The Standard Time Act of 1918 was a significant milestone in the United States’ approach to timekeeping. Enacted by the 65th United States Congress and signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on March 19, 1918, this legislation aimed to address the need for standardized time across the country. Its primary objectives were to save energy during World War I and provide a consistent framework for time zones.
The act established five time zones for the continental United States. These time zones were defined by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), which had the authority to set the limits of each zone. Prior to this law, localities often followed their own time standards, leading to confusion and inefficiencies.
In addition to standard time, the act also introduced daylight saving time (DST). This provision allowed for adjusting clocks to extend daylight hours during certain periods. However, the section related to DST was later repealed by the Act for the repeal of the daylight-saving law in 1919. President Wilson’s veto was overridden, leading to the removal of DST from the original legislation.
The Standard Time Act marked the beginning of federal oversight of time zones. It vested the ICC with the responsibility to establish boundaries between standard time zones within the continental United States. This move aimed to streamline transportation schedules, communication, and commerce across the nation.
Over the years, subsequent legislation refined and expanded timekeeping regulations. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 further modified time zones and established the framework for modern daylight saving time. Despite its amendments, the Standard Time Act of 1918 remains a pivotal moment in shaping how Americans perceive and manage time.
In summary, the Calder Act laid the groundwork for consistent timekeeping practices, ensuring that clocks across the United States ticked in unison, fostering efficiency, and contributing to national unity. Perhaps if we had more time zones or a super duper daylight savings time we could attain unity again.
ReplyDeleteDST was repealed in 1919 yet it persists here (except in Arizona and Hawaii) because it’s a good idea even if we hate it.