New-York tribune., 1912-01-07
Scientists Have Evolved
New One That Is a Mar
vel of Convenience in
Date Reckoning.
Copyright. 1911. by W. A. Du Puy0


rs this to be the last Of the New Years
that are scheduled by the old hap
hazard calendar marking that has
come down TO moderns from the dark ages?
Are the men of foresight and understanding
10 be allowed to devise a new calendar
that will obviate the inconvenience under
which all mankind is now laboring? Such
are the questions being asked by certain
scientific men the world around who are
Offering a surcease to Inconvenience 10
calendar watching world
These scientists have devised calendar
simpler than the present sheet for single
month which will hold good for any month
and any year from now to the end of time.
So simple is this revised calendar that 1t
would soon so imprint itself on the mind
that calendars would no longer be neces
sary. For under It Sunday or Monday or
any other day would always fall upon GER
tain dates of the month. This would he
true of all months of all years. and as soon
as these few figures had fixed themselves
in the Tublic consciousness the solution Of
the puzzle Of days and dates would be for
ever past.
And the scientists Of the world are lay
ing their plans toward this accomplishment
within the coming year. If they have
their way the question of what day Of the
week the first Of January will fall upon
will be forever solved. II they have their
way the years that follow 1912 Will have
lost the riddle OF inconvenience. and each
year will adapt itself TO the uses OF man in
the friendly fashion of a well worn gar
ment
For a conference is 70 be called at Berne,
Switzerland. for the purpose OF considering
calendar reform. and the wise heads OF all
nations are to attend and attempt TO settle
upon the ideal calendar. The date and ar
rangements for this international confer
ence are yet tentative but It is expected
that 1t will take place some time during
tho coming summer.
In advance of this proposed conference
the scientists of the world are, however
fairly we'll agreed as TO the simplest and
most scientific method Of reforming the
measure Of the year. Among these men
who arc advocates OF this most simpiied
system Is Professor w J. Spilman, OF the
federal Department of Agriculture. Pro-
fessor Spillman has developed thumb
nail calendar good for all months and
years for all time According to this calen-
Car, common years have 3S4 days or exact
" fifty-two weeks, while once in FIVE years
another week is added to the month of
December. These heightened years are
called long years An additional month is
slipped in but each month has exactly
four weeks. or twenty eight days. The en-
tire system, which would be accurate for
10000 years, might be expressed as follows:
l. Common years consist of ffty-two
weeks, or 364 days
? Long years consist Of ffty-three
weeks or 81 days.
8. Long years are those divisble by five
except
(a) Years divsible by fifty
Cb) The year '25 following centennial
years divisi5le by 400 as 2o25 2i25. etc
(c) The year 10 following centennial
years divisible by 5000, as 25075. So.
G75, etc
= SO would the calendar be finally cor
s. rected. go would the necessity for calen
~ dars on all the walls Of all the people be
done away with. For II would become
known for instance, that Thursday was
always the 5th, the 18th, the 18th and the
2Gth Of the month. So would each DAY
occur four times a month on the same
dates So would Christmas always be or
the same day Of the week So would al
months be the same length and have foul
equal divisions. So would the convenience
OF reckoning dates be so increased that al
humanity would be forever benefited.
Professor Glosclaude, of Switzerland. ha.
recently created a great deal Of interest II
scientific circles by the renewal of NJ
Armen's proposal, first made in 1887. tc