The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-20
DRAFT


change in plans late yesterday after
several state boards were found to
have Numbered in preparing their
lists.
1t was a solemn scene. Dignified
congress members-only a Gful-
Secretary of War Baker, Gen. Enoch
Crowder, chief of the draft. and his
aides. Major johnson and Major AL
len Gullion, movie men clicking off
the picture, and news men flashing
nesses.
General Crowder enforced silence.
The drone of announcers. telling off
the drawings, was the only sound.
Men Are Blinded.
Hour after hour the blinded men
worked. The black paper numbers
were drawn from capsules and the
numerals inscribed on a blackboard
and on tally sheets. whilst clicking
wires outside flashed the tallies over
the nation.
The solemnity of the spectators
contrasted strangely with the setting
CT this unique picture.
The room is high ceilinged. Square
jade pillars flank the green of
its broad, deep panels. The cream
white ceiling is dotted with crisis
crossed swastikaS-the good luck sign
Turkey red carpet clashes with the
other adornment while ponderous oak
doors, upholstered oak chairs and a
mahogany table add other tinges to
the lurid color scheme. At the far
end, tall, double mirrors framed in
gold, top off a massive white marble
| Fireplace, while ornamental crystal
! chandeliers cast sheen over the
whole.
Room Historic.
American history is written here.
| In the past, this chamber has seen the
senate lobby investigation, the Lori
mer hearings and the great railroad
| strike negotiations.
Here is the way the lottery plan
used today works.
In each of the Asst districts in the
country, the men are numbered SER
| tally from one to the highest number
of cards in that district.
| A number drawn from the glass
globes here establishes the draft or
der of every man holding that number
in every district in the nation.
| In case the numbers higher than a
district contains are drawn, they are
disregarded in making up the list in
that district.
| For instance if SGT were the first
capsule pulled out the men holding
567 in every district having numbers
as high as that are drafted and must
report first in their district. Then if
| forty-fiVe is next, the men holding
forty-five in each district would be the
second men on the lists. If a high
number such as 1876 should come
| Inlru, II would pc QlSregarded Dy the
districts with lower numbers.
At dawn the force of clerks finished
numbering 10000 slips of paper for
the new plan. They were carefully
recounted and checked several times
and inserted into little gelatine cap
sules and checked again. Then they
were sealed in glass globes.
| At o'clock the globes were car
| ried to the senate office building. A
huge blackboard with one thousand
squares was erected on one side of
| the room.
Draft Under Way.
AS each tiny capsule was pulled out
| by the blindfolded men, it was handed
to a uniformed officer. He announced
the number in a loud voice. Three
checkers entered it upon immense
tally sheets. Another chalked it upon
the blackboard
AS soon as the first thousand num-
bers were chalked up the blackboard
was taken outside and photographed
CLOSE up" Thousands of copies OF
each picture are being made.
These indelible and Interchangeable
records will constitute the lists for the
local exemption boards
Two blindfolded men worked stimuli
taneously drawing and handing to
two announcers Officials estimated it
would take nearly twelve hours to
complete the drawing.
The first 1900 numbers drawn, Of
ficials said, ought to indicate a good
proportion of the order in which the
draft men will be called up for ex-
animation in the smaller districts