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

O1 lSAbELLE fLOhENCE SlOh1.
TT will not be long before washington
is the center of a Nationwide cele-
bration. Beginning on February %,
i 1882, and lasting until Thanksgiving
day of the same year, the people OF
the entire country will celebrate the
birth of George washington, 200 years
earlier. At that time hundreds of thou
sands are expected to visit Washington
and the surrounding country that is so
laden with historic associations con-
nected with our First President and
with sc many events prominent in our
early history.
These visitors will find Washington
beautiful city, one worthy to be the
capital of a great nation. Unless effec-
tive steps are taken soon, however. the
beauty of the Capital itself will be
di1nmed and furnished by tawdry ap-
proaches. entirely out of keeping with
the dignity that should belong to the
seat of our National Government.
Certainly there are in general two
main types of view to be obtained along
our rural roads-Scenery and advertis-
ing matter. The advertising matter is
pretty much the same throughout the
country, and for that matter cannot
begin to come up to the standard and
variety and profusion appearing con-
stantly in our national magazines. On
the other hand, the scenery in the vi
cinity of Washington is unique and very
beautiful when nature is left untouched.
There seems no reason to doubt that
visitors coming here in 1882 will much
prefer to see the natural scenery that
George washington enjoyed to reading
signs telling them to buy gas they per-
haps are already using, or to go to
hotel in which they already have reSer-
vations-or to which probably they
would not go, no matter how many signs
they read.
Capital Model for Nation.
Admitted. billboards and other high
way blemishes exist throughout the
country around the homes from which
many of our visitors are coming. All
the more reason for giving them treat
in the way of delightful, unobstructed
landscapes. Also, the National Capital
should set the example in roadside pro-
lection for other communities to follow,
instead of, as at the present, falling lar
behind a number of them.
So that the people of Washington
might know the exact conditions OF the
Capital approaches, in order that means
of rectifying unsatisfactory conditions
might be planned and put into effect,
a survey of the main approach high
WAYS leading to the District of Column
bia recentlv was made under the
ton by Mrs w. l.. Lawton, chairman
of the National Council for the Protec-
ton of Roadside Beauty. The report ]
will be published by the American Ma
ture Association. Mrs. Lawton. who
has studied highway conditions
throughout the country. amply Illus
trates the need for prompt and drastic
action by photographs she has taken
along all the leading approach roads.
The highways themselves, from the
standpoint of safety and comfort, have
been greatly improved during the past
few years and road construction ana
reconstruction are going forward rap
idly as part of the preparations for the
Bicentenniel Celebration. Their excel
lent condition only serves to throw into
unpleasant prominence the heterogene-
GUS collection of signboards, big and
little. filling stations of all kinds and
sizes and colors, many of them plastered
with signs, and shacks in various stages
of dilapidation, which crowd their
rights of way.
In the course of Mrs. Lawton's sur
vey counts were made of the number OF
billboards and filling stations along the
main approach roads. Those in 1ncor-
porated towns passed en- route were not
counted. There was nothing unusual In
twenty or thirty signs to a mile oelng
listed, and in one important stretcn
thirty-nine appeared in one mile.
Sometimes the filling stations averaged
two or three to the mile, certainly more
than necessary, even with nearly the
entire Nation on wheels.
Example at BIadensburg.
An outstanding example of billboard
dissertation is at BladenSburg, where at
the crossroads stands a peace monu-
ment dedicated to the World war
heroes. WING with the monument for
the attention of the incoming motorlst
is a series of great advertising signs
Totally out of place as commercial ao-
Vertising is at point where the Natlon
pauses to honor It's brave Sololers' tne
fault is more glaring here because the
signs were put up after the monument
was erected.
In the District itself, fortunately, no
new advertising signs may ever be
erected along the highways. That,
however. does not help TO remove the
signs already in place when the Dill
board law was passed, but these sraou,
ally will be retired as the land Is used
for building.
Earnest efforts are being made to Sc
cure the cooperation of nearby coun-
ties and States in passing remedial
legislation to correct the billboard eVn
and other disflgurements, and undouot-
eddy much will ultimately be accom-
QllSTeQ IIlls IiCdllSs 4OdS VIC
law necessarily moves slowly, while time
waits for no man or legislature
The greatest hope for the restoration
of the beauty of the highways leading
into Washington in time for the great
bicentennial celebration lies with the
citizsns of Washington and of neigh
boring communities. Public opinion,
backed by public pressure, can work
wonders in short space of time.
Already much effective work is being
accomplished along this line by men,
bers Of the Garden Club of America
and other organizations and by State
officers In the limited time available,
however. it is necessary for every good
citizen to put his or her shoulder to
the wheel to get the desired results.
And this Is work in which women. and
particularly the homemakers, can do
particularly effective work.
Unsightly distractions along the road
side not only are Objectionable from an
esthetic and landscape point OF view,
but oftentimes they are a positive men
ace 10 safe driving. SO beautiful road
sides also mean safe roadsides There
can be no question but that the lining OF
our highways with huge signs, particu-
larly at curves, where strict attention
TO driving is required, presents big
hazard to drivers. This also applies to
the placing Of signs, large or small, at
any point where warning signs are
needed.
Among Mrs. Lawtons pictures is one
showing a particularly dangerous rail
crossing with four warning signs or
arms grouped around it. And around
and behind the warning signs, COM
\. pletely dwarfing and distracting atten-
ton from them, are enormous signs.
Other photographs show kiinkers 50
obscured by signs as TO be almost