The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-19
Ceremony Will Take Ono
Hour and Results Will Be
Made Known at Once
ABSOLUTELY FAIR DEAL
FOR EVERY MAN
Large Committee Room OF
House of Representatives
Has Been Chosen as Scene
of Historic Event

70 Washington. July 1s.-The draft
will be Friday morning at 10 o'clock
In the Capitol building.
One of the largest committee rooms
will be the scene of the drawing which
will determine those of Americas
manhood who first must go to the
colors.
The actual drawing hinges only
upon reports from five states that
cards has been completed. All have
assured Provost Marshal General
Enoch Crowder that they are work.
ing under high pressure to get their
duty done before noon tomorrow.
The war department today rejected
a plan to hold the drawing in the
chamber of the house of representa-
tives. Objection was made on two
grounds; first, that it would make a
spectacle out of solemn occasion.
and second, that the noise would be
confusing to the tally clerks and might
lead to regrettable errors, invalidating
the entire draft.
War Department Ready.
Everything Is ready as far as the
war department is concerned. Print
ed pamphlets explaining the system
to be employed in the drawing were
distributed to all the local boards to-
day and given to the press in conf
dence to be released when Secretary
of war Baker shall permit. They
probably will he made public Friday
morning just before the drawing.
Not a word is to be made public un-
til the states have all reported them
selves ready as a precaution against
with serial numbers.
The states~which had not concluded
their work at late hour tonight were
Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania
and New York Illinois was complete
except for one board in Chicago. One
county In Missouri held up the states
report. Kentucky and Virginia both
reported themselves ready.
General Crowder this evening said:
The system evolved leaves all to the
element Of chance. 1t has been care
fully designed to give an absolutely
fair deal to every man registered.
From present prospects the draft
VIII be held Friday. It had been
planned to hold it In the big recer-
ton room of the war department,
but 1t was decided that this was too
small So 1t will be held in one OF
the large committee rooms OF the
house.
win Take One Hour.
The drawing will take one hour.
trial drawing exclusive Of one
short feature. took exactly hfty-six and
half minutes. and not an error
was made.
II hone that no numbers WIN be
sent out by telegraph before they
have been officially checked up 30
that no regrettable errors shall cause
discomfort to any man or his family
The capsules which will be used
on the drawing have been carefully
prepared. The numbers verified. and
have been placed under seal In
place of complete safety. They win
not be touched before tho drawing"
The numbers will be brought to
the capital from their present place
OF safety under armed guard. At least
three responsible officials will have
them in charge
the draft will be made tomorrow
morning. Secretary of War Baker,
now on a trim down the Potomac. Will
return TO Washington at o'clock.
General Crowder will meet him an
hour later and at this conference Il
will he determined when announce
ment is to be made of the way the
draft will work and the exact place
where the drawing will be held.
Conferences also have been arrang-
ed between Secretary Baker and the
chairman Of the house and senate
military affairs committee These
committees will be off1cial witnesses
on the part of the congress, to the
drawing.
Space has been reserved and wire
service arranged for the press. so that
each number NAV be sent broadcast
over the country from the committee
room. whAre the drawing will be held.
Show Responsibility.
Onfcials in charge OF the drawing
today showed how heavily the respon-
sibility weighs upon them. Three tall
~ clerks have been selected. but their
names are not made public. They
will be responsible members Of the
provost marshars staH trained espe-
cially for the work.
And here II description Of Enoch
Fl. Crowder, brigadier-g general. U. B.
A.. who has been in command Of the
machinery--the man who devised the
system. which on Friday win settle
within the space OF sixty minutes the
fate OF ten million men.
The Man In Charge.
He Ia chief law oficer Of the war
department. He holds the dual poat-
tion of Judge advocate general ana
provost marshal general. this sh09N.
slim. slightly crippled man who -
handled-at stretches OF more tAGM
twelve hours q day--a mass ct NeR3
In the histoxy q -