Sol

In the true solar year are 365 days, 5 hr. 48 min., 46 sec. This is 26 seconds less than in the calendar year.* In 3,323 years the accumulated error will mount to a full day, thereby vastly confuse astronomical and historical records.

For this reason astronomers (who begin their astronomical day at noon, do not divide it into two 12-hour periods) advocate a calendar change.

But Business, not Astronomy, is the loudest and strongest change urger. For under the present irregular system, accounting is beset by problems when it tries to compare the costs of months whose working days vary in number.

Famed as leader of "calendar reform" is George Eastman. Last week to his side came Julius Rosenwald's Sears, Roebuck & Co. which announced it will operate next year on a 13-month schedule. To its customers, the introduction of some new month such as "Sol" will mean nothing, but 40,000 employes will have to consult their company's new calendar to learn when payday falls.

Closely does Sears, Roebuck's decision follow upon the publication last fortnight of the results of balloting conducted by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. Although 1,580 voters had favored a new calendar as against 1,197 opponents, a two-thirds majority is necessary before the Chamber of Commerce can endorse a movement.

While a uniform calendar has many advantages, its opponents argue glibly. Cost and confusion of a change would be overwhelming. Religious days such as Easter could not be fixed without the Church's approval. But state and city holidays wishing the new calendar can freely follow Sears, Roebuck's example, install it without further balloting.

*The origin of the present calendar year was in 46 B.C. when Julius Caesar ordered the solar Julian Calendar to supersede the old lunar one. in this calendar every other month had 31 days, the rest 30, except February which had 29 except in leap year when it had 30. In 8 B.C. Emperor Augustus wished his month to have 31 days instead of 30, snatched the extra day from February. By 1582 the inexact Calendar had slipped away ten days from its relation to the seasons. The new Gregorian Calendar was created that year, lopping off the ten extra days. In 1752 Great Britain and its colonies (including America) adopted it, but by that time the accumulated error was eleven days. Turkey adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1917, Russia in 1918, Rumania and Serbia in 1919, Greece in 1923

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