New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-31
Light Saving Advocates
Begin Assault on Time
Mayor Late for First Rally Wishes Scheme Operated Now
i 900 Delegates Hear Why Clock Should Be
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Side Presented

In the old, conservative days, when
a. m. was still a. m, schoolboys
learned a couplet that ran like this;
Backward. turn backward, oh, Time,
in your Hight,
Make me q child again, just for to-
night.
But next summer, when a. m. is
,likely TO be a. m, if plans formulat-
ed yesterday by the National Daylight
Saving Convention are enacted into
national laws, the verss. y they keep
UP with the times, will nsea to be
amended thus:
Forward. go forward oh, Time, in your
fight, -.
Add an hour to morning, subtract it
from night.
The convention-the first Of its kind
ever held in the United States-opened
its two-day session at the Hotel Aston
yesterday with ! 800 men and women
from all parts of the country in at
tendance. The delegates didn't have
time to worry about what the scheme
was going TO do 20 grave verses OF
such long standing, but they did find
time TO place themselves on record as
fayoring the light saving plan.
Bills in Both Houses
Whether every clock and watch in
the United States shall be advanced
4 nd e.
Der rests with Congress, both of whose
houses have before them at the pres
ent time bills that will make the con-
templated change law. Representa-
tive William p. Borland, of Missouri,
who introduced the bill, assured the
convention yesterday that the measure
had a splendid chance OF passing the
present Congress.
"All the measure needs to make 1t a
law is enthusiastic support throughout
the country" Mr.. Borland said. III
you want an extra hour of daylight
every day this summer, write to your
Congressman and your Senator and
tell them to support the measure. Many
commercial, industrial and labor or
CARNATIONS in America have voted 10
support the bill. If such organizations
present a solid front of approval, l
consider it highly possible that we Will
begin saving daylight on May OF
this year"
The convention, which has as its
chief purpose the capitalization OF ma
tional sentiment in favor Of daylight
saving. saw many distinguished men
and women come forward yesterday to
voice their approval of the plan.
Mayor Welcomes Delegates
Among these were Mayor John Pur-
ROY Mitchell. who welcomed the dele
gates to New York City; Borough Pres.
ident Marcus NJ. Marks, chairman OF
the conventions; Harold Jacooy, pro-
lessor Of astronomy at Columbia; Rod
ert P. Garland, president OF the Pltts-
burgh Chamber OF Commerce; John
Mitchell, former union leader, and DE-
John Wesley Hill, chancellor OF Ian,
coin Memorial University. Samuei
Gompers sent his approval by letter.
These were the chief arguments ao-
vanced in favor of the plan:
First 49, Economy. Since darkness
would come an hour later each day, an
hours gas or electric light would DE
saved to every house, factory, shop or
institution in the country.
Second 1t would mean one hour
more recreation for working people
each day, hence one hour more fresh
air and one hour more exercise every
day. ,.
Third 1t would conserve health,
since more sunlight during working
hours means fewer germs.
Fourth-It would save eyesight, since
artificial light destroys vision more
quickly than sunlight.
Fifth-It would put the United States
in proper time relation with ten great
European nations. which have adopted
the scheme for the summer months.
Tells OF England's Gain
I Il Whitehouse, member Of the
British House OF Commons, told the
delegates yesterday Of what England
had gained by the adoption OF the plan
England suffered no Inconvenience
by the sudden moving forward OF time
one hour" he said. "None Of us was
conscious that any change had been
made. except on the first morning OF
the new order of things, when we set
our watches and clocks up one hour.
"The only inconvenience was caused
"a those railway trains which ordinar-
ily ran between 1 and , o'clock-it was
at one in the morning that the cnanee
became effective. Naturally, II on a
certain day o'clock became 2 o'clock,
one would wonder what did become OF
the trains scheduled to run between !
and 2. old time. | never did ind out
what happened to those few trains