A THIRTEEN-MONTHS YEAR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3127, 24 July 1922, Page 2

A THIRTEEN-MONTHS YEAR.

Dr Moses B. Cotsworth, of Vancouver, is full of enthusiasm over his scheme for inaugurating a year out of 13 months, which, he declares, will bring this old world more luck and saner happiness than it has ever had under the 12-month system. lie does not believe, you sec, in the “13” Superstition. Ho believes, instead, that since there arc 13 lunar months in every year, whether we like it or not, it " would greatly simplify matters if there were 13 calendar months also, and a great many persons of importance agree with him. For years Dr Cotsworth has been looked upon as one of tho world’s greatest scientific statisticians. While resident in England, prior to coming to Canada, Mr Cotsworth was one of the ardent spirits in the International Almanac Reform League, and for some 27 vears ho has been busy at work perfecting his “Yearly Calendar,” which is designed to do away with the present confusing system of dividing the year into 12 months of unequal lengths. The new calendar, which has been under consideration lor some time, is expected to receive the endorsement of the International Conference of Astronomers which meets in Rome this month, following an important conference of Roman Catholic Church dignitaries, which is also expected to approve the change. Other scientific societies have already given unqualified approval to the proposal. The “Yearal Calendar,” which was endoised by the Canadian Government in 1912, was under consideration by the British Government in 1914, Lnt tins ou tbreak of war made the international conference, which was to have been held that year, impossiblte. The original plan was to have had the calendar in general use by 1917. Instead! of ending on the day we now designate as December 31, the “Yearal” will close at December 22 —the day after the shortest day of the year [in the Northern Hemisphere] and the natural end of the year. With 13 months in the year every week will begin noth a Sunday and every month end with a Saturday. Every Saturday will he a 7th, 14th, 21st, or 28th, while every Sunday will be a. Ist, Bth, 15th, or 22nd, and so on with the other days continually. Holidays will always fall on the same definite dates. For instance, Christmas and New Year’s Day will always be on a Saturday, white Easter will cease to be a movable feast subject to seven weeks’ fluctuation duo to- lunar variations. All church festivals and national holidays will similarly be definitely allotted to a certain day. The extra month which the “Yearal Calendar” gains; is inserted between June and July and will be known as “Sol,” for the reason that heretofore the sun has been overlooked in the nomenclature of the year. While 13 months of 28 days each total only 3G4 days, and a year, scientifically speaking, totals 365} days, provision is made for the extra day by inserting it between the last day of the old year and the first day of the new. This day has no day name and is designated 1 simply as “New Year’s Day.” It will be indicated on the model calendar by a- star and, of course, would be a. general world-wide holiday, recognised as such by all nations. In tho same way every fourth year an extra day will be inserted at midsummer. which will be simply known as “Leap Day.” This, it is contended, will make for greater balance and a more scientific partition of the year, it also will bo an extra world-wide holiday without a day name, because it would be the only way in which a dislocation of the perfect calendar could be avoided. Mr Cotsworth has repeatedly pointed out the fact that two-thirds of the human race use a thirteenth month at die present time, although the numbey of calendars in use is very great. Tho principal ones in use are tho Gregorian (our own), serving 453,000,000 people at the present time, the Chino-Japane.se, serving 450,000,000 persons; the Mohammedan-Arabio, serving 270,000,000 persons; the Julian (Russian, Greek, etc.), serving about 181,000,000 persons, and the Jewish* African, etc., serving approximately 246,000,000 persons. One of the principal reasons why the “Yearly” cannot come into general use until some time after 1927 is because all nautical almanacs are printed throe or more years in advance. It is also anticipated that it will take fully three years after the perfect calendar has been approved by the astronomers, church dignitaries, and the congress of nations, before such a change can be ratified by the various representative Governments of tho different nations. Changes in calendars are not mad© over night. *