Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-07-27
CONSCR|PT ARMY IS
CHOSEN BY CHANCE
LOTTERY FIXES THE ORDER OF
LIABILITY OF AMER c AS
YOUNG MEN FOR WAR DUTY.
Task of Drawing 1o,5oo Numbers Con-
sumes 10 Hours ana SO Minutes,
Secretary Baker Drawing
the First Number.

=
Itary liability for the ten million young
Americans registered for service in the
war with Germany.
To accomplish this result, 10000
numbers had to be drawn, one at a
time. a task which consumed 16 hours
and 33 minutes.
The first number drawn was 25S, and
the last number taken from the box
was 3217. The first number was
drawn by Secretary Baker, while Cen
eral Crowder drew the last number.
The great lottery went off without
mishap except for the drawing of one
blank, which means that one serial
number among the 10,50o assigned to
registrants was not drawn The blank
was given No. 10000 in the liability for
service list, and when a reehecking re-
veals the missing serial number it will
be given that place.
The lottery was held in the public
hearing room of the senate office
building, with war department Off
Gals in charge of the actual drawing
and with members of the senate and
house military committee as witnesses.
Through the day there was a small
crowd of spectators, but altogether
probably less than a thousand people
saw any part of the process.
Definite Place Fixed.
As a result of the drawing every reg
stered man is given a definite place,
In the liability for service list. Al
ready 6s7,OO0 have been ordered to
the colors to fill to war strength the
regular army and national guard and
10 constitute the first increment Of the
national army. To secure that total,
I,374,OO0 men Will be called for exam
nation within a few weeks, officials
estimating that two registrants must
be called for every soldier accepted.
These 1,3T4,000 will be taken from the
head of the liability list, every local
district furnishing a fixed quota.
The drawing was conducted with
ceremonies as democratic as tie ideal
Of citizenship it embodied.
Baker Draws First Number.
1t was shortly before 10 o'clock
when Secretary Baker, intrusted by
the president with the carrying out of
the draft law, raped for order. The
congressional committees were in their
seats, and on a small table stood the
great lottery jar, sealed with brown pa
per and showing through its transpar
ent walls the heap of number-filled
capsules that must be taken out one
by one. In front of the table row
officers waited with the official tally
sheets before them. Down one side
of the room ran another table, where
two score press representatives waited
to send out the numbers as they were
read.
Secretary Baker briefly explained
the purpose of the drawing. then
stepped forward to be blindfolded and
draw the first number. Major General
Duval broke the seal and with long
wooden spoon, bearing a ribbon Of the
national colors, vigorously stirred the
capsules.
The secretary reached into the Jar,
picked up a capsule and handed it to
an announcer. 1t was number 25S. |
Then in quick succession other num-
bers were drawn while cameras and |
motion picture machines recorded the |
scene.
The only interruption was the fire. /
quent changes Of tired announcers and |
tabulators and the removal for clean |
ing of the blackboards, where the re-
suit was publicly displayed as each
500 numbers had been written, the first 1
section of the board was taken out to
be photographed 10 establish an abso-
ute record, while the second section
was substituted.
BY the laws of chance. the serial
number one was drawn from the jar as
No. 1869 ia the liability list. while No.
1880, the top number among the cap
sules, came out No. 23S. The serial
I3, tabled bearer of ilI-luck, was drawn
n the 7S90th place
The work of examination will be
covered in thirds. One-third viii be
lotified 20 appear on the fifth day
the mailing Of the notifica-
ion; the second third win be advised
o appear on the sixth day and tn
inal third on the seventh day. Those
out of the jurisdiction of
he draft board will be given until
he tenth day to appear for examina-
ion. and those who fail to appear at
II will be declared fit for service.
Physicians Provided For.