The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-28
NUMBERS NOT
INDICATE ORDER
Classification of Draftees by
Divisions Alters the
Situation
WILL BE MAILED
TO LOCAL BOARDS
Draft Lottery to Take Place Monday
Not of the Intense Interest of Pre-
vious ones-17 900 Capsules Will Be
Drawn in 26 Hours.

e
General Crowder today as the date for
the national draft lottery to determine
the order in the classes to which they |
win be assigned, of the 100000 men
from 8 to A. who registered for selectiye |
service, Sept. u, it win be necessary TO |
draw, one at time. approximately 1900 |
Icapsules containing the serial numbers |
and it will require approximately 20
hours to complete the task.
The first drawing of numbers was
| flashed to the country by wire as the |
capsules were taken from the bowl, be-
cause, under the system then prevailing,
the order of numbers actually indicated
the order in which men We're called for
service The later creation of the CLASH
| fcation systems. however, has entirely
altered the situation and the order of
numbers now only indicates a mans or
der in his class, and several considerations
decide his class.
As an example, the first number out
of the bowl might be PAS. Number PAS
might be held by a man 43 years old.
married and having children. The fact
that his number is the first drawn stands
/ for nothing at all. He would automati
| callv go in the fourth class for depend
ency, and unless the government reyerses
its policy of not invading the deferred
/ classificationS he never would be called
i for service. If the policy ever should be
reversed. all the men in two classes
ahead of him would first have to be eX
hausted. This. il will be seen. mate
rally reduces the importance of his mum
Der being first out of the bowl.
Similarly number 5.27G. for example.
might he the very last capsule drawn
and the soldier might be man 10 years
old unmarried and foot free. He would
be practically certain TO be called to duty
soon, despite the fact that his order num-
Der was at the bottom of the list.
Furthermore. all the registrants whose
numbers are about to be drawn have been
sub divided into three classes for present
purposes. Those between 10 and 81 come
first; those from 81 to ~ come next and
those between Is and 70 come last. The
numbers drawn are certain TO b. in1is-
criminatelv scattered through these
classes but il is very doubtful when the
l men above 81 viii be called. Even though
l men between Is and 10 hold early order
! numbers there is no likelihood of their
I being among the first for duty.
Then added to the effect upon the order
of service which has been worked out by
\ the elassifcations is the business of de
I ferment because of mans occupation
/ which may be considered more essential
/ to the winning of the war thar actual
service with troops.
The government has made ii very clean
1 that i'm this draft it does not want 8
single man in the army who actually i,
1 needed at home All these consideration.
q = IL 81,
! tance of mans position in the DRAWN.
I to his likelihood for service.
HI The effect of the drawing simply means
I that every man who knows he il fit 70
I military service and has no valid reason
I for deferment can expect to be ready t,
I be called for duty quite irrespective &
1 where his number comes out.
When the question of telegraplting tn
] order of tAe numbers all over the Unite,
! States was fully investigated it wa
I found that to do so would have entirel'
Z occupied all the facilities for distr,butin
4 news for at least "a hours continuously
~ 1T meant that for "a straight hours, pos
- sibly more. not single word of new
a 1nf the war or events at home could hay
been published by the newspapers. TIL
H plan of having the government use it
II own machinery, through the boards, t
II distribute the numbers was then evolve
II and it brought the added advantage q
II making the list when finally publishe
II an official one on which boards and regis
II trants could absolutely depend At tn
II same time ii left the ordinary channel
II OF news open as usual.
H Under the plan "a perfected tho pre-
II vost marshal generals office will distril
II ute the official complete master list
II numbers to the district boards by mail q
II fast as they can be turned ont by III
II government printing office. The boarc
II will be instructed to give them out [
II newspapers and the public IA fast as the
II receive them. Newspapers can make the
II own arrangements to get the lists fro
II tile boards and the registrants can d
II pend on the lists az published in Il
II newspapers. which win be afew da,
II after the drawing.
II In his statement announcing the da
II and arrangements for the drafting, &c
II erai Crowder said:
H Because of the time and the mass
II figures involved, the press associations
II the country have united in informing L
that it viii be impossible for them
H undertake the sending of the humble
: over their wires as they did on the occ
sion of the first and second drawing
- They have agreed upon and proposed
n me plan whereby copies of the mast
II list as determined by the drawing W
II be sent as promptly az possible dire
H from this Office to the Ia distr'
boards which viii be instructed to ma
II them available Immediately upon recei
TO the newspapers within the area
their jurisdiction.
This plan have approved upon repl
sentation from the responsible heads
these associations that they have in
vidually eanvassed the opinion of tn
II respective clients and have found Thu
all, with possibly one exception fav,
able to the idea of not attempting
handle them by wire.
Il take this occasion, therefore, to