The Pensacola journal., 1917-07-22
EXAMINATION
OF SELECTMEN
IN TEN DAYS
Continued From Page OneE

Americas youth were determined 1t
did not materially interfere with the |
working out of the lottery, however, |
and all officials agreed that it could
work no Injustice to any registrant
1t means only temporary complica-
ton, they said, and in no way inn
pairs the equality of the lottery.
What serial number should have
been in the place of the blank had not
been determined today, but it will be
found shortly by a careful recheck-
ing. Then it will be assigned to the
only place open on the liability list
No 10000 at the very fo0tE Be
cau.yc of its absence there only TO-
400 places now, with holders of the
serial number 3,217 in last place. The
vacant place was shifted to the end
of the list because when the blank
was drawn in 10,004th place it i'm
mediately was replaced by the draw
ing of a number and that made the
numbers lack one of filling the TO-
500 place.
I 1t was said at The provost mar
shall generals office that the error
undoubtedly resulted from an over
sight and that no one could be blam-
ed.
Drawing of the blank came rather
as a relief than a disappointment to
the tired officials and correspond
ents who had become wearied hours
since from the monotonous drag of
the drawing and recording of num-
bers. The participating officials
worked in relays, but the strain of
the tedious process began to weigh
visibly upon all of them before the
end.
General Crowder, the provost mar
shall, replaced the blindfolded Off
cial at the drawing bowl and himself
drew out the last number.
Scarcely had the historic event
thus reached its close than the news
of the last drawing had been flashed
over the country. The telegraphic
feat of transmitting the 10,500 num-
bers as RAPIDLY as they were drawn
was pronounced by officials today as
among the most notable features of
the whole process. The Associated
Press virtually cleared its wires of
other matter and gave the right Of
way to the draft numbers from tho
start of the drawing, with the result
that newspapers everywhere were
able to give to their readers prompt
ly the lists of those chosen in the var
ious local districts.
Should Be Honored.
Washington, July Ex-senator
Chamberlain, chairman of the senate
military affairs committee and joint
author of the draft law who drew the
second number for the selective draf,.
today issued the following state
ment
Everything went off with abso-
lutte precision, testifying to the care
with which the admirable plans had
been formulated by the president
under the skilful management of
Provost Marshal General Crowder. 1t
will prove to the country that the Sc
lective draft plan for securing an
army is the fairest that could have
; been devised, distributing the burden
of the war so far as man power is
concerned equitably, evenly, and
| Justly among all the young men Of
the country between q and 80. Any
, other system would have taken only
} the willing, however, injurious to the
country it might have been TO take
> them from the walks of industrial
and business life and left the unwill-
: ing to take their places in every
5 avocation.
\ at is not a conscript system mol
t does it provide a conscript army. Or
= the contrary every man drawT
= ought to feel honored and | believe
will feel honored that he has beer
: selected to serve his country"
=