DRAFT: It seems we aren’t the only ones who have been inspired to do some historical reading. A reader sent us some information from “History of the Great World War” by National Publishing Company, 1919. It’s about selective service, also known as the military draft.

“The experience of Great Britain in the early years of World War I in trying to secure a sufficient increase in its armed forces without conscription proved to the United States military authorities and the administration that adoption of the selective draft plan was the only fair and impartial means of raising an army of the required size.”

Objectors said it wasn’t “in accordance with the theories of democracy,” but on May 18, 1917, “the Selective Conscription Law was passed compelling the registration of every male in the United States being between the ages 21-31 for military duty. Registration took place June 5, 1917, with 10,000 being enrolled.”

The registrants in each district were numbered consecutively. Major General Enoch J. Crowder developed and directed the selective service, while the numbers were drawn in Washington, D.C. “…with Secretary of War Newton D. Baker drawing the first number.”

The information noted that this was the first military draft since the Civil War.

“The numbers were then published and sent to the local draft board. Example #269 was drawn, every man in every registration district in the county registered under that number was called-up by that one drawing. Sufficient numbers were drawn to provide the number of men required on the first draft with the first drawing.”

The information also noted “there were 64,000 conscientious objectors and 3 million draft dodgers.”

The eligibility for the draft was as follows: “single men without dependents were designated as the first to be drafted, then married men without children or whose family support was not needed and while there were other classes, the plan ultimately brought into the service few upon whom it was a hardship, though many who could have sought exemption did not seek it.

Regular army enlistments were for seven years with four years being in the active service. National Guard members were called for a period of the war duration.”