Evening star., 1930-12-11
PUBLIC AID ASKED
/ IN BILLBOARD WAR
Information on Roadside Con-
ditions Within 20 Miles of
Capital Sought.
Continued From First Page.)

|
of the landscape familiar to all motor
lists.
Further encouragement to the cam
paign was given last night in the &C
ton of the American University Park
Citizens Association On motion OF
President D. s. Burch, that body took
action looking to the Cleaning up" OF
its own immediate section by the re-
moval of unnecessary signboards.
Names Are Solicited.
It is the suggestion of the American
Civic Association, which has the back
ing of the National Capital Park anc
Planning Commission and other off,
cials, that persons send in the names
of friends who live along the high
ways leading into Washington who
might be interested in improving the
appearance of the roadside. A further
appeal was made to get residents and
associations to furnish the locations
and descriptions of billboards recently
erected on private property without per-
mission of the owner or in violation
of existing regulations
DR.. Frances Foye, chairman of the
Business and Professional Women's
Section. presided at last nights dinner
meeting, which was attended by Mrs
William Lee Corbin, president of the
Women's City Club, and large number
of enthusiastic members. Judge Mary
O'Toole, at the conclusion of the meet
ing, moved that resolution pledging
fullest cooperation with the sponsors
of the campaign be acted upon at the
next business meeting OF the club, jan
uary z.
The effectiveness Of a "sticker" cam
paign, also was urged by Miss James
in explaining the situation which wom-
en-, more than any other group, may
help by urging business concerns to
enter the privileged class of those
who are not using billboards to clutter
up the highways and make them I'M
safe as we'll as unsightly for the thou
sands of motorist visitors to WASH
ington.
Personal Stickers Urged.
Stickers bearing the words: ST favor
products not advertised on the land
Scape" were urged for personal use. The
American Civic Association has thou
sands of these on hand, which will be
circulated at cost to any who wish them
Miss James praised the District of
Columbia regulations which forbid the
erection Of any more billboards within
the District limits. But since the law
is non-retroacttve, the only hope OF
removing any of the existing signs, she
explained, is either to wait until they
rot away or persuade their owners to
remove them.
For once" she said, 1--WE are not
asking Congress to do anything.
You all know what was done about
our back doors in Washington'-the
alleys" Miss James said. What is the
use of putting on style for the George
Washington Bicentennial Celebration
If our front door entrances are not
made to look right?"
In revealing the real situation that
exists along these highways within a
radius of 20 miles of the District line,
Mrs. Lawton. who, with her husband
has made an extensive survey of con-
ditions, explained that one of the diff
culties to be encountered is in the atti-
tude of the courts, which take the
position that beauty has no part in
State welfare activities and consequent
ly it cannot be regulated under po-
lice laws.
But the day is coming when the
American courts will make this dis
tinction," she said, referring to the re-
cent decision of the Indiana Supreme
Court upholding the constitutionality of
an indianapolis ordinance imposing cer-
tain restrictions on roadside billboard
advertising.
Mrs. Lawton declared that If the
women could convince advertisers that
they cannot gain good will through the
use OF billboards marring the landscape,
they would soon see that such advertiS-
ing eventually would result in a loss of
business.
"Billboards are the only form of ad-
vertisir1g that gives you nothing in re-
turn" she said THE newspapers
furnish news with their advertise
ments, the radio furnishes music and
the magazines furnish stories. In all
as you like. But the billboards force
their advertisements on you at time
when you least want them. They offer
you nothing, but instead rob you OF
the beauty Of the highways"
Mrs. Lawton said the District of
Columbia Is doing very fine thing in
trying to enforce strictly its present
regulations and getting rid of unsightly
signs. Alexandria, she said, could take
the same course and profit by it. There
are good many signs between Alex
andria and Washington advertising the
city and helping to ruin the roads for
motorists" she added.
Virginia Co-OperatiOn.
But on the other hand, she pointed
out, the Virginia Highway Commission
is cooperating in enforcement by going
around and tearing down illegal signs
that have no business on the rights OF
way. She urged that public co-opera-
ton with these authorities would do
much to help in the campaign.
Four States, including Virginia, she
explained, are using their highway de-
partments to take down these unlaw-
ful signs and are even going to the
farmers to ask their cooperation
Pennsylvania took down $4,000 during
the past year, she said. nearly & nn0