Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-25

AVE daylight! In other words.
set the clock forward an hour
~ for six months of the year and
W take advantage of a wasted hour
of natural light.
This is the essence of the Borland-
Gallinger bill before Congress which is
arousing chambers of commerce, as
Economical societies and railway asso-
Citations to lusty expression of their
feelings. Enthusiasm and opposition
for the measure are about evenly d.
vided; there seems to be no such thing
as consensus of opinion whether
daylight saving will really prove to
be the boon to humanity that its sup
porters claim.
The chief objects which the plan
hopes to accomplish are conserving to
the nation as whole part of the
fuel now being consumed in the pro-
duction of artificial light and increas-
ing the hours of available daylight for
recreation and other purposes.
The success of the proposed change
depends upon its initiation by legisla-
ton. Without the uniformity through
out the country that this legislation
will give confusion and dire failure will
result. During the past week Congress
has been showered with kilograms urg-
ment clerks of this city have eagerly
signed petitions urging the same thing.
But the fate of the measure. especially
in these days of lowering war clouds. is
doubtful.
In utilizing more daylight the hours
of work will neither be heightened nor
shortened. Persons will simply arise
in the summer months, beginning with
April and ending with September. one
hour earlier than usual, start work one
hour earlier and quit work one hour
earlier. Because of the long day in
summer, such an early rising hour with
the adjustment that will follow during
the day takes advantage of morning
sunlight and gives maximum use Of
all hours of light from morning to
evening. At present. persons sleep
through many hours of daylight in the
morning and partake Of their evening
meal by artificial light. In other words,
they throw away free daylight and sub
stitute for it another light which costs
money.
In addition to this economic consider
alton two other lines of argument pre-
sent themSelves-the physiological and
the social Daylight saving will sub
stitute cool morning working hour In
summer for a warm afternoon hour; Y
will bring greater amount of daylight
into the working hours at the end of
the day. reducing eyestrain and in
creasing personal efficiency. On the
social side, an additional hour of day
SAi'"Ae
recreation grounds. individuals will
have more time in which to cultivate
their gardens, outdoor pursuits of all
sorts would have a greater time for
commanding community interest.
X
This is the favorable side of the sub
ject. Whether the objections voiced by
the other side are actually unfavorable
is difficult to decide. The American
Astronomical Society. which has been
consulted on the scientific practicability
of daylight saving. says, through its
committee, composed of Edward Pick
ering of Harvard University. Frank
Schlesinger. director of the Allegheny
Observatory: John Poor. professor Of
astronomy, Dartmouth College; Henry
Norris Russell. Princeton. and Harold ia
CODY of Columbia University, that In
order to be a real benefit the plan
must be adopted simultaneously
throughout an extended area of the
United States.
AS the country is divided into four
distinct time sections. change In one
section would seriously affect all 9TH
ers If the clock is set forward an hour
in one section, the. same thing should