Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-20
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

| Detroit, Mich, president of the
national motoring body.
Mr.. Henry pointed out that the
survey had been authorized by the
recent annual convention of the
A. A. A. in ASheville, and cited the
resolution calling for program
of highway Identification, as fol-
lows:
Advertising signs along the
main highways of the country
should be so controlled and regu-
lated as not to mar the beauty of
the landscape or constitute haZ-
ard to safe driving. The Ameri-
can Automobile Association favorS
a survey of the situation by the
A. A. A. legislative committee with
a view to the formulation of a
model law for the regulation of
highway advertising. The COM
mittee also is authorized to study
and make recommendations on
such collateral subjects as high
way identification through plant
ing and the removal of Junk
yards"
All Sections Heard.
Representatives from every
section of the country" said Mr..
Henry, participated in the dis
cuSSion which preceded the adop-
ton of the resolution, and the be-
lief was unanimous that the prob
lem of controlling and regulating
conditions on or adjacent to our
highways must be solved, both
from the standpoint of preserving
what is left of the beauty of our
landscapes and the elimination of
factors that constitute distinct
hazard to motor vehicle drivers.
When the committee meets, it will
decide on how the survey will be
conducted and the lines along
which it will proceed.
"The resolution itself, however,
sets the scope of the inquiry. 1t
has a three-fold objective:
"FirSt-To determine how ad-
vertiSing signs of all kinds, from
the snipe sign advertising Chick
en- dinner ahead to signs setting
forth the merit of this or that
product, brand, commodity or
service, can be regulated and con-
trolled so as not to mar the beau
ty of the highway or add to the
accident hazard. This involves,
OF course, a complete study of
what may be done through the
powers of State highway authori-
ties over rights of way, of what
can be accomplished through the
taxing power of the States and
of what can be done through the
zoning rights of cities and COM
munities.
Second - To regulate Junk
yards, from broken down automo-
biles to miscellaneous heaps of
unsightly rubbish, that are fire.
quently encountered along many
of our most beautiful highways
today. This is a problem that can
probably be approached through
the licensing and police powers of
the State.
ThreefOld Objective.
"Third-To encourage and de-
velop plans for highway beautifi-
cation. Many of our highways were
0AAAO IA 4CNCAAO11 4IIC
thing was to get the road through.
Little or no attention was paid to
landscaping our highways. We
believe that the time has come
when Identification plan should
be part of the program of every
State in the Union. Some States,
notably Massachusetts,, have al
ready undertaken Identification
on large scale, through tree
paintings in some instances and
through clearing and thinning in
other instances. The result in this
particular case shows clearly what
can be done and demonstrates, to
my satisfaction, at least, that the
time has come for the landscape
artist and the tree expert to join
forces with the road engineer.
Under recent amendment to
the Federal aid highway act, the
Government now permits the ap-
plication of Federal road funds to
Identification purposes, provided
the States cooperate on a $3.50
basis. Few, if any, States, how
ever, have as yet taken advantage
Of this constructive departure"
With all this concerted action
under way, it would appear that
the billboardS are in a most I'M
enviable position.