Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-28
DRAWING FIXES
MILITARY STATUS
OF 744,5OO MEN
Number 246 First Drawn
From Bowl by Secrc-
tary Of War Baker.
COMPLETE WHOLE CEREMONY
IN LESS THAN THREE HOURS
Under New Classification System
Drawing Is Less Signih-
cant to Registrants.
CLASS MEN ARE SOON TO GO
All Given Such Standing by Their
Local Draft Boards Will Soon
BE With Colors.
CLASS MEN ARE SOON TO &C
| by Associated Press ]


in which youths of the class of 1918
Will be called into military service was
conducted here to-day with much the
same ceremony which marked the great
drawing of year ago.
This time. however il was a much
smaller affair. and in view Of the fact
that the classification system more
nearly determines the order OF service
it was not surrounded with such dra-
matte interest
The drawing was held in the grca,
conference room OF the Senate OtIice
Building. with Secretary Baker. blind
folded. taking the nrst seiatine cap
sule. with number inclosed. from the
glass bowl 1t was number 246 Mum
bers 1853 and SIS were the second and
third, respectively. and thus the draw
ing continued 10 the end
The calling OF the numbers as the
capsules were opened and the paper
slips inside were read. went on mo-
notonously until the thOusa nith cap
sule had been drawn. The first thou.
sand just filled one OF the black boards
and the officials in charge called time"
while the board was being changed and
the workers rested
Draft number came out in The Gii;h
capsule. The drawing OF the numbers
TOOK less than three hours
The twelve hundredth capsule with
number co5, was taken from the bowl
at ll:3s. and the drawing was over.
NUMBERS FIXED DRAFT
STATUS OF 7I4,50O YOUTHS
The NUMBERS represent 7H,50o youth.
tho majority OF whom within few
months will be enrolled in the forces
hGhting for democracy and against
Prussianism
Secretary Baker. members o. the SEN
ate and House Military Committees and
other high government officials Wit
messed the drawing by blindfolded men
OF the little capsules from the bowl.
each OF the capsules containing q
master number" TO be applied in the
$500 registration districts OF tho couu-
try. according TO the registration.
The setting for the lottery was a
replica OF that OF July 20 last. when
the drawing OF lC,500 numbers de-
termincd the liability for the service
of approximately 100000 men. In
the country at large there was little
or the excitement that attended /
first drawing. 4 year or war lf
served TO calm the American people.
The lack OF excitement, however. was
largely occasioned by the fact that to-
days drawing was fraught with only
slight Significance owing TO the ques
tonnaire method OF classification.
DETERMINES RELATIVE
SEMMONISG OF MEN
To-day's drawing was TO determine
only the relative summoning to the
colors of the rcgistrants as finally clas-
sfed by the local boards under the
QUESTIONABLE system. All of the
youths whose numbers were drawn to-
day will be assigned TO the various
FIVE classes on the basis OF lnforma-
.tion furnished In the Questionna!res
now being mailed out. The registrants
will be placed at the foot Of the list
in each class in their respective dis
tricts in the order In which their num-
bers are drawn to-day. In that re-
spect only will to-day's drawing AFFECT
the registrants.
Statements made recently by Pro-
vost- st-Marshal-General Crowdcr and Sec
retary Baker indicate that all OF the
new registrants placed in class l vii
he called before the end of the year
Accordingly, not more than few
months will clapse al the most between
the calling of men in class ] whose
numbers are among those drawn first
and those whose numbers are among
the last to be taken from the bowl
The first few numbers 10 be drawn
were taken from the bowl shortly after
9;30 o'clock by Secretary Baker. Later
attaches OF the Office OF Provost Mar
shal-Genersl Crowder were bindfolded
and withdrew the capsules from the
bowl AS the numbers were drawn
they were announced and written on
n large black board. When the black
board was rillcd. it was removed to be
photographed and another substituted
This operation was repeated during the
more than three hours required for the
Gra wing.
ONLY 1000 NUMBERS
REQUIRED IN DRAWING:
In comparison with the 10,500 num-
bers required 10 be drawn a year ago,
only 1900 numbers were drawn to-day.
The district having the largest num-
ber OF men to register June 5 reported
somewhat less than 1000 registrants
To provide for late registrations and
emergencies 1t was decided to draw
1900 numbers. In the larger number
of the districts, however. only the lower
numbers will apply.
Official lists Of the numbers as drawn,
based on the photographs taken Of
the black boards will be sent within
few days to all local boards to he
used In placing the men when the
questionnaires have been returned
The master numbers" drawn to-day
apply to the numbers on the registra-
Continued on Third Page.)