The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-01
WILSON DRAWS
NO. 322 OPENING
GREAT LOTTERY
Ceremony Is More Military
in Aspect Than Its
Predecessor.
WILL OCCUPY 26 HOURS
Crowder Recalls Dissatisfac-
ton With System Used
In Civil War.
WILL OCCUPY eeS HOURS
special Despdtch 10 TRE Sun.


WASHINGTON. Sept. 80. - Standing
olindfolded before Gen. Crowders glass
bowl at noon to-day in the big Re-
publican caucus room in the Senate
office building President Wilson reached
in and drew from the mass of blue
coated gelatine capsules No. 322. This
was low enough to be found in every
one Of the ASST draft districts and
means that the holders of 1t will be
No. 1 in whichever one of the five
classes they may fall through the
selective- process.
Vice-President Marshall, who fol-
lowed the President, drew No. 1917.
which will be No. 2. and in only a
small proportion OF the districts has
registration reached or exceeded that
figure.
With the drawing Of the first number
by the President the greatest draft in
the nations history was under way, and
will 90 on without a break until some
time Tomorrow afternoon, when the last
Of the 1900 capsules will be reached at
the bottom OF the glass bowl. BY that
time each one of the 100000 regis
irants Of the class of September. 1918.
will have his order of call determined for
him.
Function Has Military Color.
Though lacking in the novelty OF the
hrst historic proceeding OF the kind a
year ago, to-day's ceremony took on
added impressiveness from the presence
of the President and an accompanying
suite OF military and naval officers, indi-
eating the change that has come over
the country since II called its FIRST citI-
Zens to the colors
President Wilson did not attend the
first drawing, but out Of compliment to
provost Marshal General Crowder. un-
der whose hand the marvellous piece of
machinery for converting citizens into
soldiers has been built up, he consented
10 play the role of star performer in the
ceremonies incident to perhaps the last
national lottery of its kind to be held.
\ crowd containing many Senator's and
Representatives filled the room and saw
the President set the machinery in mo-
ton.
The glass bowl with its bright blue
capsules reposed on blue covered table
IN the centre OF the big room. Alongside
sat row Of soldiers acting as talIies.
while another soldier close to the bowl
with a telephone strapped to his breast,
teiephoned each number as 1t was drawn
directly to the Government Printing Of
flee.
Careful Check on Numbers.
This was so the numbers could be i'm
mediately set up and mailed at hourly
intervals to the district boards throueh.
out the country as the master list. Those
lists Will be released tomorrow. AS a |
check on these asures each number was
posted on the blackboards and the boards
Photographed. so they could be compared
ing office.
1t lacked a few minutes of noon vbsn
the President and Mrs. Wilson entered |
ihe room. minute or SO later Gen
Crowder, gray and bespectacled, arose
ana made the only speech of the occa- 1
son II was short speech, but IL |
lacked nothing in impressiveness for the
assembled onlookers. coming from the
assemoier OF Americas armies.
II We were proceeding In historical |
method, said Gen. Crowder. I'VE would |
ne conducting in each of the districts a
OF actual names. That was the |
civil war method. 1t was received |
throughout the nation with i'll grace
Each OF these capsules represents a num- |
Der. For example, IL $50 is drawn first
me man who has that number in each of
the districts will be given his ori lrltu ~
"0ilgatton. and IL passed will be called |
10 training camp. This method has
worked successfully. 1t needs no expla-
nation We shall now proceed"
Historic Bandage Used.
With this introduction the paper cover
o. the bowl was broken and President
W ,,son was thcn escorted to the taol,
ana blindfoided by Capt. Charles r.
Norris OF Gen. Crowder's staff. Instead
Of handkerchief a special cloth was
used, taken from the covering of one nT
me chairs used at the signing of the
declaration Of Independence Once blind
folded the President with sn,Ie
cached for the bowl but could not find
u. Capt Morris guided his hand to the
BOWL Quickly picking up the first his
myers reached the President handed IL
10 Cen Crowder. who opened it himself
Number three hundred and twenty
,wo, said the grizzled veteran. and the
resident smiled again and took his seal
'mid much thanksgiving.
OF the first seventeen numbers drawn
ne Presidents was the lowest, many 81 Il
ne others being too high to reach men L
rom all of the draft districts. Vice II
PRESIDENT Marshall drew 1877, Senator
salisbury tDel) 670S, Speaker Clark II
MOI 1927, Secretary Daniels ~IsISs
nd Assistant Secretary of War CroweII
500 Senator Warren (Wyo.) drew
sa7, Representative Dent (Ala) 7l7s
md Representative Rain (Cal) o7s1. II
mere was cheer when the soldIerly
orm OF Gen. March stepped to the bowl.
put even the armys Chief OF STAFF did
not succeed In breaking the spell of high
numbers, for he drew out as No. II, 29S3 II
Cheer for Gen. Crowder.
Admiral Benson and Lieut.. Gen. s n
VI, Young. civil war veteran, followed
With 6147 and l00S6. When the on
ookers saw Gen. Crowder arise to draw
No. II they gave a cheer that equaIIed
n volume that accorded the President. .
10 drew tSs. the first low number after
ne Presidents.
with these formalities concluded the
'ralt resolved itself into the regular pro-
edure II will follow until the last nI,m-
'er Is drawn, a biindfolded soldier nick
ng out the capsules and handing them
0 TOUR other soldiers standing opposite
Who called their numbers in turn This
perstion regularly repeated will go on
without cessation through Tonight and
lntl the bowl has been emptied. An F..
sixteen and a half hours
we're consumed In the first drawing. The
resent one Is expected to take at least
"enty-six hours.
Two Murderers Recaptured.
CHICAGO, Sept 30.--Icarl Dear and