Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-22
Draft Director Sends
Flying Squadrons' 10
Aid Local Boards
Details of National
Lottery Are Being
Completed Here
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.

BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
As a flying squadron" of officers
from national selective service head
quarters, touching at strategic points
throughout the country, aided local
draft authorities in speeding prepa-
rations for the national lottery, de-
tails were being completed here to-
day for the event, which will be
ushered in with ceremony at noon
October 90
President Roosevelt, standing on
the stage Of the Departmental ALL
ditorium beside the big bowl full of
capsuled numbers, will open with a
brief broadcast speech the lottery
which will determine how $500 Draft
Boards will call up for potential
military service their $4,000 000-plus
reglStrantS.
Secretary of War StimSon. blind
folded, will draw the first capsule.
An official will extract the number
from the pellet and announce it. and
the long task of assigning a con-
secutive- order number to every man
who registered will be started.
Event Will Be Broadcast.
Others high in the Government
will draw early numbers while the
radio networks will broadcast the
ceremony and the movie cameras
will record it, The auditorium will
be filled with members of Congress
and high military officers.
The scene will be reminiscent of
the World War draft lotteries, al
thought the Departmental Audito-
rum will furnish much more spa
cious setting than the cramped room
in the Senate Office Building where
the first selective service numbers
were drawn in 1917.
The same glass goldfish bowl used
then will be brought from indie
pendence Hall Philadelphia, for
Americas first peacetime conscrip-
ton lottery. And the same officer
who blindfolded Secretary of War
Newton D. Baker in the World War
draft will place the same bandage
over the eyes of Secretary Stimson
The officer is 1t. Col. Charles R
Morris of Elizabeth, N. j.. who is be-
ing called from the inactive Reserve
to carry out the Formally.
The blindfold was taken from the
upholstery of a chair that stood in
Independence Hall when the United
States Constitution was signed in
1887.
Will Use Same Ladle.
And Col Morris will have the ladle
with which he stirred the capsules
of IT before they were drawn out
The ladle was made from an original
rafter of Independence Hall.
The bowl and the other equipment
will be brought to Washington
Thursday by Philadelphia officials
under police escort. and kept at Sc
lective service headquarters until the
dav of the lottery.
The date and place of the lottery
were decided finally at a White
House conference between President
Roosevelt and DR.. Clarence A
Dvkstra. director Of selective service
At first DR. Dykstra announced that
the President would draw the first
capsule.
Later in the day. Capt. Ernest M
Culligan, public relations officer al
selective service headquarters. con-
ferred with Stephen T. Early White
House press secretary, and the an
nouncement went out that the Woric
War precedent would be followed
and. while the President would usher
in the event. the Secretary of Wal
would draw the first number.
Secretary Stimson, Republican
was appointed to succeed Secretary
Woodring, resigned, after the inten-
sive defense program was launched
May Draw 10000 Numbers.
It has not been determined how
many numbers will be drawn. This
will depend on the highest number
listed by any draft board in the
country. with a sufficient group Of
additional numbers to take care Of
late registrants. There may be 10000
or more drawn.
In June. 1917, the Government
drew 10000 to assign order numbers
to 10000 900 registrants. The process
took 16 hours and % minutes. The
goal then was to rush $4,000 men
into service by the middle of Sep
TENDER.
The present registration is more
than 100000 and the aim of the
Army Is to induct 100000 selectees
BY next June 30. Something like
10000 are to be called out about
November ID, according to present
plans,
With local boards in congestec
areas still struggling with the job
of counting registration cards, num-
bering them and listing them, the
group of officers DR.. Dykstra Sent
out by plane we're instructed to give
every assistance to State executives
and local authorities. 1t was en-
phasized that every board mus
complete the count as quickly al
possible, so the Governor of each
State can wire headquarters hi!
highest number.
The officers given the flying
snuadron" assignment include Capt
Gareth N. Brainerd, acting chief Of
the field section; Maj. Daniel E
Gould, Capt. Robert B. Coons ane
Mai. William J. Rushton.
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