uniformity legislation. It therefore urges the passage of a bill which would reduce the inconvenience and costs of the present haphazard application of daylight saving time. On April 30, 1965, we wrote the Honorable Warren G. Magnuson, chairman, Commerce Committee, U.S. Senate, concerning our need for time uniformity. It would be appreciated if you would include for the record that letter which is still currently applicable to our telephone industry (copy enclosed). Of the bills under review by your committee, USITA would respectfully recommend passage of identical bills H.R. 6785, Staggers (March 25, 1965), H.R. 7867, Macdonald (May 4, 1965), and H.R. 6481, Harris (March 18, 1965). These more nearly provide the uniformity which is so desirable to this Nation's interstate telephone traffic. Sincerely yours, WILLIAM C. MOTT, Executive Vice President. UNITED STATES INDEPENDENT TELEPHONE ASSOCIATION, Hon. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, Chairman, Commerce Committee, U.S. Senate, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The board of directors of the United States Independent Telephone Association (USITA) at its meeting this month adopted the following legislative policy : -Time uniformity.—Uniformity of time throughout the United States is highly desirable for telephone subscribers and for telephone toll operations. Establishment of daylight saving on different dates at different locations creates confusion and needless expense. Any legislation which would provide some uniformity in the establishment of daylight saving time will be helpful. The association, therefore, supports any and all legislation the purpose of which is to promote uniformity of time. If a choice between two pieces of legislation exists the association prefers that legislation which provides the greatest uniformity." Since your committee has been holding hearings this week on the subject it is hoped you will include our position as part of the record. The USITA represents the independent (non-Bell) segment of the industry. One-sixth of the Nation's telephones are independently operated. Over one-half the geographical area of the United States is served by independents. One out of four long-distance calls either originates or terminates in independent territory. The States of Alaska and Hawaii and the territory of Puerto Rico are served entirely by independent companies. We are, therefore, greatly concerned with the uniformity of time in this vast area. With more and more toll calls each year the inconvenience caused by lack of time uniformity is substantial. This inconvenience is not only annoying to our subscribers but results in needless expense. Last year in a communication to the chairman of the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee we commented upon a number of illustrations of the problems our telephone industry faces because of the lack of time uniformity. These are still applicable today so we are taking the liberty of repeating them: (1) The number of long-distance calls handled each day in the United States is approximately 14.2 million. In a year this amounts to between 4 and 5 billion calls. Many of these cross time zones or are between daylight and standard time points in the same zone. With this great volume of telephonic transactions, lack of time uniformity inevitably creates appreciable confusion. There is an increase of "don't answers," and an unnecessary, nonproductive use of circuits and of operator and equipment time. (2) Many telephone operations for reasons of efficiency and economy are con solidated in larger communities. These centers often serve a number of tributary exchanges. Some companies operating in centers which are on daylight saving time have tributaries which are on standard time. This poses costly problems, as will be seen: (a) The mechanical timing devices (calculagraphs) are set to the time of the toll center location. On calls between two different zones the time stamp is incorrect for timing tributary toll calls and for this reason requires the making of an operator notation on the toll ticket to insure against mistakes in charging day calls at night rates or vice versa. (b) Plant men working out of a toll center city and doing telephone installation work in a tributary locality require special schedule consideration in order to avoid inconvenience to customers. 58-797-669 (c) Uncertainty is encountered in planning hourly operator requirements and in work scheduling of plant personnel. (d) Embarrassing and sometimes costly confusion results when a toll center operator, in a town on daylight time, is asked for the time of day by a subscriber served out of a tributary exchange in a town on standard time. The person calling from a tributary wants to know what the time is in his own town. The telephone operator may think he wants to know the time in the toll center where she is located. (3) Lack of time uniformity stimulates assistance calling and makes the keeping of standard or uniform operator records difficult. The services of two operators, one at each of the two offices involved, are required on this type of assistance call. Such assistance calls utilize toll circuit facilities for which the telephone company derives no revenue. (4) Preparation of operator records showing time options of communities frequently called, and the training of operators, are burdensome and costly. We estimate this unnecessary expense in our segment of the industry amounts to $50,000 annually. (5) A striking example of loss in revenue from lack of time uniformity involves "after 9 p.m." (now after 8 p.m.) calling from Georgia and Florida to the northeastern United States during the summer months. These two States have elected to stay on standard time. Reduced rate calls after 9 p.m. (again currently after 8 p.m.) reach the Northeastern States after 10 p.m. Since calls placed that late frequently inconvenience the called party there is less telephoning. This means a loss of revenue. To avoid inconvenience an effort is made to place calls immediately after 8 p.m. This results in congestion of telephone facilities, loss of revenue, and inconvenience to the public. The pyramiding of calls at a particular time complicates the work "forcing" or scheduling of operators at the switchboards. The foregoing bears upon the difficulties of independent telephone companies and their subscribers. Any user of long-distance service can testify to his own inconvenience. Inability to reach a called party because of a difference in time, unnecessary expense of a station-to-station call when the desired party has not reached his office or has left for the day, and receipt of a call at an inconvenient hour are examples of the irritation and annoyance that stem from the present unsatisfactory situation. We appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement, and hope that the hearings on S. 1404 will eventuate in corrective legislation. Sincerely yours, WILLIAM C. MOTT, Executive Vice President. THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH Co., Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, Chairman, Committeee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in reference to the current hearings before your committee concerning H.R. 6481, 6785, and 7867. These identical bills relate to the establishment of a system of time standards and measurement for the United States and to require or promote the observance of times standards for all purposes. Western Union, by the very nature of its business, is directly interested in anything which may develop concerning the proposed legislation. The element of time plays an important part in our day-to-day operations. The company has joined other interested groups in supporting the objective of the Committee on Time Uniformity. Current operations of this company provide the flexibility necessary to adapt to whatever time may be observed despite any variation that may exist as between communities, States, or regions. From the point of view of the telegraph user, particularly the traveling public, the various time differences are very confusing. We, therefore, earnestly support the objectives of the foregoing legislation in the interest of greater efficiency, simplification, and uniformity. Accordingly, we favor the provisions of H.R. 6481, 6785 and 7867. Sincerely yours, K. W. HEBERTON, Vice President. Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, NATIONAL BROADCASTING CO., INC., Chairman, Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, DEAR CHAIRMAN STAGGERS: This is in reference to the hearings commencing February 1, 1966, before the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee on bills dealing with time uniformity. The broadcasting industry is vitally concerned with time uniformity over wide areas, particularly with regard to the effect of such time uniformity on network broadcasts which cover virtually all sections of the country. In creating a balanced schedule of network programing, an important factor is time of broadcast because the basic audience composition varies with the time of day. Time of broadcast in the various U.S. communities is also of importance to network advertisers whose commercial message take audience composition into account. It is of significance to the listening and viewing public, who are aggrieved when a network program is broadcast locally at an earlier or later time than the time for which it was designed simply because of local time anomalies. The independent establishment and changing of local time by individual States and communities have increased the confusion and conflict of time standards. Uncoordinated shifts in such time standards constitute an undue burden on interstate communications, the efficiency of which is impaired by lack of uniform time standards. These erratic changes also generate a large number of complaints from the public because of the upsetting effects on previously established radio and television program schedules and personal viewing and listening habits. The lack of uniformity among States and communities in the observance of daylight saving time requires the network to expend considerable sums of money for multiple network originations in order to offset in part the effect of such time differentials, but even with these efforts and expenditures, considerable confusion remains, which adversely affects the public interest in broadcasting. We strongly support and urge enactment of any measure to reduce the conflict in this area now adversely affecting the public interest in broadcasting. Very truly yours, DAVID C. ADAMS, Senior Executive Vice President. Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC., Chairman, Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, DEAB MR. CHAIRMAN: CBS respectfully requests this opportunity to make a general statement concerning the bills now before your committee which relate to the observance of uniform time standards throughout the United States. The CBS Television Network regularly provides programs to approximately 200 affiliated television stations, and the CBS Radio Network to approximately 240 affiliated radio stations. Each network, through these stations, serves substantially all the people in the country. Network service is designed for broadcast by affiliated stations on a basis as nearly simultaneous as possible. Simultaneous broadcast by all stations, however, is not always practicable for a number of reasons, including particularly time zone differentials. For example, a program originating in New York at 8 p.m. local time would be carried on a simultaneous broadcast on the Pacific coast at 5 p.m. local time. Because this would be an unsuitable hour for an evening program, such a program is usually rebroadcast on the Pacific coast at 8 p.m. local time. Many news events and sports programs, where simultaneous presentation is important, are transmitted for broadcast on a "live" basis only. During periods when daylight time is observed throughout parts of the United States, the television network must have double transmissions of many programs, and the radio network must have as many as six transmissions, so that the public will not be inconvenienced by the changes in local times of broadcast. Nevertheless some public inconvenience is inevitable because of lack of uniformity of daylight time. Parts of the area served by some stations observe day light time and other parts remain on standard time. In addition, the daylight time season begins and ends on different dates. These variations mean that the people in some areas must receive programs at unaccustomed hours. For these reasons CBS believes that the broadcast audience would be benefited by legislation which would provide for (a) uniform periods of time throughout the United States for observance of daylight time and (b) uniform nationwide observance of daylight time. Very truly yours, THEODORE F. Koop, Vice President. Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, AMERICAN BROADCASTING CO., Chairman, House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. STAGGERS: I have read with interest the proposed legislation H.R. 6785 which you introduced on March 25, 1965, as well as H.R. 6481 introduced by Chairman Oren Harris on March 18, 1965, and H.R. 7867 introduced by Congressman Torbert Macdonald on May 4, 1965, and am advised that these bills are scheduled for hearing. I should like to take this means of expressing my support of these bills and their purpose of providing a uniform system of time standards and measurements for the United States. The practical problems in our entire economy from present clock confusion are manifold and have been made known to the Congress over a period of some years. They arise as well in the broadcasting industry. Further, under current conditions and lack of uniformity, the American Broadcasting Co. is incurring during each daylight savings season added costs of approximately $1 million for wire lines to put the stations in proper time phase and for the extra personnel, tape, and film services and raw stock required to ronduct network operations. It is respectfully requested that this letter be made a part of the record in the hearing on these bills. Sincerely yours, LEONARD H. GOLDENSON, President. Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: On behalf of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), I am submitting for the record comments of our organization in connection with the recent hearing held by your committee on bills relating to a uniform system of time standards and measurement for the United States. It is my understanding that legislation on this matter has already passed the U.S. Senate. I wish to commend you for the promptness with which you have addressed yourself to this problem in this 2d session of the 89th Congress. During the last 3 years, NAB has been associated closely with the efforts of other industries to come to grips with this vexing problem. We have been represented on the steering committee of the Committee for Time Uniformity since its inception and have supported the objectives of this voluntary committee. At previous hearings of the House committee and its counterpart in the other body, we have presented testimony favoring support of those bills which would bring about greater uniformity of time-keeping practices in the country. Of the many bills which are before you, we favor the approach taken by H.R. 6785, introduced by you; H.R. 7867, introduced by Representative Macdonald; and II.R. 6481, introduced by former Chairman Oren Harris. I would add, however, that we would not object to the approval by the committee to the language contained in the Senate-passed bill. NAB also endorses the statement of the Honorable Robert Ramspeck, national chairman, Committee for Time Uniformity, which was presented to the committee on February 2, 1966. It is our firm conviction that a great public service will be rendered if legislation is enacted promptly so that greater uniformity can be achieved, beginning with the switchover date of April 24, 1966. We appreciate very much the opportunity to file these comments, and look forward to early committee and House consideration and resolution of this issue. Respectfully submitted, VINCENT T. WASILEWSKI, President. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES DEALERS, INC., Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, DEAR MR. STAGGERS: The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., representing more than 3,700 members throughout the United States, strongly supports the identical House bills, H.R. 6785 introduced by you, H.R. 7867 introduced by Congressman Macdonald, and H.R. 6481 introduced by former Chairman Harris. These bills would provide a uniform system of time standards for the United States and require the observance of such time standards for the benefit of all citizens. The existing inconvenience and confusion which stems from different time standards in different parts of the country would end with the enactment into law of this legislation proposed by you and your colleagues. Such a law would be of great assistance in the day-to-day conduct of the securities business and would be a service to millions of the investing public. Sincerely, ROBERT W. HAACK, President. Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION, INC., Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, MY DEAR MR. STAGGERS: The Common Carrier Conference, Irregular Route of the American Trucking Associations, Inc., supports H.R. 6785 (introduced by Mr. Staggers), H.R. 7867 (introduced by Mr. Macdonald), and H.R. 6481 (introduced by Mr. Harris) to establish uniform dates throughout the United States for the commencing and ending of daylight saving time in those States and local jurisdictions where it is observed, and for other purposes. At the outset, we wish to express our appreciation to the committee chairman and the committee for the interest which has been shown in this subject. We have noted in the past that the committee chairman was chairman of the Commerce and Finance Subcommittee which conducted hearings on time uniformity in 1964, and we are grateful to him for his continuing interest in this subject. In this petition to the committee, we wish it recognized that we are joining with many others of the Committee on Time Uniformity in its desire for uniform time legislation. We believe that the passage of this legislation will definitely improve and promote safe, adequate, economical and efficient service in the transportation of property, and also passengers, in interstate and foreign commerce in the United States. The increasing flow of commerce with the rising gross national product make it imperative in a very practical sense that all possible impediments to its free flow be removed, and at the earliest possible moment. Difficulties encountered with misunderstandings on the time of day (and these are very practical problems, not just theoretical), where different areas within present time zones change to daylight saving time at varying dates of the year and, similarly, conclude daylight time at varying dates, do not ease the burden for common carriers in all modes, no less for the trucking industry. The complexities of transportation in which service is so important, combined with an increasing population, |