Faced by worldwide threat, a nation pulls together

“On this day, we Americans proclaim the vitality of our history, the singleness of our will and the unity of our nation," President Franklin D. Roosevelt told the American people during an address via radio to the nation on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1940 --- R-Day. 

It was the day more than 16 million young men registered --- the "R" in R-Day --- for the first peacetime military draft in the nation's history, including more than 1,400 Lucas Countyans.

As war engulfed Europe, Congress had passed the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 a month earlier --- not without controversy. Although the nation would unite in the face of war's threat, many non-interventionist voices were raised in protest.

In Iowa, Gov George A. Wilson declared Oct. 16 as Military Registration Day as did his counterparts across the country, requiring all men who had celebrated their 21st birthdays but not yet turned 36 to report to their regular polling places to register --- 15 locations in all in Lucas County.

It was a massive well-coordinated nationwide effort involving both officials and countless volunteers that was completed without computers and instant communication.

Here's the report of how it went from The Chariton Herald-Patriot of Thursday, Oct. 17:

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A total of 1,408 young men between the ages of 21-35 reported at the 15 polling places in Lucas county yesterday to sign up as required under the provisions of the selective service act --- better known as the draft.

Heaviest signup in the county was in Chariton's second ward where a total of 209 men were registered. Smallest total in the county was in Cedar township where 47 registered.

Throughout the county, reports were that the men signing up were for the most part taking their task good-naturedly. The draft is the first one ever to be held during peacetime in the United States.

Signup by townships was as follows: Benton, 54; Cedar, 47; Chariton first ward, 190; Chariton second ward 209; Chariton third ward, 176; English 108; Jackson 89; Liberty 50; Lincoln 62; Ottercreek 63; Pleasant 69; Union 65; Warren 56; Washington 98; and Whitebreast 72. Total, 1,408.

With the huge task of signing up the men, an even larger task now awaits the three-man draft board for this county. After the registration places closed last night, the cards were collected and turned over to County Auditor George Wright, who, in turn, turned them over this morning to the draft board.

The local draft board's office is located on the landing between the first and second floors at the courthouse. A full time stenographer will be hired soon.

The board will now make certain that the cards in its possession are for residents in the precincts or townships included in this county. Cards belonging elsewhere will be sent to their proper districts.

Then the cards will be shuffled together and numbered consecutively. This work was being done today. Tomorrow, a list of men registered in the order of their serial numbers will be prepared. As soon as this list is completed, it will be publicly posted.

Then the local board will telegraph the governor, giving the number of men registered in this district.

The governor then will determine what is the largest serial number in any draft board's area in the state and telegraph that information to Washington, D.C.

When it has been determined what is the largest number in any draft board area in the nation, the national lottery will be held. The national lottery is set tentatively for Oct. 26.

On the basis of numbers drawn from a fish bowl in Washington, D.C., order numbers will be assigned men registered in each district. If serial number 24 is drawn first, for instance, every man in every draft board area whose serial number is 24 will get order No. 1, which means he will be called first.

After order numbers are assigned the local boards will proceed with the job of classifying those drawn on the basis of their availability.

Then quotas of men to receive training will be filled in each district from those most available, and in the order as assigned in the national drawings.

In the (First) World War, Iowa registered 523,578 men, and 68,512 Iowans actually were inducted into the army. First Iowan to be accepted for service under the world war draft was F.E. DeVinny, now of Dallas, Texas.

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Lucas County's first draft board, appointed during mid-October by Gov. Wilson, consisted of Robert L. Jones, Chariton druggist; Percy T. Sprague, Russell real estate and insurance agent; and Clell Fulton, Derby-area farmer. Attached to the board were an attorney, J.D. Threlkeld, and a physician, Dr. A.L. Yocom.

When the Lucas County registration cards were shuffled, Harry Dwaine Clark had the distinction of being No. 1. Numerical lists of all 1,400 were published in subsequent editions of the Chariton newspapers.

After the Oct. 26 lottery drawing in the nation's capital, William Everett Roberts, of Lucas, No. 158, ended up as the first Lucas Countyan who would be called before the draft board.

Lucas County's quota, due by June 30, 1941, was 192 but 105 credits were given for men from the county already in uniform. That left 87 slots to be filled, but officials speculated that volunteers would fill many of those and that relatively few men would be affected by the draft --- during its earliest days.