Evening star., 1941-07-07

other constant uses, to balance the
scales and bring about the heaviest
load.
How much illumination daylight
time would save has not been esti-
mated in the kilowatt-hourS-and a
rough estimate is the best any one
could debut engineers say 1t would
be substantial.
At the height of Americas last war
effort. on March 19, 1918. it was de-
creed by Congress that clocks be set
ahead one hour the last Sunday IN
March and turned back the last
Sunday in October. 1t was recorded
that this saved a vast amount OF
electric power and coal, as well, In
plants where light current was gen.
Grated by steam. It also was report
ed to have had the effect Of lncreas-
ing food supplies by allowing farm
ers and suburban home owners to
spend an extra hour in their gardens
in the evening.
Leisure Time Becomes Argument.
Afterward advocates Of daylight
time urged it on grounds other than
industrial. They said it gave the
people more leisure during the long
days when they could make use OF It,
Factory and white collar workers
alike had another daylight hour to
enjoy as they pleased. Daylight was
squeezed at the other end from
period when most folk were asleep
the dawn. They lost an hours
sleep the night the clocks were
turned ahead, but after that 1t be-
came routine to follow the time ana
no one noticed the differences.
War daylight time was repealed in
August, 1919. and since then some
cities and some whole States nave
clung to it, while others have re-
fused to touch their clocks. This
has brought more or less confusion.
Washington, with standard times,
finds itself an hour behind New
York. Philadelphia and Chicago be-
tween April and october. The rail-
roads, maintaining standard time,
| find numerous cities an hour aheao
of their schedules, and travellers
must keep a wary eye on two sets
of clocks.
The Federal Power Commission is
engaged in a power survey 10 oe-
termine the likely effect OF Natlon-
wide daylight time at this crucial
era.
Critical Time Forecast.
An official of the commission SAID
there was no doubt the measure
would save substantial amounts OF
power used for illumination.
A critical power situation was lore
seen recently by T. R. Tate. director
of the defense power staf1 OF tne
commission. If, he said, I'VE are
going to double airplane productlon'
quadruple tank production. treble
powder, small arms ammunition ana
rife production and multiply output
of machine guns and other ma
terials, then by the end OF l94i tne
power situation will be crltlcai III
deed"
At least the entire Southeast
should be put on daylight tlme az
once, said another spokesman ior
the commission, though the commlS-
sioners favor countrywide CLOCK
turning.
Facing a shortage of aluminium
vital defense metal, essential IN plale
production, defense chiefs are cast
ing about for the development OF
additional hydroelectric power. SUI
fcient power to. carry on the elec-
tronic process of producing alum
mum is more serious prooieni tiiaii
finding enough raw material.
Some Dislike Clock Tamp'erlng.
There is no record that wartime
daylight saving caused any particu-
lar furry in washington, tnougn
some residents disliked it, opposing
time-tampering on principle. But
then there were so many war meas,
ures, such as meatless days and