Evening star., 1927-09-04
Billboards in Washington Are
Under Strict Official Scrutiny

the District have worn out, and there
should be no new ones. But this ts
not the case. The Commissioners
were given some discretionary power
by Congress. and up until about two
years ago they used It in a manner
which permitted the erection of new
billboards. While there are not as
many billboards in town as there were
in 1902, many new ones have been
erected since that time. In certain
! instances the Commissioners have
granted special permission for the
erection of billboards at specified sites.
In others the erection of new bill
boards was made possible through a
type of compromise through which
the Commissioners thought they
gained more than they lost. bur whicn
proved, in the end. to benefit the bill
board men. For instance, the owner
of 1000 feet of billboard space would
approach the Commissioners with the
proposition to surrender 1000 feet OF
! this old space, provided the Commits
| sioners would grant permits for the
erection of perhaps 1000 feet Of space
In another territory. This appeared
on its face a good thing. 1--WE shall
get rid OF 1000 feet" the Commits
sioners thought, so they approved the
agreement.
| But investigation showed that in
some instances the billboard men were
giving up what they would have been
forced to give UP anyhow, because OF
land transfers, new buildings, etc, and
in the end were obtaining new bill
boards in more advantageous spots
free for nothing"
The Commissioners have changed
their attitude on allowing new bill
boards to go up in the District, how.
ever. From now on there will be no
new ones. As soon as those standing
are condemned, they will vanish, and
no descendants will be allowed to
! carry their messages on down to pos
terity.
/ One fragrant type OF sign over
which the Commissioners have little
control-as the law exempts places Of
amusement-is that adopted by some
Of the smaller moving picture houses
to attract the public to the brave
deeds enacted upon the screens in.
side. The signs are painted on cloth,
with large lettering and horrifying
pictures which startle the pedestrian
and unnerve the automobflist. There
Is apparently no limit to the size color
or message of such signs. But next
door to the moving picture house the
merchant who wishes to attract the
attention of the passing mob to his
shoe sale. shirt sale or collar, night
gown and necktie sale, Is subject to
having his ambitious and artistic in
! clinations coldly dampened by the
District authorities. His signs must
be Of certain size. and he cannot ex-
coed the limitations specified.
SO interested have the Commission
ers become in curbing the menace to
the health and happiness OF the COM
munity which exists in glaring signs
and billboards, that Maj. w. E. r.
Covell, who has taken the subject
under his wing. Is anxious that the
public at large forward to the Com
missioners notice Of apparent viola
tions of the sign law. in order that
such signs may properly be investi-
gated. With some exceptions, no sign
can be erected In the District OF more
than one square foot in area. unless a
permit therefor Is granted by the
building inspector. No sign can ex-
ceed one.fortieth Of the frontage of
the building, although the sign may
be as large as 400 square feet. IL
proper permission has been obtained
for its erection. There are plenty Of
regulations. II those existing are
properly enforced, there Is no need for
more. The only trouble in the past
has been the lack OF rigid enforce
ment--a difficulty, by the way, which
/ does not extend to signs alone, and
one that Is by no means small.