Evening star., 1940-10-26
treasury Holds
Se|ectee Numbers
Pending Lottery
Capsules Are Filled
Under Rigid Procedure;
Obiector Forms Are Issued
Nv HAROLD B. ROGERS.

BY HAROLD b. ROGERS.
IN an armored truck, under
heavy guard, the $500 blue capsules
which are to determine the sequence
for all American selectees to be
called to the colors were transported
this morning from national selectlve
service headquarters to the Treasury,
where they were locked up in one
OF the departments heaviest, strong
est vaults.
The precious little blue capsules,
not much larger than those used Tor
medicine, were stuffed yesterday
afternoon with the heavy cardboard
slips containing numbers to control
the order Of 100000 registered
men next Tuesday.
Meantime the Nationwide ma
chinery of the selective service sys-
tenn moved swiftly and mexoraoly
toward this greatest and most I'M
portant man-power lottery staged
In this country since the previous
World War.
Last of Boards Appointed.
Georgia came in as the last OF
the 48 States to have its local boards
appointed. This brings the total OF
such boards throughout the country
up to 6.175. according to c. A. Dyk-
stra, director Of selective service.
He announced that now the ma
tional lottery Is completely assured.
Selective service headquarters to-
day issued a special form by which
registrants may establish claims OF
conscientious objection to non-com-
batant as we'll as combatant train
ing in the armed forces OF the
United States.
Filling of the blue capsules at
selective service headquarters was
accomplished yesterday afternoon
by nine girls under the brilliant
lights of both still and motion pic
ture photographers, who recorded
the historic event for posterity.
In a small room on the seventh
floor of headquarters at Twenty
first and C streets NV. eight girls
filled the capsules in special pro-
cedure worked out by experts, while
one occupied her entire time IN fold
ing the tiny cards for use of the
other girls.
IS Capsules at Time.
Each girl had before her a wooden
block. long enough to hold 2o OF
the capsules. The blocks contained
holes into which the capsules fitted
snuely upright. Each girl was given
exactly 25 capsules and 25 cards at
time. She took the lids of the
capsules and dropped the long part
of the capsules into the depresslons
In the wooden block, until all 70
capsules were thus in place. Then
she took the 25 numbers and filled
the capsules. Finally she checked
them to see that each capsule held
a number and put the tops on the
capsules. Then she dropped them
into a box, where they were closed
I'D to remain until ready for the
drawing ceremony.
The capsules are not transparent
Each one is 1ss inches long. ana %.
of an inch in diameter. The card
which carries the number inside the
capsule is about Ia inches long
and about IA inch wide. The hg--
ures are stamped on both sides and
are placed close to one END OF the
slip, in order to avoid misreadlng
Of number. such as for 9. A sign
on the door late last night SAID !:
"Do not clean this room tonlght.
Plans are being made for elaoo-
rate patriotic display in front OF
Constitution Hall prior to the lot-
terv. There will be a band to play
martial music as President Roose-
Welt enters the hall to launch the
lottery with an address Tuesday
noon Secretary of War Stlmson
will start the lottery by drawing the
first number.
Numbers Go up Today.
The numbers will determine order
numbers of 1900 900 men through
out all the 6.175 local boards. All
these boards now will have ample
time. Director Dykstra said, to issue
serial numbers on the registration
cards and post them publicly before
the lottery. The postings 90 up in
this city today.
Any local board. however, that has
not received registration cards Tor
registrants who live in its area but
who registered elsewhere will not
DELAY issuance of serial numbers be-
cause of failure to receive all cardS,
1t was emphasized. Selective service
regulations make provision for reg
tstrants' cards which are received
late.
The total numbers so far put into
capsules is $500, according to Capt.
Richard Davidson of the manpower
section of selective service head
quarters. No boards are supposed
to be more than 1900 in size and
some Governors were reported plan
ming to divide the areas where the
number of registrants was running
too high. This admittedly, however,
would raise many vital and serious
problems of administration.
Last of the volumes of selective
service regulations known as volume
4, on delivery and induction" was
made public yesterday for guidance
of officials in this important phase
of selective service. 1t provides many
regulations for handling the selectee
and tell Governors and the District
of Columbia draft officials how to fix
local quotas on basis of formula.
Liberalized for Directors.
The new form for conscientious
objectors issued today conforms to
the Selective Service Act, which,
compared to the draft laws OF the
World War, is greatly liberalized,'
Director Dykstra said.
In the draft laws of the World
War. Mr.. Dykstra pointed out, than
Official statement a registrant had
to be a member of recognized re-
ligious sect whose creed forbade
participation in war in any form to
establish his claim as a conscientious
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