Page "belles_lettres" Paragraph 1236
from
Brown Corpus
In spite of powerful opposition the Draft Act finally passed Congress on May 17, 1917.
In early June ten million young men registered by name and number.
The day passed without incident in spite of the warning of Senator James A. Reed of Missouri: `` Baker, you will have the streets of our American cities running with blood on registration day ''.
On July 20, the first drawing of numbers occurred in the Senate Office Building before a distinguished group of congressmen and high Army officers.
Secretary of War Baker, blindfolded, put his hand into a large glass bowl and drew the initial number of those to be called.
It was 258.
A man in Mississippi wired: `` Thanks for drawing 258 -- that's me ''.
He was the first of 2,800,000 called to the Army through the selective service system.
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