Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21

CldlS arc OCkl11I1II1R W LOoA~
ize that the billboards not only
mar the beauty Of the scenery,
but are a menace to safe driving
as well.
Important court decisions fa-
voring the constitutional right OF
states to protect the beauty of
the roadside have been cited by
the American Automobile Asso-
citation.
The national motoring body
declared that the trend in these
decisions is to emphasize the ex-
tent to which State authorities
NAV consider the esthetic and
cultural side of municipal devel-
opment and extend this principle
to Identification of highways.
The latest decision, the A. A. A.
pointed out, is the opinion of the
Supreme Court of Indiana in the
case of the General outdoor Ad-
vertising ct al. VS. City Of Indian
apolis, unfolding city ordinance
prohibiting billboardS and adver-
Using signs within 500 feet of any
park or boulevard. The court
said:
the police power, either by implied
authority or under express statu-
tory authority, may reasonably
control and regulate the construc-
ton and maintenance of bill
boards"
Other Opinions Cited.
The A. A. A. said that court
rulings are in general agreement
that the State has adequate power
to eliminate Objectionable signs,
including signs interfering with
safety by preventing clear vision
ahead, and that the States power
extends to esthetic values in
their relation to community well
fare.
Supporting this principle, the
A. A. A. cited other decisions up
holding the right of States to
regulate hig hwa y advertising
signs:
I'm st. Louis Poster Advertising
Co. VS.. st. Louis, the United States
Supreme Court held that no rights
under the fourteenth amendment
of the United States Constitution
were abridged by municipal or
dinance regulating the size and
construction of billboardS
and referred to it's previous de-
ciSion in Thomas CuSack Co. VS..
City of Chicago, stating, Bill
boards properly may be put in a
class by themselves and prohibited
In residence districts of a city in
the interest of safety, morality,
health and decency of the COM
munity.'
TN the above case the Nations
highest tribunal held valid an or
dinance which prohibited the
erection of billboardS over GER
tain size in any block in which
one-half of the buildings on both
sides were used exclusively for
residence purposes without first
obtaining the written consent Of
the owners Of a majority Of the
frontage.
1.-THE court further stated that
1t would interfere with the action
of local legislative authority in
enacting the ordinance only when
it is plain and palpable that it has
no real or substantial relation to
the public health, safety, morals
or to the general welfare.
Under a liberaliZed construc-
ton Of the general welfare pur-
poses Of State and Federal Con-
Stitutions there Is trend in mod
ern decisions to foster I'M
der the police power an esthetic
and cultural side of municipal de-
velopment-to prevent a thing
which offendS the sense of sight
IN the same manner as a thing
that offendS the sense Of hearing
and smelling"
Army to Take Action.
The Army Recruiting Service in
Maryland is viewing signs with
the same intent.
All blue and white arrow signs
on roadside trees in Maryland,
showing the distance in miles to
the next city or town and the adj
dress of the nearest Army recruit
ing station, will be removed, off,
Gals of the United States Army
Recruiting Service at Baltimore
declared. This decision on the
part of Army authorities followed
a conference between Col. Law
renee B. Simmonds, recruiting Of
flcer of the Sd Corps Area, and
Karl z. Pfeffer, assistant State
forester for Maryland. The arrow
signs have been on roadside trees
for many years.
The removal of the signs is
made at the suggestion of the
State Forestry Department, in an
effort to make the highways of
Maryland more attractive to the
eye Of the travelling public.
In discussing the arrangement
Col. SimmondS said:
"Our conference was at the sug-
gestion of the Department of For
estry OF Maryland. The little blue
signs with white arrows are not
unattractive in appearance, but
they only show the distance in
miles to the next city or town, and
the address Of the local recruiting
station, so they are not Of great
value as advertisements for the
Army Recruiting Service. They
added to the general clutter Of
advertising signs posted along the
highways and their removal will
assist In the general cleaning-up
and identification of Maryland's
highways, which the State For
eStry Department is so energeti-
IANT0n nNA'Fc