The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1917-08-02
SELECTING ARMY
PROVED BIG TASK
Capital Is Glad That Human Lottery
Is Over; Otehr War News From
Washington
Especial Correspondence.l

and thirty-one know In what order they
lions, Washington, especially the OIL
Gals of the war department, are breath
ing much easier. 1t was n tremendous
task and one that the officials In charge
performed with dispatch. However
without the valuable assistance rem
dered by the governors of all the states
and the exemption boards it would
have been almost impossible.
The cleverly devised plan for draw
| ing only 1000 numbers to determine
the order in which every man register
ed will be liable for military service
was knocked to smithercens at the last
minute when it was discovered thai
certain local boards, mainly in New
Jersey. had blundered in numherine
their registrants serially accordin. to
registration districts.
As a result Secretary Baker announc
ed that the master key plan, as explain
ed confidentially to the press and as
described in detail in press association
new system of drawing adopted.
Instead of being completed in an hour
it took approximately ten and half
hours. This was because the plan fal
drawing LOCO numbered capsules ana
then drawing ten master key numbers
to make It possible for the government
to determine the relative order Of 1e.-
600 numbers by picking only LEGO gave
way to Il new system of drawing.
Under this new system it was nee
essary to actually draw 10,5G0 numbers
They were picked at the rate of abo1i
1000 an hour These new capsules
were numbered consecutively from ]
to 10000 and the order in which the.
were picked determines the eligibility
of men i'll each of the 1863 registration
districts
The smallest district has about 1cS
registrants. The largest district IL
the city of Detroit, has 1881 regis
trants Consequently in or0er to draw
enough numbers to determine the ely
ibility of every man registered in thi
mammoth district it was necessary t.
| draw 10,500. This is q few more thar
are registered, but allows for any addi-
tional names added since the formal
report The majority of the districts
have about 5000 registrants. But as
the number $500. for example. might
have been the last figure drawn il
was necessary to go through the
drawing of the 10000 numbered cap
srles in order to be sure that every red
ink number Oh a registrat ton card has
been chosen.
Grant Made Vice Admiral.
Reorganization of the Atlantic fleet
has been ordered by Secretary Daniels
to meet new problems resulting from
expansion Of tie force to almost twice
its normal size for war service.
Details Of the steps are withheld fer
military reasons, but the secretary hss
announced that the reorganization plan
involved the addition of another vice
| admiral to the feet and that Rear Adj
| miral Albert w. Grant, now command
| ing the submarine force, had been
named for the place.
Admiral Mayo, the secretary said,
will remain in general command, with
the immediate authority under him di-
yided between Vice Admiral Coffman.
at present second in command, and
| Vice Admiral Grant. The former is to
| have direct command of division con-
tanning most of the superdreadnaught
| and designated as force No. 3" while
| Vice Admiral Grant will command the
remainder of the fleet under the desig-
| nation of force No. L.
H 1t is understood that the reorganiza
ton will not affect the division of the
feet now in European waters under
| Vice Admiral Sims.
Il This carries into effect plan worked
Il out by Admiral Benson and Admiral
Mayo. which has been under consldera-
ton for several months" said Score
tary Daniels regarding the reorganiza-
II ton plan. There are now twice as
|, many battleships in commission as we
ever had before. In fact, every battle
ship we have is now in full commits
sion The whole purpose Of the new
Il organization is to keep our battleship
II fleet in as perfect condition as possible"
II Calls German Americans Loyal.
II An officer of high rank in the United
States army said the other day:
/ The best thing we can do in this
/ country is get away from the idea that
every citizen of German blood is spy.
| the German American is, primarily,
man who respects the law. / venture
l to say that the percentage Of citizens
Of German blood who are dlsloyal to
| the United States is very small.
at would be the better plan for US
to recognize our fellow citizens of Ger
II man blood as Americans. OF course,
II the call of the fatherland is felt. We
II cannot expect man of German ances.
II try to forget his forefathers or entirely
II subiueate his natural feelings.
What we want from our citizens OF
II German blood is cooperation. We
can't get it by abusing them. If we
II keep on as we are going we are certain
II to build up a disturbance within our
Il borders which will interfere with the
H operation of our armies across the At