South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-06
Applying Daylight
Saving Principle to
Youth Conservation
BY ". p. BABCOCK.

fan. OF course there were persons
who ridiculed the plan in advance.
and l have heard of one old fogy
who refused TO conform 20 it, and
in consequence has repeatedly
missed trains. and been obliged 10
put up with cold meals.
If today We return TO sun-tims
(as was the original plan) IL is with
the knowledge that We have all been
gamers through an excellent,
though, as it may have appeared
at the time. somewhat despotic
mandate of the government.
Possibly. however, had it not
there would not have been such
placid and general compliance with
the order, for the public at large
makes no denial of being "sot in its
ways" IL Therefore is with some
hesitancy l venture TO suggest on
behalf Of small group of advanced
thinkers who have given considera-
ton 10 the subject a still more rad
zeal experiment
Without further beating about
the bush. let me say, they favor the
enactment of 8 law, to take effect
on the first of January next. which
will require all American citizens.
regardless of sex, who have reached
or passed the age of 81 years, 20
turn the calendar back 10 years.
AS a supplementary feature of
ihis act, nc charge Of perjury shall
lie against any person, of whatever
true age he or she may be. who
before January first makes oath to
having been born subsequent TO the
year A. d. 1850, purposing thereby
to secure the 10 year calendar dis
count as dating from whatever
birthday he or she may choose TO
select. For example, the hardy
gentleman or well preserved lady
who is at. or nearing, life 10th
birthday, may by affidavit so ar
range that in this legalized turning
back of the calendar they would
not still be left too elderly.
Ii would be manifestly absurd if
Mrs. Verdure, or that sprightly
Miss Greenleaf, each of whom was
horn in 1S49. could find no further
benefit in a halted calendar than
being set back to the unattractive
ase of so. while their somewhat
passe niece, who made her brilliant
debut a full dozen years ago, be-
comes. under the law, a charming
girl of 20.
The minimum age of persons af-
fected by this mandatory calendar
alteration is placed at 81. i'm order
that nc person need lose his or her
vote. 1t is true the class OF first
voters" would be officially multi
piled by 10. but think how much
wiser this multitude of "just-of-
age" suffragisrs would be than
first voters generally are! Where
would some politicians be if fret
voters" had known as much at the
start as they know now
In every aspect as we pursue this
matter the advantage of the pro-
posed plan. l think. becomes more
apparent.
What multitudes Of attractive fe-
males there are in all parts of the
United states, from whom hope of
a home and family has been driven
by that bugaboo whose name is
Nearly FOrtyl" If, by an edict of
congress. we Danish, we Danish that
disturber Of matrimOny. and install
in its place a reckoning and ailur-
ing Under Thirty" shall we not
have taken a step toward keeping
the population of our beloved coun-
try abreast with its matchless pros
perity!
Think for a moment of our vast
army of Has beeusi" men nearly
90 who have lost confidence in
themselves! Put them back in The
"NotGyet-forty' class, and see the
elasticity it will add 10 their gait;
the kindle it will Hsht in their
eyes 1t used to be said "a man
is as old as ne feels" That is no
longer commercially true. A man
is as old as mis- employer feels he
is. But the war has shown that
even autocratic employers dare not
defy the government. therefore il
tho law says a 80 year applicant for
q Job is still under 80, he will have
to be accepted as such. and in nine
cases out of 10 will probably make
good.
The truth is. there is a tendency
on the part of the human critter
20 think himself older than ne is.
Those who preserve a youthful
buoyant spirit, with advancing
years, are exceptions TO the rule;
therefore the rule should be
rescinded.
But, you viii say: No govern
ment can monkey with the calen-
DART Can't it, Twelve days in the
history of America are blank
through governmental monkey
ing" Try 10 find out what hap
pened on this continent during the
period between sept. and Sept. Il,
1852. You cannot 60 it. In a cal
endar sense. il didn't exist. There
is no record Of it. Under the old
style. or Julian calendar, sept. ,,
1852, fell on a Wednesday. The
next day the Gregorian or new style
calendar was adopted by Great
Britain and her American colonies,
and the date set forward to Sept. Il.
You don't really know what a
| government can do when Il gives its
y hole mind 10 it.
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