The Washington times., 1918-06-02
NEW REGISTRATION
NUMBERING PLAN IS
KEPT SECRET


termine the liability for military
service of the men who will be regis
tered June 5 is scheduled for June l5'
according to tentative plans of
Provost Marshal General Crowder.
The new registrants will be those
who have reached twenty-one years
Of age since June 5. 1917.
This date for the drawing is con-
tingent, however, upon the compile
ton Of the work Of the local draft
boards, which will have charge Of the
new registration.
The plan of assigning order num-
bers through the drawing has been
worked out, but the details will not
be made known even to the local
boards until final reports Of the reg
istration are in the hands OF the State
adjutant generals.
To Use Bowl.
The same glass bowl and capsules
as used in the original drawing win
be utilized, but the method and man
ner Of determining the order numbers
will be entirely different
The relation OF the drawing to the
registrants is the part OF the plan
which is being kept secret It Is un-
derstood that the new scheme is much
simpler than was last years lottery.
It is known that the number OF
the registration card will have q di-
rect bearing on the registrant's liza
bility for service, to be definitely de-
termined by the drawing. The idea
in not divulging the plan to the local
boards is to safeguard them from un-
just criticism.
Numbers Held Up.
Registration cards this time will
bear no numbers whatever until the
task Of registering the men is COM
pleted No serial number will be re-
quired. as in the hrst registration.
On the day following the registra-
tion, June 6, each" registration card
will be numbered, beginning with No.
and continuing consecutively until
all cards are numbered. TI.ese num-
bers will be known as registration
numbers" and must be entered in
black ink. The cards must be num-
bered without regard to alphabetical
or other arrangement The number
ing must be done in a haphazard man
ner.
A duplic te set of. cards, after reg
istration numbers have been entered,
will be sent TO State adjutant generals
for transmission to the proper dis
trict board. When this Is done BY
all local boards. the provost marshal
general will make known his plan OF
determining order numbers and will
announce the date OF the drawing in
Washington.
QuestIOnnaire Revised.
The QUESTIONABLE used in determin-
ing classihcations OF registrants has
been revised for the new registration.
This was made necessary by the new
law providing for exemption from
combaiants service OF ministerial and
medical students. The manner OF de-
Gliding on deferred classiications for
agricultural and industrial workers
also has been made clearer and more
definite.
General Crowder's recent work or
fight" order has been somewhat modi-
fed. The term "usefully employed
az contained in the order has been
changed to "produ,.tiYely employed"
Reglstrants on June will be classi-
FED WITHOUT regard to this require
nent, however. and when the reEula-
ticn becomes effective July 1. deferred
cIassihCstions Of all those who have
not obtained productive employment"
will be cancelled. The authority
granted to local boards TO take into
consideration in this connection in the !
immediate community, IL is believed. |
will prevent any wholesale transfer |
Of workers to productive" industries !
The chief use to be made Of the work |
or fEht' rule will be to purge the |
draft lists Of idlers. gamblers, race |
track habitues and other persons |
whose activities could be dispensed |
with without disturbing economic |
conditions.
Duty Of ofaeeru.
General Crowder today announced
that ali Federal mArshaIs. deputy |
marshals. and investigating agents. |
and all police officers OF the State, |
must be prepared to render what |
ever assistance may be necessary in |
securing a complete and orderly reg
istration.
It is the duty Of these officers,
says General Cro%der, to examine 1
the registration lists and report al |
once TO local boar the names Of |
any known by them 10 have failed |
10 register.
Refusal or failure OF such officers |
to act will result in their being re-
ported to the United States district |
attorneys fer prosecution.
New Regulation.
General Crowder has promulgated
a new regulation for making public |
information in connection with draft /
calls, it was learned last night No
figures or the date OF calls will be
given out hereafter until hve DAYS |
after the calls have been received /
by the various State draft head
quarters. State adjutant generals and
all local boards will be instructed to
guard closely against this informa-
tion leaking out.
The reason for this decision is that
in the past a general draft call has
been followed Immediately by a wild
rush for bombproof jobs by regis
trants likely to come within the call.
Many of them have obtained deferred