The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-29
America Chose Her
Young Men For Duty
Continued From Page u


for the day SO his mother came
down to see if his number would
turn up. And if Robert is healthy
and free of dependents, as pre-
sumably he is, he will be putting
on olive drab and joining the army
next june, when his school year is
up.
Said Clarence Dykstra, draft di-
rector to a neighbor on the plat
form as Roberts number turned up:
isn't that an interesting coinci-
dence."
Before the day has ended there
will be a whole sequence of coinci-
denceS.
Many Hours To Go
All afternoon and into the night
possibly until the early hours of
morning-the goldfish bowl will yield
its pellets until the 9000th number
has been drawn.
What this ceremony signifies,
what it means in a time when the
world is aflame with war, was told
by President Roosevelt as he opened
the ceremony.
"You who will enter this peace
time army" said the president,
will be the inheritors of proud
history and an honorable tradition.
"You will be members of an army
which first came together to achieve
independence and to establish GER
tain fundamental rights for all
men.
ever since that first muster, our
democratic army has existed for
one purpose only: the defense of our
freedom.
at is for that one purpose and
that one purpose only that you have
been asked to answer the call to
training.
"You have answered that call, as
Americans always have, and as
Americans always will, until the
day when war is forever banished
from this earth"
In these times, said the pres
ident, "only the strong may con-
tinue to live in freedom and in
peace" and America must muster
"all our resources, manhood and in
dustry and wealth to make our ma
ton strong in defense"
Today was a day when United
States history repeated itself. The
actors were different, the machin-
cry was streamlined but the play
was the same as in 1917 when from
the very same goldfish bowl were
drawn the numbers which spoke the
order in which the men of the
three World War drafts were called
to service.
President Opens Event
Washington, Oct. 20 - (UP) -
President Roosevelt today opened
the nations first peacetime draft
lottery with a warning that "only
the strong may continue to live in
freedom and in peace.
He spoke before gathering OF
dignitaries assembled to draw the
numbers which will determine by
chance alone the order in which the
nations youth shall be called for
compulsory military service.
"We are mastering all our re-
sources, manhood and industry and
wealth to make our nation strong in
defense he told the class of 1910
1900, 900 men of whom 100000 will
be called to the colors within the
next year.
I'VE are well aware of the circum-
stances-the tragic circumstances In
lands across the seas-which have
forced upon our nation the need to
take measures for total defense.
I'm the considered opinion of the
congress of the United States this
selective servcice provides the most
Democratic as well as the most eff1-
Gent means for mastering our man
power"
He told potential selectees that the
government was aware of the nee
essity to return them 10 civilian life
at the end of their years training
STRONG, and healthy, and self-re-
speeding and decent and free"