Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 153, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1917 — Draft Drawing Is Scheduled At End of This Week. [ARTICLE]

Draft Drawing Is Scheduled At End of This Week.

Washington, July 15. —When the drawing of lots under the selective conscription law will be carried out remains uncertain tonight,- but war department officials were hopeful that completion of local exemption machinery throughout the country on which the great lottery now is waiting would be accomplished by the end of the week. Most of the states have reported their organization complete and in the others only scattered sections remain to be heard from. It is realized here that the task of setting up boards in every county is a stupendous one, however, and officials are not inclined to be impatient. They are making no predictions except that the machinery is sure to be perfected and the drawing carried out within a few days. All of the procedure for determining the order of liability of the ten million registrants has been made public except the method of the actual drawing. . Reports persisted today that the numbers to be used would be placed in non-transparent capsules and drawn from a glass receptacle by Secretary Baker or some other war department official. There was no confirmation, however, and it was indicated that there might be no announcement until the eve of the actual drawing. . The feeling here is that the federal government now has done everything possible and that the burden of responsibility for hastening selection of the war army rests entirely upon state and local authorities. Officials are proceeding upon the theory that there will be no unnecessary delays and are making their plans in the belief that the drawing will be possible by next week at the least.