The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-03-01
Jacksonville Times-Union)

mlnlStrat0r Harry A. Gar1el0, are a
most serious economic waste. When
the fearful crisis arose which neces-
Stated drastic orders, DR.. Garfield
seriously considered wiping them out
entirely until after the war. Then
continuation Of the war and another
Bhortage of coal, which is generally
conceded will surely come, will prob
ably result in the fuel administration
Issuing an order to stop all kinds Of
Electric signs and unnecessary out
door lighting every night in the week.
Dr. Garfield declares that if it be-
comes necessary he will extend the
operations of the lightless nights or
der. While he regards white ways
and decorative lighting as almost Sc
rious waste, yet figures in his hands
chow that millions of tons of coal
have been also wasted in electric
signs and superfluous lighting in shop
windows.
In recent statement DR.. Garfield
6aid that he desired rigid enforce.
ment of the order as it now stands
and which at present only covers
Thursday and Sunday nights. He de-
clares that he not only intends to
enforce the penalty attached thereto
but will extend it.
Enormous Amount Saved
1T is estimated that if the lightless
nights order was extended to every
night in the week there would be a
saving of 3O,OOO,OOO tons of coal an
nually, which would provide three
hfths of the amount short last year
TO meet the increased demands of
the government, industries and house
holds.
Reports in the hands of the fuel ad.
ministration give satisfactory proof
that there is at least a saving of 100.
900 ons every night the order is in
force, and further proof is given that
tne shops and industries have sus-
tanned no financial loss therby.
II is no secret that DR.. Garfield has
very little patience with this waste
Of millions of dollars and it is rea-
Sonable to expect that if conditions
40 not improve, or if the shortage is
threatened for next winter, an order
VIII come from fuel administration
that all unnecessary outdoor light
Ing, electric signs, decorative and
directory lights must cease to burn
every day and night DR.. Garfield is
emphatic in saying that such eco
nomic waste is absolutely wrong and
that he has no patience with it.
Great Britain long ago cut off all
these white ways and electric signs
and all decorative lights in and
around theaters and all public places.
and the saving is said to be enor.
NOUS
Another year of war and another
winter like the one recently exper-
aenced will more than likely find the
Omitted States without these signs
and unnecessary lights every night
INSTEAD Of two nights weekly. From
fgures obtained it is sho Wn that with
ne lightless nights order covering
every night the government would in
tnis alone save enough coal to bunk
or all OF its ships for the allies and
the toys and supplies in France.
hose who have followed DR.. Gar
held's constructive record know that
It was his first intention to wipe out
every electric sign in this country in
order to save this waste for the needs
OF the war, but he hesitated to do so
IN one stroke because of the great
amount of capital invested How
ever, if it becomes necessary the or
der will come to include every night
AS Operative Now
When Une order as it now stands
was first issued the state fuel admin
istrator for Florida( Arthur T. Will
Hams, at once issued instructions to
MS various committees to see that it
was enforced. The first week or
two there were here and there some
minor violations resulting from ig-
norance of the provisions or thought.
lessness on the part of few people
who turned the lights on through
force of habit, but these were RENE.
died when attention was called to the
violations. To day this order, so
generally and periodically obeyed in
jacksonville and Florida, has done no
injury to any business and besides
the saving it carries valuable visual
lessons of the war and brings to the
hearts and minds of the people that
that this country is in war with the
most powerful and brutal war ma
en1ne that has ever cursed the world.