1t is at once apparent that II would
be a very simple thing to have
central drawing that would con-
troll the order OF every name and
number in every group of the
whole 10000, o0O-just put g.
600 numbers into a bowl and
draw them out one at time. The
frst number drawn out would place
the 1857 cards bearing that par
ticular number at the head OF every
list in the United States. The sec
ond number drawn would put the
cards bearing that number second
on all the lists, and so forth.
BY THE THOUSANDS.
Now. the thing cannot be done In
precisely this way, because there
are not precisely 5000 numbers in
every group. But the same idea,
with a few necessary notifications.
is the idea on which the present
drawing is based.
The drawing by thousands:
To draw 10000 separate numbers
would take ten hours and would
multiply the chance OF error More
over, IL the mine thousands, the
eight thousands" the seven thou
sands" and the six thousands"
were scattered all over the master
list indiscriminately, the cancella-
ton by boards having small groups
would be very tedious and would
open the way to numerous errors.
All this is easily avoided.
Suppose we drew only a thousand
numbers. We could then provide
that the drawing of the number SIS
would also draw the numbers ISIS,
2.s7s. 3.s7s, 4.s7s. 5.S7S. 6,S7S,
1878. S,s7s, ISIS and 10,s7S.
In that way only a thousand
numbers need be drawn, and by
making our master list consist of
one sheet for each thousand. we
could provide a master list easily
applicable to lists with only 5000
numbers. since such boards could
disregard all except the first three
sheets.
We should do this but for the fact
that this makes il certain that men
in the first thousand would be
called first, men In the second thou
sand next. and men with high
. serial numbers last of all.
Since the assignment of numbers
is also done by chance. this does not
interfere to some extent. For this
reason 1t was decided to have one
drawing to determine the order
within any group of 1000 and an
other drawing to determine the
order in which the sheets of 1000
each should appear on the master
list, instead of arbitrarily assign
ing the sheets of 1000 in their
natural order. This reduces the
whole matter to an absolute equal
ity of chance.
DETAILS.
The details of the drawing:
one group of numbers. from / to
1000. and a second group, from
naught to ten. have ben carefully
imprinted on opaque slips of paper,
black on one side, counted and
checked. These slips have been
rolled up and each put inside a gel
attn capsule with the black side
out. To insure absolute accuracy
Of count, the capsules containing
numbers from 1 to 1000 have been
counted into ten glass jars in groups
OF 100 each: the glass jars have been
sealed and kept in a safe awaiting
the day of drawing.
The contents of the jars will be
decanted into a large glass recep-
tacle from which the capsules can
be readily drawn.
"A blindfolded man will stir the cap
sules in the receptacle thoroughly
before any are drawn. and will keep
stirring them during the drawing.
hlErnfnlAnn nil fhnrn