The sun., 1919-07-08
AN HOUR OF SLEEP LOST.
Children and Women who Don't Go
to Bed by the Clock.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sr: That
discussion of daylight saving In THE
BUN Of late Is both interesting and
typical. The three letters evidently
written by city men show very clearly
the town side Of the question. Here are
three men who confess that they know
little or nothing about the way modern
farm work Ia performed; yet they oc-
cupy more than a column in telling what
they think farmer ought TO do.
On the other hand Frank Brlncker-
hoff, a practical farmer, makes a clear.
plain statement Of fact. He shows what
/ know TO be true from my own expert
ence, that this daylight saving law
decreases the efficiency of farm help, 30
that in order to produce ton of food
while working under this law a farmer
must add to his expense. Thus we have
a discussion conducted on one hand by
people who know nothing about the
subject and thus deal in theory while
on the other side we have a statement
Of fact which cannot be controverted.
Mr.. Brinckerhoff clearly shows the
most important fact connected with this
discussion. Daylight saving, so far as
can see from the argument. adds TO
tho fun or pleasure Of the city resident.
and that seems to be why he favors II.
On the other hand there can be no Ques-
ton about the fact that this daylight
saving law has reduced the efficiency
Of the farmer and his help, and II has
thus increased the cost Of the produce
ton Of food.
Ill t. -rvtII ~ nat
our city consumers will be called upon
to pay for their fun and pleasure, as Is
usually the case. They will pay for
Il in the extra cost OF food, made neces-
sary through the inability of farmers
to work their farm help and their farms
az efficiently as they did under the old
law. It will be interesting to see with
what good nature our city friends walk
up and pay this extra price, which will
most certainly be necessary II they keep
this law in force.
Another thing Is mentioned by ono Of
your correspondents and that Is the
effect of this law upon children. i know
that my own children are suffering from
a lack of sleep.
1t 10 impossible to get them to go
to bed any earlier now than they did
under the working of the old time Chill
dren are like birds in their habits OF go
ing to bed. but quite unlike them in their
hs bits OF getting up. My children will
not go to bed any earlier than they
formerly did, and IL they do go to bed
they cannot or will not go to sleep. They
are obliged to get UP an hour earlier
in order TO get TO school or attend to
other du,l's with the result that one
hour at least OF sleep has been cut out.
and they are most certainly showing the
effect OF 1t. My reports indicate that
other parents and teachers have OBJ
served this very thing.
also know that a good many farm
! women are breaking down because of
this same inability to obtain sleep. They
are unable to retire earlier than they
did under the old time, and even II they
did retire II Ia practically impossible
for them TO obtain rest in the hotter
part of the night yet they are obliged
to be UP an hour earlier In order to
keep up with the proposition.
These things have not usually been
considered in the discussion. yet they
arc vital things. as our people will surely
find more and more MS time goes on.
II. w. CoLLISowoop.
Editor the Rural Nen-Yorkcr.
New YORK, July Z.