Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-18
Daylight Saving
Argument Wakes
Warm At Meeting
Ed ToWse and ]. D. McInerny
Get Real Angry as to Merits
of Proposal in Hawaii


Debate on daylight saving for Ha,
vail resulted in a near verbal war at
the morning session of the Civic Con-
vention.
1t was after Ed Towse had addressed
the delegation on daylight saving that
angry flashes we're exchanged be.
tween Mr.. Towse and ]. D. MeInerny.
As Mr.. Towse concluded MS ad.
dress, Tenney Peck asked for permits
sion of the chair to reply. To this
the first speaker intimated objections,
but asked for the privilege to reserve
the right to answer Mr.. Peck.
Several delegates signified their as
sent for Mr.. Peck to speak, and Mr..
McInerny declared that it was only
right that he should be heard.
"Mr. Towse shows his own timidity
when he objects" declared Mr.. Nc
Inerny. Mr.. Towse turned with an
angry gesture toward Mr.. Mclnerny,
but confined his remarks to the state.
ment that he wanted merely to re-
serve the right to be heard again.
In his address Mr.. Towse said in
part: -
1.-The real issue in daylight saving
is that by turning the clock ahead one
hour earlier for five months in the
year we 60 to work one hour earlier
and quit one hour earlier. There is
no question but that production les
sens materially in the late afternoon.
This is the case with mechanics, and
l have no doubt it is true with office
forces" ~.
He said that President Wilson and
the United States Senate had endorsed
it, and the principal reason the meas
ure had not yet been passed by the
house was the relay experienced in
getting a reply from the Honolulu
Chamber of Commerce OF Delegate
Kuhio's query as to whether it was
wanted here.
To prove it is favored by workmen,
he cited as an example that big soap
factory had taken vote among its
employees to determine If it was popu-
lar. He said "a per cent Of the en-
ployes voted to have it retained a
month longer each season.
Daylight saving is also an aid for
temperance, he asserted. Instead Of
hanging around saloon after work,
if there is much of the day left, the
workmen would go home and attend
to little duties there, he said. Gy
shortening the day accidents were
also averted by the thousands and 1t
gave opportunity for home gardening,
which he thinks will eventually be
necessary here.
Tenney Peck's objection TO the day
light saving plan is purely an astrono-
mieal one, so far as Hawaii is con-
cerned. He pointed out that Hawaii
was in the same latitude as the City
of Mexico and other tropical cities.
and that conditions were quite diff
ferent here from those which prevail
In mainland places where the plan is
in vogue.
The meat of his argument was that
did the cities situated farther North.
AND also, that the measure in con-
gress was one to standardize time.
Plantations have always fixed the
time of work here which was most
convenient to them.
Since time immemoral communi
ties have been working on an arbi-
trary time basis" he said, with the
inference that they would continue to
do so.
Mr.. Towse replied that all his state
ments were backed up by the scien-
tific men all over the world and than
any man in his right mind would not
dispute them. ..~
Then the daylight saving argument
was stopped by the chairman calling
upon another speaker upon another
subjecS /