The Washington herald., 1917-07-21
Still DRAW MEMBERS
Photo by G. v. Buck, from Underwood Underwood.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
ed women occupied many Of the
seats. Family parties and after-din-
ner groups witnessed the drawing
which will decide the fate of the ma
tons young manhood
Rumors of Plots.
Rumors Of un-American plots to tie
up the law by throwing it into the
courts on the charge of unconstitu-
uonality reached the. draft room last
night. No official would comment on
them, beyond recalling that similar
threats were made at the time Of the
registration.
An official investigation by the De-
partment of Justice may be ordered
IL it develops that the rumors are
well founded. The probe would seek
first to determine what interests were
putting up the money for the legal
hight.
The rumors were not taken serious
ly by Gen. Crowder or any of his
aides. Secretary of War Baker re-
fused all comment.
The law was drafted by the War
Department with the advice of the
Department of Justice and is believed
to be law-proof.
A solemn Ceremony.
Throughout the hot hours OF the
day the machinery steadily ground
out numbers. each numoer a man. or
many men. Although the oppressive
heat affected the drawing clerks and
tally clerks, necessitating frequent re-
liefs, they kept up the grind at the
rate of about twelve capsules a
minute.
Precipitation stood out on faces and
voices grew husky with the constant
calling of numbers, but the worn
went ahead.
Before noon there was ample
evidence that the draft was not
proceeding as quickly as Gen.
Crowder and other officials han
anticipated and suggestions were
made that as many numbers as pos
sible be drawn by 6 O'Clock and the
others left over for a second drawing
today.
But Gen. Crowder refused to listen
He declared that the work must be
finished il it lasted until after dawn
He doubled the reliefs. but refused
any further let up. From the quiet
assemblage of grave officials which
witnessed the drawing OF the first
number, the crowd in the great room
also changed and shifted as the hour:
went on.
First other Senators and Repre-.
sentatives came. taking the places Of
those who went outside for a breath
of air. Then came employees from
their Offices. For a time the room
hlled with women clerks and
stenographers. gathered from thu
House and Senate Office Buildings
seeking to satisfy their curiosity
They came in with open eyes anc
went out with grave faces. Even in
its dull routine, in the constant call,
Ing OF numbers and the occa siona
breaks while a number was verified
there was an element Of gravity and
solemnity. 1t impressed itself deeply
upon the spirits of those present.
Workers At Capitol Called.
Grouped around the press table
among the hundred or more mer
sending the numbers broadcast over
the country as fast as they were
drawn were many subject to draft
Less than 800 numbers had beer
called when the government first
reached down to the press table and
selected a man. He was working
at high speed at the time, recording
numbers and sending them to a tele.
graph wire in the corridor outside
by double shifts OF messengers. A
dark. youthful looking lad, he had
just chatted across the table to a
couple of his fellows during a mo.
ment's intermission about the draft
affecting the ones there.
Got any of you people yet?" he
inquired. NO" was the answer, how