$date1 = ParseDate($earliest_date);
$date2 = ParseDate($cntct_date);
$flag = Date_Cmp($date1,$date2);
if ($flag<0) {
  # date1 is earlier
  print "$earliest_date was before $cntct_date.\n";
} elsif ($flag==0) {
  # the two dates are identical
  print "$earliest_date was THE SAME AS ($cntct_date).\n";
} else {
  # date2 is earlier, so capture it:
  print "$cntct_date was earliest--save it.\n";          
  $earliest_date = $cntct_date;
};