The New York herald., 1922-05-07

ings of the various committees have
to be watched and the superintendent
must have general knowledge of
what matters will. be taken up and
the results of the meetings.
So much is going on in Washington
all the time that 1t is essential that
the correspondents get help when it
is possible to give it. The superin-
tendent of the gallery helps him gather
the facts. and it is up to the corre-
spondent to place the proper inter-
probation on them and to write the
story according to the interest of his
readers and the desires of his editors.
A Great Deal of Fast Work
During Drawings for the Army
OF all the important developments
in Washington during the war, think
the drawings for the army draft occa-
stoned more real work for the news
paper men. Their interest in the mat
ter was kept keen by the constant in
quiries from home Offices for details,
and this made them frequent visitors
to the Office of Brig Gen. Enoch H.
Crowder, who was in charge.
Their frequent appeals to him to
have the drawing conducted in a place
that would aid them met with little
encouragement, for up to two days be-
fore the draft was held the impression
was still strong that the Secretary of
War desired that it be held in his re-
ception room, a place so small as to
be out Of serious consideration. A
number Of the men requested that the
General get in touch with me, as /
knew just what was needed for their
work. And so was brought into the
game.
The first thing I did was to enlist
the support of Senator George E.
Chamberlain, chairman of the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs, in my
plan to bring it to the capital He
heartily Endorsed the plan and he
called Gen. Crowder on the telephone
and told him as it was desired to have
the fullest publicity he thought 1t was
only fair to meet the wishes of the
newspaper men.
On Wednesday, July IS, had my
! first interview with the General, but
as the Secretary of War was out of
town and would be back the next day
nothing definite could be decided as
to where the drawing should be held.
did my best to impress him with the
fact that the room he needed could be
found in the Senate office building.
The next morning I met Gen. Crow
| der at the War Department following
his meeting with the Secretary of War,
and he informed me that the choice of
place to hold the drawing had been
| left with him. He intended to be at
the Capitol a little later to consult with
| Senator Chamberlain, he said, and If I
| cared to meet him we could look at the
rooms. I preceded him to the Capitol
and had talk with Senator Chamber
lain on the floor of the Senate. He was
unable to leave there on account Of
being in charge of the food control
bill, which was then being considered.
Senator Chamberlain told me that
any arrangements might make as to
the house and place for holding the
drawing would be entirely satisfactory
to him. A little later I received a
telephone message to meet Gen. Crow
der in the room of the Senate Com
mittee on Military Affairs. When
went there found Gen. Crowder with
his staff, which included Gen. Devol.
in charge of the mechanical part of
the drawing; Major Gullion, his pub
licity man, and Major Johnson, who
originated the drawing scheme.
First Of all showed them the Press
Gallery writing room, but as we looked
around realized that it was a bit too
small and did not press the idea OF
| using II. We then drove to the Sem
ate Office building and one look at room
No. 266, which was spacious and COM
plctely furnished, led the General to
decide upon its use.
A telephone request to Mr.. Hickey,
clerk to the Senate Military Affairs
Committee, brought from Senator
Overman, chairman OF the Senate
Rules Committee. the word that it
might be used for the purpose. After
a short conference with Representa-
tive Dent of Alabama Gen. Crowder
told me that 1 could announce that
the drawing Of numbers in the draft
would be held in the room, beginning
at half-past nine o'clock the next
morning.
The next move was to have special
wired installed in the room for the
four press associations, and at $3.50 the
next morning the drawing started with
everything in perfect shape. Not one
detail had been overlooked.
The motion picture photographers
had installed special lights and were
allowed to take pictures of the first
ten ntInbera dro MN
Nearly Fifteen Hours Were
Required for the Drawings
The first number was taken out Of
the large glass bowl at exactly 9:3O
by Secretary of War Baker. 1t was,
1t will be recalled. No. 25s. The last
number was drawn at 2:1s O'clock the
next morning. fourteen hours. and
twenty-eight minutes later. At times
during the drawing the solemnity of
the AFFAIR would get on my nerves and
/ would have to leave the room and
pace the corridor until my ears no
longer caught the mechanical calling
OF the numbers.
The room in which the drawing oc-
Cured has been the scene of many
important gatherings. In 1912 the
campaign expenditures committee of
the Senate held many sessions there
when an investigation was held to de-
termine what sums were used in the
Presidential campaign. In this room
Theodore Roosevelt testified a few