Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 155, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1917 — SEVEN STATES STILL MISSING [ARTICLE]

SEVEN STATES STILL MISSING

DRAFT LOTTERY WAITS SEVEN STATES—DRAWING MAY BE HELD THIS WEEK. All but seven states had reported completion of their exemption machinery Tuesday night, encouraging officials in the hope that the drawing of lots to determine the order of liability under the selective conscription law may be held before the end of the week. Four states reported during the day and the war department has been informed that in those remaining to report only a few local districts are missing.

Although no details have been learned, it is thought that the plan of drawing to be held in Secretary Baker’s office has virtually been complteed and that an announcement on the subject may be made by Provost Marshal Crowder today. Secretary Baker’s final approval of the plan is yet to be given, but General Crowder may reveal enough of the details to guide the newspapers in preparing to publish the result and inform registrants what facts they must ascertain in order to know their exact position on the liability lists. While these preparations are going forward sentiment is apparently growing in congress in favor of amending the conscription act so as to make aliens liable for service or otherwise relieve the requirements placed upon the present allotments upon communities with large foreign population. Bills to this end have been, prepared in both senate and house but the administration has not indicated that it will favor any change. Many of the officials hold to the opinion, on the other hand, that to compel aliens to serve would be a violation of international law. The states from which reports of complete exemption arrangements were received during the day were Utah, Alabama, Ohio and Virginia. Reports are still to come from Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Missouri and Pennsylvania.

A rehearsal of the process of drawing was held some days ago in order to determine the amount of time necessary and to develop any weak spots in-the scheme, but no details will be approved. There are indications that a more complex arrangement than has been outlined publicly will be employed in the drawing in the interest of fairness. As far as can be told now, every registrant will have to be informed not only of the serial number placed on his card by the local exemption board, but also of the exact number of registrants in his district. Otherwise he will he unable to know until it is ordered the board what his order of liability is.