80TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION
 
H. R. 1345
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

JANUARY 27, 1947

Mr. KEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to
theCommittee on Foreign Affairs

 

 

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A BILL

 

To improve the calendar by making it perpetual, by equalizing the quarters of the year, and fixing holidays.

Whereas the calendar now in general use in the United States and most of the other nations of the world has long been the subject of study by many of the brilliant minds of the world, including experts on time measurements and standards, and as a result of protracted and exhaustive study general agreement has been reached that all nations need an improved and perpetual calendar; and

Whereas public and private opinion in the United States and the other nations of the world have been impressively registered, and now demand governmental action to revise the calendar in such a way that retaining astronomical accuracy it will be mathematically and otherwise scientifically correct, unchanging, and holidays will be fixed so they will no longer jump through different days of the week.  The familiar twelve months will be divided into equal quarters approximating the four seasons, and equal half-years, with three months, thirteen weeks, or ninety-one days to each quarter-year together with equal Sundays and weekdays, and each year, quarter, and week beginning on a Sunday and ending Saturday, with the following three hundred and sixty-fifth day Worldsday that completes the year as a world holiday and the three hundred and sixty-sixth day Leapyear Day in leap years as a midyear world holiday; and

Whereas calendars have been changed though the ages as man’s knowledge has increased and his practical heeds have been altered by new conditions.  The Egyptians adopted a calendar based upon their estimates of the earth’s relation to the sun and the cycle of their seasons.  Our present calendar is derived directly from their calendar of 4236 B.C.E., as distinguished from the Hebrew moon-sun calendar and the Mohammedan moon calendar.  In 45 B.C.E. the Emperor Julius Caesar revised the calendar of the Roman Empire, incorporating therein a twelve-month year and an extra day each fourth year upon the recommendation of the Greek astronomer Sosigenes.  In C.E. 321 the Emperor Constantine again revised the calendar by introducing the seven-day week.  The before Christ and anno Domini system of chronology was not added to time reckoning until C.E. 532 and not fully adopted until nearly a thousand years later.  In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII adjusted prior calculations by dropping ten days that year.  This entailed a loss of two Fridays, two Saturdays, and two Sundays and one Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, or one week and three days of that year, and was for the purpose of bringing the calendar back into step with the seasons and to set up a new leap-year rule.  This calendar was not adopted by England and the then American colonies until 1752, Japan 1873, China 1912, the Soviet Union 1918, and Turkey 1927.  Man has changed his calendar as he has progressed.  Despite the tremendous advances of scientific knowledge since the Middle Ages, the vast changes in the life of the modern world requiring comparable calendar changes and widespread dissatisfaction with it, the Gregorian calendar changes and widespread dissatisfaction with it, the Gregorian calendar is now in general use by most nations; and

Whereas every calendar has been initiated and adopted first by one nation or by one ecclesiastical authority, and when others have accepted it they have done so one at a time.  In the light of past experience one of the world’s powerful nations must pioneer the way, by itself adopting The World Calendar.  This does not preclude international action; and

Whereas the Committee on communications and Transit of the League of Nations studied calendar revision from 1923 to 1937, and as a result of such studies and a referendum to all governments found agreement in principle on the desirability and necessity of calendar revision, and fourteen nations, including China, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Greece, and Norway, officially approved adoption of The World Calendar proposed.  With the war ended, the United Nations established and functioning, and The World Calendar on the agenda of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, an opportunity again exists to carry to a successful conclusion the work so well begun at Geneva; and

Whereas since 1930 The World Calendar Association of the city and State of New York has devoted itself to the study of the calendar, also serving as a liaison and central clearing hours for similarly engaged calendar committees in thirty-two other nations.  The Italian priest, Marco Mastrofini, in 1834, conceived the use of the one or two extra days as a means of stabilizing the calendar, and this is the basis of The World Calendar.  This association actively participated with the League of Nations in its deliberations and the resulting study of the problem by the governments of the League’s member-nations.  Many of the world’s distinguished astronomers, industrialists, educators, mathematicians, and other leaders have collaborated in the Association’s research and ratified its findings.  Members of its advisory committees are eminent in many fields.  The World Almanac of 1946 aptly describes this institution as “the world center of calendar authority”.  The association recommends to the United States Government the adoption of The World Calendar as the irreducible minimum of change consistent with the maximum of benefit.  Not the product of any on mind or one nation, a civil calendar, which leaves the question of changes of religious holidays to the churches interested in them, and National, State, or local holidays to the authorities of the jurisdictions involved, The World Calendar is the solution offered by many of the world’s best minds as expressed to and interpreted by this disinterested and altruistic organization, an association of individuals, most of whom are private citizens and who of their own volition and in the tradition of the Nation and democracy have aided in blazing the trail.  The problem now has reached the legislative stage; and

Whereas the United States is the world’s leading mass-production country and this is largely the result of the creation and application of improved standards.  This Nation’s rapid progress, unparalleled productivity, and high level of living have been made possible by willingness to discard obsolescent standards and utilize new and improved standards.  A new calendar has a time standard is long overdue; and

Whereas transportation companies, communications, advertising, public and private statisticians, accountants and economists, manufacturers, labor, financial institutions, and heads of educational, scientific, social and fraternal organizations, in this Nation and nations throughout the world, have recorded themselves as favoring calendar revision, and specifically as favoring adoption of The World Calendar; and

Whereas it is the consensus of expert opinion that Sunday, January 1, 1950/2012, is the ideal date for adoption of The World Calendar, inasmuch as on that date both the Gregorian and The World Calendar in starting the new year on Sunday, with the result that if the transition is then made it will be in an orderly manner without confusion and permit ample time for the substitution of The World Calendar at the start of the year.  Also, this permits the second half/balance of the century (and beyond) to function under The World Calendar.  Not until 1956/2017 will the calendars similarly coincide, so enabling legislation should be concluded by the end of the present calendar year 20XX* to become effective January 1, 1950/2012.  This will leave (two*) full years for preparation and if this reasonable period of time is available for adjustments the difficulties of preceding centuries attendant upon adoption of the new calendar will not be repeated; and    

*20XX – Lead time input required and requested. 

Whereas the United States is a member state of the United Nations, the Pan American Union, the Inter-American Economic and Social Council, and other international agencies, and has commensurate responsibilities; and

Whereas the United States should be prepared to assume a position of leadership in the much-needed improvement of the calendar, and by its own action set an example for other governments.  The power and influence of the United States, especially considering the prior endorsements of fourteen other nations, might well be a decisive factor in adoption of The World Calendar; and

Whereas The World Calendar should be adopted because it will facilitate comparative statistics and tables, computations of interest, budgets, pay rolls, costs, and the many other operations in which time is of the essence; it will facilitate train, ship, and plane operating schedules and timetables, and the coordination of communications; it will be a very great convenience by having the dates of anniversaries and holidays fall on the same day each year; and will facilitate the operation of those whose business is especially affected thereby, all to the benefit of commerce and industry, educational, social, and fraternal organizations, scientific bodies, and others, including each of us individually; and

Whereas The World Calendar should be adopted because under the aegis of the League of Nations, fourteen nations officially approved it.  Appropriate agencies of this Government have long studied and approve it.  With new international organizations being created to deal constructively with measures seeking world improvement, and public sentiment the world over favoring creative efforts to improve world standards, present conditions are propitious for adoption of The World Calendar: and

Whereas after study and due deliberation on the merits of The World Calendar as against the calendar at present in use, this Congress should recognize that the calendar is the Nation’s and indeed the world’s standard of time, the measure of every act, and the timetable of our very lives.  Being fixed, more orderly and better balanced and equalized than the present calendar, adoption of the revision offered by The World Calendar will to only adjust the calendar to the requirements of our modern world but may well be reflected in greater social and individual stability, better organization of life, and more harmonious relationships: Now, therefore,

1                      Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

2                the United  States  of America in Congress assembled,  That  on

3                and after January 1, 1950/2012,  The World Calendar  herein-

4                after set out in words and figures shall be  the  official  calendar

5                of the United States of America and all  the  Territories  subject

6                to its Jurisdiction.

7                      That the President is hereby authorized and directed to take

8                appropriate  administrative  action  within   a   reasonable  time

9                prior to January 1, 1950/2012, to facilitate the change by the Govern-

10            ment and by the public in accordance with this Act.

11                 That the President is authorized and requested to urge at the

12            earliest possible date upon the governments of the nations of the

13            world at appropriate conferences that may be held and/or

14            sessions of the United Nations and/or other International bodies,

15            that The World Calendar be adopted, effective January 1, 2012.

 

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The World Calendar plan is as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The preceding

80th CONGRESS 1st SESSION

H.R. 1345 BILL

dated January 27, 1947

is a MODEL from past

and REFERENCE for future.

 

 

The 25 year long movement that sought to replace the Gregorian calendar with The World Calendar paused unfinished 50 years ago.   Legislative bills that had been introduced to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives are part of the documented effort.

 

Now, as more people hear of The World Calendar for the very first time, this H.R. 1345 Bill is a model of how to ease future paths by building on the past.  Some minor changes (as noted) make it ready to apply at many organizational levels. 

 

The World Calendar Association, International is using this previous widespread support as an example of how to expand it.  Throughout, where it is no longer as described, now is the time update! 

 

 

Revision 8 May 2006