The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-01
First Number Taken From Bowl of 17,O0O by Presi-
 dent, Blindfolded, Is 322
WILL REQUIRE 36 1 HOURS FOR DRAWING
Readers and Tellers Working in Re- lays, Drawing Continuing Almost Uninterruptedly Through
 out Last Night

l Washington September s0.-The draw ing of order numbers for the 1s,00o, ,0Ot
 draft registrants enrolled September l. :. was started today by President Wilson 1 Blindfolded. the President groped into the great glass lottery bowl and drew out one of 17,00B capsules. It contained a slip No. S23. thus giving to men hold l ing that serial number first place in their respective classes after registrants al
 ready classified under previous regis. trations. The number was low enough to touch the list of every local draft board in the country except one or rwc of the very smallest
 | Vice President Marshall drew the sec ond number, and was followed by It 1 other notables who had been invited to participate in the formal ceremony ot l opening the drawing. When it was over officers and enlisted men or the army assisted by a corps of tellers, settled down to the task of emptying the bowl. Two thousand numbers had been dra VII and recorded before o'clock in the afternoon, indicating that probably 3o hours would be required to complete the work The readers aud teIlers worked in relays, so the drawing continued a!-
  night Provost Marshal General Crow der hoped to finish early tomorrow eve ming.
 FIRST HUNDRED FLASHED Only the first 1oO numbers were flashed to the country by telegraph Because of the impracticability of teegraphns ali of the 1f,00O the press had been asked to refrain from sending more than it0 numbers. The complete master lists will b. mailed as soon as the drawing is over to district draft boards throughout the country. to be made public by them The drawing is taking place in one of the large caucus rooms of the Senate office building. There was an interested crowd to witness the opening ceremony The first 100 capsules were hardly out Of the bowl before the audience began to drift away
 The President. with Mrs Wilson. reached the caucus room just before noon and joined a group including the Vice President, Speaker Clark. the chairmai Ii of the Senate and House military com mittecs. Secretary isanieis, Acting Sec. YefarN t.rcwc of the war department, General March, chief-of-staff of the army, Adm.ral Benson, chief of naval opera. tions, and others who were to take part ALL READY
 All was in readiness for the draw ing, incindins battery cf cameras that req ched across tie room directly be fore the bewl This bowl the one usel :n the orignaal d,aft iotters. Lad Deeu brought from it's place at Independence A; gadepah d. k pccasion Before maklrg his exp anatory stiie ment, Provost Marsha General Cis4sslet whispered to the President that si iss case the blindfoid, alwsAs < wosn ,y those drawing, would be dispensed with. MT. Wilson said he thought 1t would be better to make TO exception in his case. so the blindfoid made from a slis of cloth that covered chair used in the signing of the declaration of inde- pendence, was adjusted as the President approached the bowl.
 The crowd applaudej as No se2 was announced and the President returned to lis seat to watch the remainder of the opening ceremony.