Washington, D. C., May 18, 1917.

Hon. Thomas W. Bickett
The Governor of North Carolina
Raleigh, N.C.

Number One. First. The selective service law was approved and the presidents proclamation issued this date May eighteenth. They require all male persons between the ages of twenty one and thirty both inclusive, except certain persons in the military and naval service of the United States, to present themselves for registration between the hours of seven AM and nine PM on Tuesday June fifth nineteen hundred and seventeen, in the precincts where in they have their permanent homes.

Second. The final draft of regulations is complete and will be mailed to you at once. While there are many minor changes and some rearrangement, the essentials of the system and the duties officers boards and registrars are substantially as contained in the tentative draft of regulations mailed you May nineth. Having regard to telegraphic correspondence since that date, you will be able to proceed immediately with the organization of your state along the lines indicated in the said tentative regulations.

Third. Registration is estimated to include about ten percent of your population. Supplies therefore were mailed to all executive officers of county boards and mayors of cities of over thirty thousand population, as to both as follows: registration cards equal to fourteen percent of the total population of county or city to which sent were mailed in time for at least one half supply to reach destination on or before May seventeenth and complete supply to reach destination on or before May twentieth. Same number of registration certificates sent to same persons on same dates. One copy of tentative draft of regulations mailed May ninth. Complete supplies of summarization blanks, telegraph blanks, placards, mailing labels, oaths of registrars, computed on basis of population of various subdivisions mailed May fifteenth. In addition there were sent to you on May 10 and 17th, ten percent of supply for county boards and mayors for the purpose of serving as a reservoir for supplying deficiencies in counties and cities. 

Fourth. To each registration board and to each mayor of a city of over thirty thousand population will be sent a supply of final draft of registration regulations sufficient to allow two to each registration place with a twenty five percent surplus for the board and a supply of copies of the selective service law sufficient to allow fifteen for each registration board. To you will be sent a number of final draft of registration regulations and copies of selective service law equal to ten percent of the supply sent to registration boards and mayors to supply deficiencies there in plus one hundred copies. Bulletins concerning the use and distribution of blank forms were sent direct to sheriffs and mayors on May ninth, fourteenth, and fifteenth, and copies were furnished you at the same time.

Fifth. The steps taken in anticipation of the enactment of the law as set forth in paragraphs third and fourth were taken in order to facilitate registration at an early date there after. This course has necessitated some direct correspondence with local authorities which it would have been desirable to avoid. Hereafter all instructions intended for registration boards and registrars will be sent to you to be communicated by you to such boards and through them to registrars. In exceptional cases where it is necessary to communicate direct you will be promptly advised.

Sixth. Immediately upon receipt here of please notify registration boards and mayors of cities of thirty thousand population or over and of independent cities to complete the organization for the registration. It is beleived that one registrar for each eighty persons to be registraed will be found sufficient, but additional registrars should be designated if necessary to insure completion of registration in a single day. Paragraph twenty five of the final draft of regulations requires excutive officers of registration boards and mayors of cities to report to you on the sixth day after the president proclamation the state of their supply of blank forms and the fact that registrars have been appointed. Blanks and instruction for this purpose have been furnished them.

Seventh. Registration cards for the purpose of making the additional copies required by paragraph thirty two tentative regulations and paragraph thirty eight of the final regulations will be mailed to you within the next week. All registration boards have a generous supply of cards and these not used in the registration should be conserved for the purpose of making copies. 

Please wire acknowledgment of receipt hereof and report present state of preparation in your state.

Crowder, Proverst Marhall General

5:28 AM May 19-17