Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-13
ny FREDERIC }. nAskIN.

WASHINGTON. u. c., June l2-Ever
since the war in Europe the need Of
thrift in America has been Impressed
upon tbs. We have been told how
EUROPE saves its money, how il con-
serves It's Natural resources and how il
Keeps the record of its expenses in
order that our cXtravagant instincts
may he curbed by its example Now.
the latest Innovation thrust upon us bv
inc thrifty ones is the cconomiZing of
daylight during the summer months by
setting all the clocks ahead By one
hour.
This plan. which bears the trade
mark Made In Germany" has now
been adopted ty Holland Switzerland
England and Canada. where il is al
legged. great saving has been effected
in Kerosene, gas and electric light In
reality. all Americans know that the
idea orig mated with the first American
economist. Benjamin franklin. years
ago. when 1t was embodied In two
line jingle which has been sung by
american school children ever since
Accord rG &c Franklin. he was the first
man TO discover that the sun rose as
early as o'clock in the morning and
difuscd light as soon as IL rose In
a letter he wrote 20 n Partisan journal
he explained the phenomenon. which IL
Is 20 be regretted was doubted by a
prominent American astronomer, and
y.
although complaining bitterly that he
supposed some one would cndeavor 10
snow that the thing had been known
TO the arcients.
It was then suggested in the letter
that in order that people might have
me dement, OF this extra amount OF
newly discovered daylight. cannon
drums anl bells should proclaim the
rising OF the sun every morning. There
Is no evidence, however. that the plan
was ever accepted with any great en-
thusiasm by ,he coionisis who contin-
ued 10 sleep placidly through the early
summer mornings and To retire at the
accustomed nou-
Changing Time New Idea.
But changing the standard time OF
All entire nation so as TO get the people
up an hour earlier in the morning is
something new. Cleveland has been
getting up an hour earlier than the
rest of the country for the past two
years. and Detroit and several Cana
dian cities have recently followed suit
while II is reported New York is con-
siderng adopting the policy. but In
Europe the changing of the clocks is
provided by national law. rs early as
1908 daylight saving bill was intro
duced INTO the House of Commons in
Ereland. and created, tremendous
furore. out failed of passage. To-day
the clocks are moved up an hour on the
III he third Sunday OF September The
standard time of Greenwich remains
the same for the purpose of astronomi-
cal computations and navigation.
AS far as the extra daylight is con
cerned. there is no doubt but what
such economy would prove a beneht
While many will miss the picturesque
moonlight OF the night and all the in
teresting night noises OF the frogs
katydids and crickcts. the sunlight is
Ia u. I,l r,,l
last hour of sleep which is causing all
the fuss is apt to be something of n
weary pretence. In the suburbs the
chickens have long since had their own
clock system. with no consideration for
the Established leeping customs OF the
country, and in the city the clatter of
the milk bottles on the o'clock de-
livery is conducive to insomnia. There
is always the fearful awakening of the
siX-months- old infant next door, the
man who plays the cornet across the
street, and the annoying attentions of
the one fly that managed to force its
way through the screen to prevent that
last hours sleep in the morning.
If one got UP hour earlier he
might avoid the chickens and the
awakening infant, but there would al
ways be the milk bottles, the cornet
and the fly that were still earlier. Be
sides working hardship on the cleo
trio light and gas light companies. it
Woulu pIoDtDIS DE ulSldSltlui 10 the
milkmen, who are already ahead OF the
daylight; to the farmer, who must beat
the opening OF the market, and to the
grocers and restaurant keepers. whose
business begins before most people get
up in the morning.
Psychology IN Interesting.
However. II is the psychology Of the
thing which is the most interesting
issue. BY setting the clock an hour
ahead II Is hoped to convince lis that
it is o'clock when it is really only e.
1t might seem to some people that the
changing of the clock were a trifle UNI
necessary. since IL is perfectly possible
to get up at O'Clock whether the
clock says it is or Z. hut tho day
light savers are counting upon the
suggested that the same idea be car
ried out with regard to the Their
mometer: namely, that in tho summer
1t be forced down n few degrees and
in the winter up q few degrees. thus
convincing people that il was cooler
or warmer than il actually was. Many
American cities start the day an hour
earlier in the summer, but, the practice
is not universal which. OF course, will
he the case if n law is passed providing
changing the time.
Tho only people seriously incon-
venienced by the daylight saving plan
are the telegraph and railroad com
panics. Tho railroads would have some
moment tho clock was changed, and
the telegraph companies are apt to be-
come tIinc confused ut nrst In their
time schedules.
Standard time around the world hns