Evening star., 1922-07-12
DAYL|GHT-SAv|NG
DEAD AND BURIED
AFTER THIS YEAR
President Tells Federal EN-
ployes 1t will Be Put
Aside in August.
DISAPPROVES OF PLAN
FOR A REFERENDUM
Letter Says Department Heads
Have Had Option of Readopt.
ing Old Order.

Dayight-saving under the present
plan for Washington will continue
until the latter part of August, there
VIII be no authorized vote on the
subject among federal employees, and
after this year-so far as the present
administration is concerned-sayins
daylight in Washington is dead and
buried.
rms was made known in a letter
today from President Harding to
George A. Warren, chairman of the
committee representing Federal En-
ployes' Union No. 2, which recently
petitioned the President to authorize
vote on the subject of daylight
saving among the government en-
ployes in Washington. The text of
the Presidents reply follows:
The White House, Washington,
July II, 1922.
MY dear Mr.. Warren: 1 have your
letter OF June -, in which you invite
my approval of a ballot among the
federal employees relative to the So
called daylight-saving plan which is
now in operation in the District.
Ballot Plan Disfavored.
Il do not look with favor upon the
ticuiarly on matter which is a closed
case. The chief executive had no
preference about a daylight saving
plan. Indeed. my own preference was
.hat OF retaining the regular order
The modified arrangement was very
much sought. and there was informal
sanction given to it by a very large
number Of federal employees and by
the heads of the departments The
executive branch of the government
m tod to fla
VIII be no general order changing il
until the latter part of August Then
1t Will be put aside not only for this
year but for all time SO far as this
aomihistratpn is concerned; 1t is not
possible for me to be varying orders
to department heads, in accordance
with the emphasis with which one
division of employees expresses its
preference as against the judgment
OF another. I have long since said TO
heads of departments that if in their
judgment the earlier working hour is
proving of disadvantage to the gov
ernment. or of serious Inconvenience
to employees. they are to be free to
the matter TO me. Very truly yours,
WARREN C. HARDING
Up at Next Meeting.
President Harding's letter will be
placed before the next meeting of the
employees representatives Mr. Warren
said today that while he was not au-
thorized to make a statement for the
committee of which he is chairman.
that the committee had wished that
te government officers and employees
might have had an opportunity to
express themselves on the much de-
bated question of daylight saving He
presumes, however. he said. that the
Presidents response to the unions
request reflected his best convictions
as to his duty in the matter.
The Presidents letter apparently
brings to an end efforts to end day
light-saving here, which began the
day it was put into effect. 4 state
ment from the White House yester-
day. which was reiterated in the
Presidents letter today, to the effect
that If the heads of departments found
the early working hours disadvan-
tage to the government they were
free to change the hours without re-
ferring the matter to the chief eXecu-
tive. probably will result in no in
dividual action by cabinet members.
When this subject was brought up
before, an informal survey conducted
by The Star showed there was no
sentiment on the part of department
heads to change the present working
hours. as there was no disadvantage
to the government" resulting.