The Washington times., 1922-05-23
Legal Daylight Saving
for the District
By BILL PRICE.

thority to set clocks ahead one hour-thus putting
us upon legal daylight saving basis.
Congress, knowing that the overwhelming senti-
ment of most of the country is opposed to daylight
saving as national proposition, will not frankly
vote daylight saving law for Washington but will
'beat around the bush' by giving the Commissioners
the authority to do so and the Commissioners will
direct the change in clocks.
Our Commissioners appointed by the Presi-
dent of the United States, not elected by the people
of the District In most matters they responsive
to what might seem the voice of a majority of the
people, but it is inevitable that they should listen
first to the voice in the White House that placed
them where they are. That voice seemingly favors
'daylight saving"
The Commissioners may some day consult local
sentiment and reject this bit of fiction which avors
few and does harm to many.
When say that the ma joritv of WASHINGTON
people opposed to either ragtme saving or au-
thoritative daylight saving we believe we know what
the situation is. Enough letters have reached this
paper to show the feeling here and it is strongly
opposed to any change from the established hours.
1t is conceded that there are thousands of people
who do favor daylight saving. Selfish, personal
tlves enter into this problem from start to finish
The daylight saving advocate has in mind his own
probable pleasures. The opponent of the scheme has
in mind too often, the Inconvenience he may suffer
the irriatons involved in changes in his daily
routine.
of mothers, children, men and women workers, serv-
ants, who must accept whatever is imposed upon
them The healthy, active athlete wants the extra
hour for baseball tennis, golf, boating, fishing or
other pleasure His health is not hurt if he loses an
hours sleep hot night. But does he give
minutes thought to tired, wornout, possibly ill.,
mothers, who must get the children to bed warm
evening, remaining up until everybody else retires.
and then arise by daylight saving time the next
morning to get the husband daughter son off to
work?
One wrought-up writer to The Times spoke Of
those who did not wish daylight saving as "azy."
Not all people in the best of health not all are
athletes There are thousands to whom the morning
hours sleep is of Importance. 1t is the mother who
must leave her bed hour before others of
the family to start breakfast She will miss that
hours additional sleep before the summer is over,
and her health may be affected. Her son. healthy,
vigorous, hops out of bed when the breakfast bell
rings, enjoys breakfast, puts in his days work. and
has hours extra pleasure in the afternoon. But
what of his tired mother7
We invite the Commissioners to work out some
plan of getting public sentiment in Washington
before changing the clocks We suggest that each
trade and civic organization of Washington be asked
to express its views and then that the Commissioners
hold one open hearing especially inviting the women
of Washington to express their views. 1t would be
possible to get these views by letters, but the best
way would be invite them to open meeting, have
lew speecheS ana lhen take rising vote, by count
We wish space would permit us to publish
small portion of the letters to The Times opposing
daylight saving. Here's the last paragraph from
one letter:
1 the agators demand that Congress shall
get busy and order clock hands moved forward add
deception and mockery to "tomfoolery' fad orgi-
mated believe, in France, and France has abolished
it; and believe in the District would
permanently here. JOHN R. WEATHERS.
Mothers by the have written The Times
against ragtime or daylight saving. They are ap-
parenty almost unanimous in their attitude. And
here's part of a statement by Fair Play"
One of the strongest arguments, in my humble opinion,
is that regardless of whether the working
advanced one hour without change of clocks whether
the clocks be set forward hour.
necessarily arise hour earlier the
ing, but the majority of the people will NOT
respondiney hour earlier because of the ong-esab
lished custom habit of remaining until q certain
hour approximate time. II the clocks advanced
hour they still the mental reservation that
withsandng the clock indicate that it Is D. M,
they know that the time, which they have OBJ
serving and been by all their lives Is