Evening journal., 1916-07-21
DAYLIGHT SAVING
IS URGED HERE
Means Economy in the Use
OF Artificial Light, Rail
way Guide Says
SAYS GOVERNMENT
CONSIDERS PLAN

The movement called Daylight
Saving" by means of which it is pro-
posed to readiust the hours Of day
light to the hours of work by chang
ing the hands OF the clock, has spread
over the continent Of Europe, has
been adopted as a war measure. for
the summer of 1916 only, by Great
Britain, and is vigorously urged in
the United States. II is under con-
sideration by Congress, says "The
Official Railway Guide"
This movement does not present
the same objections as apply against
the use by individual communities Of
standards other than that of the zone
in which they are located. By such
isolated action those towns are
thrown out Of adjustment with the
general plan of uniform standard
time. to the inconvenience of travel
lers and of people in other cities who
transact business with them, and Of
many of their own .citizens. The plan
proposed is of general nationwide ap-
plication.
The advantages claimed for the
shifting of the hands of the clock an
hour forward have been loudly urged
and need not be here repeated. Some
of them may appear plausible but for
the most part they would do credit
to the late Colonel Mulberry Sellers,
Of New York The only contention
having possible merit is that a saving
would be effected in the expense for
artificial light. There is, Of course
no daylight saved" II is merely
an adjustment of the clock TO meet
the habits of men If a man who
has been in the habit of going to
work at 8 o'clock in the morning
should be required TO commence at z
he would probably strike If, how
ever while he is sleeping the hands
of his clock are rushed ahead one
hour he goes contentedly to the shop
at Z. thinking that it is 8; and in
the afternoon at knocking-of time,
he will find that he has in May and
September as much time between
shop closing and sundown as he had
formerly in July.
In the agitation on this subject in
England, in 190S-09, hearings were
held by a special committee Of Par
lament, at which all classes Of peo-
pie and every industry were repre-
sented. These hearings occupied five
months. and at the end the commit
fec recommended that the bill be not
further proceeded with" The objec-
ton to the bill arose from govern
ment officers engaged in astronomical
work and the meteorological depart
ment, also from newspaper publish
ers on account of the arrangement OF
telegraphic news. from commercial
and banking houses, which had trans
actions with foreign markets and
from transportation lines having con-
nection with continental railroads
all Of which, in those times OF peace
would have been demoralized by the
change. The effects of the war and
the fact that the continental coun-
tries have themselves adopted the
nev standards, have removed tempor-
arily some Of these objections.
In the United States, so far as the
transportation lines are concerned, If
it should be decided by the Federal
government and others in authority
to try the experiment, the change
could be made as it was in England
In 1888. when fifty-six standards
were resolved into four, there were
many differences Of odd minutes &c
be considered which must be figured
out and adjusted to the schedules oi
each road. Compared with that prob
lem the present proposition is simple
At a certain hour fixed by agreemen
(in England it was A. NJ. Sunday
May 21) the hands Of all clocks and
watches would be moved forward one
hour. All trains then running would
become at once one hour behind time
they could be conducted safely to thu
end of their run with no great diff
cultv. Thereafter the railroad time