New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-21


From The Tribune Bursaul
Washington. July 20.-The greatest
lottery in all history took place to-day
in a quiet committee room in the Sem
ate Office building. At that drawing
of lots" was determined the order in
which nearly ten million men-sll the
men between twenty-one and thirty
one in the country shall present them
selves to the local exemption boards all
over the country for the selective draft.
Every time one of the 10000 black
capsules was lifted from the large glass
bowl by a blindfolded man and the
number contained therein was read to
the recording clerks the lives of thou
sands of young men throughout the
country were changed For some
1t may mean everlasting fame, for
Napoleon's saying that every private
carries marshaPs baton in his KNAPP
sack is still true. For most il will mean
pulling up of stakes. breaking OF
home and business ties, and the entire
current of their lives diverted.
From 9:49 this morning. when the
first capsule, No 25S, was drawn by
Secretary Of War Baker, until long af-
ter midnight the drawing continued
At I o'clock this morning, more than
fifteen hours after the start OF the
drawing of lots under the selective
draft, nearly 1000 of the l0,50o num-
bers still were 20 be drawn. Officials
expected TO finish the task before
2:3O A. NJ.
To Fill Ranks of Regulars
II the plans announced by the War
Department are carried out, most of
the mer called for the first instalment
of the National Army-6s7,O GOO in num-
ber-will be in training by the middle
of September. In order to obtain thess,
1874 900 viii be summoned for exam
ination. If these are not enough, 9TH
crs will be called in their order in the
draft.
Those standing at the top of the
liability list, after being called into
service, will be used to fill the ranks
Of the regular army. After this has
been accomplished The next in order
will be used TO complete the roster OF
the National Guard. The 100000 re-
naming when this is done will be the
beginning of the National Army.
Interest was most intense, OF course,
in the numbers drawn carly in the day.
IL gradually waned until late tonight,
and when the eight thousandth capsule
was drawn the interest was merely that
Of watching an important event.
The scene gripped with its solemnity
the crowd which kept the C mmttee
room packed all day and half the night.
At one end Of the room was huge
blackboard. on which were written, as
they were called, the numbers drawn.
This was an added feature for the
benefit of the press association men,
who rushed the numbers out to wires
set up in an adjoining corridor, whence
they were flashed to every hamlet in
the land big enough 70 have a news
paper.
In front Of the blackboard was
long, narrow table, at which sat three
army officers acting as clerks. They
recorded the numbers on long tally
sheets. for all the world like the re-
Of
ing an election. In front of this table,
but facing away from it toward the
audience, was a tall, spare man, rem
dered almost mystic by a huge black
cloth around his face and head.
Drawing the Capsules
Constantly stirring the capsules, he
kept pulling them out. one by one,
handing one TO a boy who stood at his
right and the next to boy at his left.
These boys read the numbers, and as
they read two additional boys on each
side looked over the readers shoulders
TO check their accuracy.
Provost Marshal General Crowder
and his young assistants. Majors Gull
lion ana johnson, sat a little distance
back from one end Of the clerks table.
watching the working out of the plans
on which they have spent so much
time in the last few weeks.
Early in the day the room was hIled
most OF the time by Senators and
Representatives. officials Of the gov
eminent, and their wives. Gradually.
however, the singsong repetition
wearied, so that every one who waited
had an opportunity to enter the room
and watch the proceeding.
The most important element, now
that the order in which these young
men must present themselves for ex-
animation has been determined for the
1867 districts. is the proportion who
are going to be exempted.
On that proportion, of course. de-
pends how far down the list the es-
aminers will have TO go. Until that
ia demonstrated. men fairly we'll down
the list will not know whether they
will be required to report or not.
As to this question OF the percent
age to be exempted there is wild,
range OF opinion. General CIowder
himself thinks that il will be fairly
low. He thinks for instance that a