The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-18
MENACE TO DAYLIGHT SAVING

That the interests back of the at
tempt to have the daylight saving law
repealed have obtained a favorable
committee report for a bill to restore
the old-time conditions is some indi-
cation of their determination and per-
sistency, as we'll as of their strength.
1t is, however. says the Christian
Science Monitor, no sufficient indica-
ton that they represent the majority
sentiment of the country. Its imme-
date significance is rather that of a
lively contest over the daylight law
than of any assurance that the law
will be repealed.
This nation, continues the Monitor,
has not yet realized the possibilities of
this question as a method of provid-
ing nationwide disturbance. Not
merely is there a menace in undertake
ing to swap the present law for the
old law right in the middle of the sum-
mer season, when daylight conditions
are practically stable; there is pros
pect of disturbance if the law is re-
pealed at the end of the season, when
the regular change back to winter
time comes due. One has but to look
northward, across the Canadian Dor
der, to discover how completely a ter
ritory as extensive as the United States
was at skies and sevens part by part,
because class differences were allowed
to prevent the government from
adopting a uniform practice with re-
spect to time. There, as well as here,
the industrial and urban communities
found great benefit and relief in the
daylight saving plan, and welcomed it
as an additional aid to all the extra
effort made necessary by the war. But
the farmers held off, and prevented
unanimity, with the result that all
Canada was on a go-as-you-please ba-
sig with respect to time, and the con-
fusion was something to read about
rather than to experience.
1t can hardly be possible that con-
gress will listen to the voices that are
willing to invite such conditions for
the United States rather than to allow
the present law to remain effective.
The farmers want the law repealed.
we are told. because if they keep to
1.-The present,time they must go to work
before the dew is off the grass. Wo-
men and children Unanimously favor
the repeal of the law" declares an IL
Elinois congressman because 1.-The
mothers want their children in the
house when night falls, and the chill
dren want to play outdoors as long as
Fit is Light
l e., -
tthing better in the shape of reasons
for the repeal of the law. But is this
actually the sort of argumentative
stuff that will be accepted by congress
as a motive for. repeating the law that
has been accepted without any down
right objection by the nation during
the continuance of the war, that has
brought what amounts to an extra
hour of fresh air and sunshine every
day thru the whole summer to mil
lions of men, women and children who
would otherwise have been practically
shut-ins from dawn to nightfan?
Certainly, declares the Monitor, the
argument of the Illinois Congressman
\ ought not to count for repeal. If he
can guarantee the unanimity of wo-
men and children which he claims sc
confidently in favor of repeal, he
strains the credulity of man when he
asserts that both the mothers who
want their children in the house al
| nightfalT' and the children who want
to play out as long as it is light are
on the same side OF the repeal ques-
ton. And the argument of the farm
er and the dew is little better than ar
j argument that all industry must reset
it's clocks in order that the rural pop
ula:ion may be relieved of the bother
of lighting a lantern. -
Surely the farmers and the ''unani-
nous" women and children are not q
sufficient explanation of this persist
ent agitation in congress. Some, al
least, of the farmers in Kansas appear
to have learned of their interest in re.
peal only thru the agitation started by
| certain farm Journals in Topeka