Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-29
SIGN GROUP CALLS
CONFERENCE HERE
Threat of Billboard ReguIa-
ton Prompts Session.
Ants Are Invited.

With the outdoor advertising industry
under threat of further regulation and
taxation in many sections of the coun-
try. the industry has issued a call for a
conference in Washington on January
8 'for the purpose of formulating poll
cies for promotion of harmony between
commerce and beauty in rural areas"
The real purpose of the conference,
however, appears to be the drafting of
to the several States as indicated in the
call for the conference. which is being
sponsored by the Outdoor Advertising
Association OF America and the National
Association OF Real Estate Boards.
A score of national organizations.
friends and foes OF billboard advertising
being about evenly distributed, have
been invited to attend this conference
at 10 o'clock in the morning at the
Chamber Of Commerce of the United
States. II WAS announced that the
meeting would be opened by George
Wharton Pepper former Senator from
Pennsylvania.
Clearing House of Views.
Officers of the American Civic Asso-
citation, enc of the organizations invited
to attend the conference, probably will
attend, although doubt was expressed at
its headquarters today that there eX-
iSted much common ground for Coop
eratlve harmony between the billboard
interests ana those who are seeking to
eliminate advertising signs from rural
and city highways Interest was ex-
pressed in the forthcoming conference,
however, as providing a medium for
the interchange of opinions.
Another conference of no less impor-
lance to the local campaign TO clean Up
the highway approaches to the National
Capital will be held IN Baltimore the
following day, January 9, when the
Maryland Legislature convenes. Repre-
SentativeS of a number of the State or
CARNATIONS of women will meet that
day at the Southern Hotel to discuss
legislation for the restriction of bill
boards in Maryland.
The conference is called by Mrs.
Charles E. Ellicott, president of the
Maryland League of Women Voters. A
bill for restricting and taxing billboards
was introduced in the last session of the
Maryland Legislature at the instance Of
the League of Women Voters, 1t was
said. but failed to receive a favorable
committee report. Those in charge of
the measure proposed for the new ses-
sion say that sentiment in favor of re-
striction has grown steadily during the
past two years and predict that the bill
will be passed.
Woman Delegate to Aid.
The election to the House of Dele
gates Of Miss Lavinia Engle from Mont
gomery County, who was in charge of
the fight for the anti-billboard legisla-
ton in the 1929 session is expected to
help in securing favorable action.
A vigorous campaign Of publicity has
been conducted by the Garden Clubs
under the leadership of Mrs. Edward
McKeon and Endorsement by additional
organizations Throughout the State is
being reported to the headquarters of
the Maryland League Of Woman Voters,
9 East Pleasant street, Baltimore. Miss
Harlean James, executive secretary of
the American Civic Association, which
is sponsoring the Washington campaign,
will attend the conference.
Among others attending will be Mrs
ST. George Barber of Annapolis, legiS-
lation chairman of the league and a
former member of the House of Dele
gates from Anne Arundel County; Mrs.
L. Emmett Holt, chairman of the Com
mittee on Billboard Restriction; Miss
Lavinia Engle, research director of the
league and a member of the House Of
Delegates from Montgomery County;
Mrs. Hayward Boyce. president OF the
Garden Clubs of Maryland; Mrs. John
Whitehurst, president of the Maryland
Federation of Women's Clubs; Mrs.
Helen Sherry, legislative chairman of
the federation; Mrs. Page Edmonds,
president of the Civic League; Mrs. w.
M. Maloy, legislative chairman; Mrs.
Emil Crockin and Mrs. Simon Sobeloff,
representing the Council of Jewish
Women; Miss Gertrude Bressler of the
Eastern High School Alumni and others
representing the interested civic and
improvement organizations Of the State.
Officials Also Invited.
The call for the Washington con-
ference includes invitations to the De-
partment of Commerce, the Department
of the Interior and the Bureau of Pub
lie Roads of the Department of Agri-
culture. 1t was not known today
whether any Of their representatives
would attend.
Invitations also have been issued TO
the American Association of State
Highway officials, whose officers have
generally co-operated in efforts to pre-
serve rural landscaping from uautila-
ton by outdoor advertising signs.
Other organizations invited include
the American Automobile Association,
American Nature Association, Art
Center of New York, Chamber of Com
merce of the United States. Garden
Club of America, General Federation of
Women's Clubs, National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce, National Council
for Protection of Roadside Beauty,
American Federation of Arts and the
National Grange Most of these organ
izations have been leaders in the fight
against outdoor billboardS.
Interests more or less concerned in
support of the outdoor advertising in
dustry. which have been invited, include
the Advertising Federation of America,
the American Association of Advertising
Agencies, American Hotel Association,
American Petroleum Institute, Associa-
ton of Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages.
Association of National Advertisers,
photographers National Association,
Tobacco Merchants Association and the
National Electric Light Association.
Labor and Farms Included.
The American Federation of Labor
and the American Farm Bureau FEEDER
alton also we're included in the call
Speaking for the American Civic As
ISOLATION, Miss James said today that
the billboard people contend that out
door advertising must be put in the
same class with other commercial adj
vertising, while those who oppose bill
boards claim they should be considered
in class by themselves. She referred
to similar conference held in Boston
about year ago under the auspices of
the National Association of Real Es-
tate Boards as being fruitless of any
worth while results.
Since it Is admitted that only about
s per cent of outdoor advertising il