Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-20
Editorials PRAISE ,
ROAD BEAUTY MOVE
United Efforts Achieving Re-
suits, Says American
MotoriSt.

The American Automobile Associa-
ton, which has waged for years a
systematic campaign for the preserva-
ton of highway beauty as benefit to
its millions Of motorist members, has
directed wide attention TO the unifca-
ton of effort back OF the local move
ment for cleaning up the entrances
to Washington as preliminary to the
1882 Bicentennial celebration.
Itself an active supporter Of the
campaign, the District of Columbia
Division of the A. A. A. has devoted a
leading editorial in its current issue OF
the American Motorist to what is
being done here for the Identification
of the highways.
Concerted action on the part OF
civic associations. architects, highway
engmeC-s, newspapers and others is
finally accomplishing what was impos-
sible for the individual to do, the
Identification of highways into Wash
ington as a preliminary to the Bicen-
tennial," the American Motorist says.
Daily newspaper columns are filled
with news Of citizens meetings where
the subject Of highway Identification
is discussed. Group after group is
aligning itself with the forces working
to make the approaches as beautiful
as the city itself. Photographs are
being published everywhere showing
unsightly billboards and the pleasing
pastoral scenes which they conceal.
The compaign has scarcely started, but
already several of the largest adver-
Users have agreed to use other means
of placing their products before the
public.
''Worthy Of It's Cause"
1.-THE unification of effort with which
the campaign for highway beautifica-
ton is being conducted Is worthy Of its
cause"
Affairs. Washington's weekly review
of current events, also devoteS space in
its current issue to the economics OF
roadside Identification" in referring 10
the success with which local civic or
CARNATIONS are calling upon people to
favor those products which do not f'ad-
vertise on the landscape"
The article reads, in part, as follows:
Encouraging indications abound that
unsightly billboards, obtruding them
selves along our highways. especially at
points of greatest natural beauty or
historic interest, are about to receive a
little much-needed attention.
Opposition Intensified.
Opposition to this form of country
side DETACHMENT is becoming intensified
and co-ordinated. Civic, patriotic and
aesthetic societies are calling with no
table success upon people to favor those
products that do not advertise on the
landscape Billboard associations, APP
parently under pressure, have admitted
at their Washington conference that
some coming regulations might be APP
propriate. Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia are asking authority
to regulate all such signs in order to
clean up approaches to the Nations
Capital, which the Government Is
spending so much money to beautify.
$50 far all emphasis seems to have
been laid on identification for beauty
sake, but there is much more involved.
American tourists and residents in Eu-
rope alone, spend in the neighborhood
of $500, O00,0 0o yearly. 1t would be de-
sirable and beneficial to our economic
condition, especially at this time, II
more American holiday money could be
spent at home.
Intelligent self-intsrest alone should
counsel American motor car manufac-
turers, agents, tire companies, oil COM
panies, real estate and hotel mems asso-
Citations, chambers of commerce. and
all organizations interested in better
business to cooperate in the beautifica-
ton of the landscape"