Smyrna times., 1927-03-16
DELAWARE STATE SENATE BANS
OFFICIAL USE OF NEW TIME"
PASSES SENATOR yEASEY BILL
PROHIBITING DAYLIGHT TIME
Deny Wilmington in Its Plea for
Working Forces; Goes to House
Where it is Expected to Pass

Deny wilmington III llS lcd IOT
Working Forces; Goes to House
Where it is Expected to Pass
BY vote of to Z, Senator Yeas
ey's bill aimed to end daylight saw
ing time in Wilmington, although
many persons hold a view the bill
may fail of that purpose, was passed
by the Senate Thursday afternoon.
The Veasey bill provides that Eastern
Standard Time shall govern the move
ment of all common carriers within
the State, also all public schools, city,
county and State offices and all State
institutions. 1t further provides that
any officer or employe of any corpor-
alton or municipality who shall re-
quire any other officer or employe of
such corporation to violate directly
or indirectly thep rovisions of this act
or any other person who shall violate
the provisions of this act shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and fined
from $25 to $1OO. Senators David H.
M. Deputy, Jester, Lynch, Reeves,
Steele, Veasey, Wharton and Allen
voted for the bill, and Senators WI.
Deputy, Kramer, Latchum, Lord,
Poole, Hall and Simonton voted
against the bill. Senator Attix was
absent. The bill had been made a
special order of business in the Senate
Thursday Afternoon at 2.30 o'clock SO
all interested in it might appear and
state their approval or objections.
Senator Veasey submitted a mass Of
letters and petitions from church or
ganizations, labor organizations, bus
mess firms and individuals opposing
daylight saving, including the Troll
leymen's Union, Of Wilmington; the
Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers,
the Methodist Episcopal Preachers
Association and the Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen. Senator Veasey
called attention to the fact that he
had not received one communication
''from the other side"
Senator Simonton remarked that he
had carload Of these at home. He
wanted to know at what particular
town the bill was aimed. He remark
ed that in one building in Wilmington
alone 80 per cent Of the employees are
in favor of day-light-saving.
Senator Kramer insisted that it
was an attempt to put teeth in law
that was contrary to the wishes Of
the majority of the people Of Viii
mington. He pointed out that the
Wilmington City Council has merely
requested the people Of Wilmington
to adjust their clocks by setting them
one hour ahead, and declared that if
the Legislature insists on putting
teeth in the law it will be tested in
the courts.
DR.. Veasey said the only thing the
Senate had before it in opposition to
the evidence shown in the eommuni-
cation he had read, was the simple
assertion that a majority Of the peo-
pie Of Wilmington were in favor Of
daylight-saving He said there was
nothing in the bill to prevent or in
fringe upon the rights Of anybody to
turn clocks backward or forward, but
would simply prevent corporations
from coercing employees into observ-
ing daylight-saying. He remarked
that it would only affect institutions
which are under corporate control.
Senator Lord declared the bill was
not worth the paper il is written on.
"Then it won't hurt YOU" Senator
Veasey replied.
Senator Hall said he has never yet
found anybody in the rural sections
in favor Of daylight-saving time. 'But
why cause court litigation he ask
| ed. "If we don't want to go to Will
mington we can go somewhere else
Senator Lord said: eve already
have all the laws we need to put us
under Eastern Standard Time, and
this is simply coercion on the city OF
Wilmington.
Senator w. F. Deputy said he did
not want to vote against something
the people of Wilmington want. Sen
ator Pool said he wished he could
have daylight-saving time in his home
town.
Senator Latchum had read letter
from the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainment appealing for passage Of
the bill.
Senator Kramer referred to {
straw vote taken on the question in
Wilmington, where the vote was pre-
ponderantly in favor of daylight-sav'
ing.
DR.. Veasey insisted the opponent:
of the bill had not submitted any con
crete evidence, that the preponder
ance of evidence submitted that day
was on the other side.
Senator Lord replied that the peo
pie who want daylight-saving are too
busily engaged earning living to b'
down in Dover lobbying.
The bill was then passed by vote