The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-21
More Than Nine Million Men
Are Assigned by Lot to
Duty of Nations Defense
ceremony PROVES
SLOWER THAN EXPECTED
For More Than Sixteen Hours
Men in Charge Labored on
Great Lottery--Absolute Ac-
curacy Maintained Through
out

Washington, ID. c., July IL
Saturday The drawing Of mel
for service in the American selcc.
tive draft armies closed at ISIS
O'Clock, 1t having taken moro tina
sixteen and one-half hour to
complete this historic work.
The ten thousandth number
was drawn at 1:25 A. NJ. At 1880
the first and only error occurred
when q blank capsule was drawn.
Washington, July 2o.-A thing took
place here in Washington today
thing unprecedented in history.
1t was Americas draft day. IL saw
her fling her answe to the scornful
icharge Of autocracy that she is a ma.
ton OF doiiar-makers bat not war
makers.
Ten million citizens gave her an
swer. Every man In the nation be-
tween the ages of twenty-one n
thirty-one was listed In order for war
service.
1t was a day that saw history made
and the way prepared for h max
ing of more history. Chronicles and
tradition records no time OF practf-
cally an entire nation going under
arms.
A long, high-ceilinged room. 226
senate office building, saw the event
which looms as the outstanding fez-
ture OF the world war. 4 little group
of men. khaki-clad and in mutt. SOL
sdiers and civilians, were. the charac-
tiers on the stage.
From $50 in the morning until g
new day was near to breaking the
wheel of chance unwound h fate
of men.
Ten thousand Ave hundred capsules.
each containing a number determined
when each of the 10000, 900 men
would erye-
The first number drawn was 259-
1t held the fate of almost 5000 men.
Weary and with dull eyes. but de-
termined. III little group of men In
charge of the vast drawing tuck to
their posts through the long hour
of the night.
Just after 1880 they were enter
ing upon the eight thousandth group
of numbers, They had $500 yet to
draw.
Major Hugh Johnson. executive Of
hcer to Provost Marshal-General
Enoch Crowder, the mar in charge.
then estimated that the work would
not be completed before $3.50 A.. NJ.
Up to 1890 P. NJ. there had not
been an error of any kind. Every
one of the -four tally sheets on which
the numbers were recorded as drawn
agreed. and already printed proofs OF
the earlier tally sheets had been re-
ceived from the government printing
office.
First Quota Soon Drawn.
The entire first quota OF 1,374,o00
men had beer drawn before night
fall. The others merely went on
the lists in case OF their liability TO
service.
Men holding the numbers now be-
| ing drawn may not be ordered MP
! for more than eighteen months. II N
all. 4
The room--was packed throughouts
the day with curious crowds. Toe
, night. despite frequent heavy show
| ers, capital society. and especially 81
the congressional set. il making q SO
| cial function of the drawing. Bril-.
Iiantly-guwned women occupy manv
! Of the seats. Family parties =
a~fter-dinner groups are witnessing
the drawing which decides the raie
of men.
The work is proceeding SO smocahN
, that there appears to be no ~possiofiisy
| Of a hitch. General Crowder. how.
! ever. declines to leave for an instant.
| He is plainly worried despite the ahoo-
lutte accuracy, up to this time. o. Ia
draft.
'Shoutd anything go WFouk ~ WU~sN
throw the entire country into TUT
moil." he said late last night
IT can conceive Of nothing wnfcA
would invalidate this draft. such u
thing is incomprehensible- Should
any last-minute mistake occur or fAuae
appear. ! will carry 1t to the secretary
dent.
Il don't expect any such nisfoS-
tune, but 1t is just as well to b pre-
pared, as we are all human.
Everything has been absolutely Ac-
curate so far. But l dom care -
make a statement until the dram y
completed"
AS the hours dragged on the draW.
ing became slower and slower. s
Ohicials were driving themsefveq eAkS
ach new move. R3
NJ Consecutive Number DraW4s
The numbers were
mixed. No numbers consecut1vQsNx@
each other were drawn in the on1oto
cay. salssl
Number IL was the 7.ssOth ~ t VI
drawn. This that ~ -
| holding 1t may not be oFdero4
! more than q year. II ct AL xakES
Rumors Of un-Amsrtcan Dlee9so