The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-07-21
ORDER OF CALL
TO SERVE FLAG
ISDETERMINED
10,500 Gelatine Capsules
Picked by Blindfolded
Men.
FAIRNESS is ASSURED ALL
Secretary Baker Opens Lottery
and Careful Check
Is Kept.
FAIRNESS is ASSURED ALL

six men, one of them blindfolded, stood
around a glass bowl all yesterday
while the blindfoIded man brought out
Of the bowl one after another with per-
feet regularity but great monotony TO-
500 gelatine capsules, each of which
contained for some of the country's man
hood its summons to the flag. II was
the first centralized draft ever enacted
in this country, and the second human
lottery OF this kind the nation has ever
seen.
Staged impressively and started off
with great formality by Secretary Of
War Baker drawing the first number
25s--the operation OF drawing these cap
sules consumed a much longer time than
was expected. Instead OF taking one
hour to draw 1000 numbers, which was
the estimate of the military men who
had practised the performance. 1t took
one hour and forty-five minutes. The
drawing was finished this morning at
2:lS o'clock.
Capsules Constantly stirred.
Monotonous as the performance be-
came after the hrst ceremonies were
over. 1t still had peculiar fascination
for spectators. many of whom sat for
hours In tho committee room in the
Senate Office Building. where the draw
ing went on, their eyes fixed upon the
blindfolded man putting his hand into
the glass bowl, taking out capsule.
handing II to the man whose turn II was
to reach for 1t and who in turn handed
|, il to another to be announced. While
this went on one OF the six men inces-
sanity stirred UP the capsules in the
bowl as a housewife stirs a pudding
with a stick decorated with the national
coiors.
1t was not an easy task for these men
to perform. While the physical labor
was not great the nervous strain on the
men who opened the capsules. owing 10
the necessity for absolute accuracy in
announcing their number. was most Sc
we're. Two men began this task, but II
was found necessary to increase the
number to five. These five men were
relieved at hourly intervals. The blind
folded man was relieved at half hourly
intervals.
It was purely a civilian performance
this drawing Of the names Of those who
are to form Americas great national
army. except that the civil clerks per-
formed their duties all day long and
| through the night under the hawklike
| eyes OF Gen. Crowder. the Provost Mar
shall, and the military men assisting. one
of whom at all times stood close TO the
group about the bowl to watch for pos
sible mistakes.
High Numbers Come First.
But there were no mistakes. Once In
while one OF the announcers would
correct himself In reading number
| That was all. Interest was most intense
| during the drawing Of the first 3,00C
| numbers. When these 5000 numbers had
been drawn, shortly before o'clock In
the afternoon. the first increment OF 6S7,-
| 900 men was more than assured. allowing
even for exemptions and for the fact
that large proportion of the numbers
drawn was curiously enough the higher
numbers, which failed to draw men from
many of the 4,5b7 districts.
| To get the $4,000 men required. II
was estimated that 1.374.000 would have
to he called for examination. Army Of
ficers in charge of the draft estimated
that figuring 1900 as the average regis
| tration for the draft districts the 5000
numbers drawn had summoned 2.250.00(
men, or far more than enough to form
Americas first great national army. But
| every one OF the 10000. 900 mer regis.
tered had to have his order OF cal
determined for the war duration
| That is why the drawing went on unit
the last capsule had been brought ou
OF the bowl. Secretary Baker made 4
clear that this Government did not pro
pose to let married men having de
pendents whose numbers were reached
to-day In these first 5000 numbers
drawn. go to the front even II the.
want TO. In other words, no married
man Is to be allowed to let his patriot
ism, laudable as II may be, take hin
to the front II his family is absolutel,
dependent upon him,
II was announced by Gen. Crowde
that the first men in the order o
call determined would be used I,
fill up the regular army and the Ma
tlonai Guard to war strength Thi
will require $4,000 men, The mex
men will form the National Army o
500, 900 men. Gen. Crowder said tina
he hoped to have the boards in som
States begin calling up men for ex
animation within week.
Each district will have to get its lis
OF the drawing officially from tn
Governor OF It's State first II will ais
get at the same time from the Chile
Executive the assignment of it's quota
An official record OF the drawing yes
terday will be sent to the Governor O
each State within a few days.
Fairness II Assured.
The opinion was expressed unani
mousiy by every one who witnessed
that the drawing was absolutely faii
obviously Gen. CrowdGr and his stat
had surrounded II with every safeguard
At the start of the proceedings Ger
Crowder explained the system 70 the "a
sembled onlookerS. pointing out tina
only the smaller numbers were certai
0oMtinusd on THIRD PeOs.