Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-07-20
10000 Will be Needed for
That Service to Make
War Strength.
LOTTERY WORKED
WITH SMOOTHNESS
Errors by Registration
Boards in Many States
made Change in Plans.
process.

Washington, July 20.-This is the
day of the nations selection from
among its sons to fill up the ranks Of
the armies of democracy.
Who shall go first among the ten
millions registered for service is to
be determined by chance in care
fully devised lottery, and before the
will have converted its registration
list into a muster roll with every reg
istrant set down in the exact order of
his liability to call.
The drawing of lots is the climax
Of the nations effort to build up a
great military force on the principle
of universal service. After the mus
ter roll is made only the simpler tasks
Of examination and exemption. mo-
bilization and training will remain.
For this work long established rules
can be followed, but in the step taken
heretofore the government has been
forced to make a way of its own.
687 900 Already in Service.
Already President Wilson has
formally ordered to the colors $4,000
of the men from whom lots are drawn
today, and most of them will be in
training by mid-semester at 16 can
tonments under construction through
out the country. To provide that
encumbrance calling for exemption the
war department will summon for ex-
animation the 1,374,000, who are
found after the drawing to stand at
the head of the muster roll. If more
are needed to provide net quota of
$4,000 soldiers who stand next in
order will be summoned. So that
the choice will pass on down the line
when future increments are ordered
to the colors by the President.
Military men estimate that every
other man summoned will be exempt
ed and on that basis the 10000 num-
bers whose order OF liability is to be
determined today should yield close
to 100000 soldiers before the roll is
exhausted.
First to Regular Army.
actually called into service those
standing at the very top Of the liza
bility list--will go to fill the ranks OF
the regular army to war strength
Something like forty thousand will be
needed for that, and they may be
called before September. Then q
large number next in order probably
will be assigned to fill the national
guards to war strength and the re-
| mainder-about 50O.000--will be- re.
served as the nations need demands
Every precaution was taken tc
make the drawing today absolutely
fair to every one of the registrants
An elaborate scheme worked II
weeks Of study to save time and labor
and the entire process into an hou,
was abandoned last night when Il
was discovered that registration
boards In some sections had misun.
derstood Instructions for numbering
local registration cards, making SOM
Inequality possible 0fficials In til,
provost marshall general lofficer de
clared today that the change to /
! ! simpler but more laborous plan le
no possibility Of inequality or fraud
4 1Although $3.50 a. m. was set for be
/ ginning the drawing 1t may be; lat,
/ tonight before 1t is FINISHED. Unde
the plan adopted ,10. 500, 900 number,
must be drawn at time, In q spec,
4 contest recently. nearly fifty d min
ute were drawn and recorded, but /
is regarded as doubtful whether tina
could be kept up for long periods to
igether. 81 ss
The 10000 numbers to be drawn
range from | to 10. SO 0. The order Il
\ which they are drawn determines til
order in which the men and CORES
i ponding serial numbers on thei
4 cards in the local district will be liabl
Tor service.