Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-21

or his company, which was IN the ma
ture Of q prepared memorandum. As an
indication of the sincerity of his COM
pany TO cooperate in the plans OF the
Bicentennial Commission, he explained
that its president, Kerwin H. Fulton,
was in Chicago In conference with ON
cialS of the Morton Co. to obtain It's
agreement to enter into the plan for
elimination or reduction, of billboard
advertising in the Washington terri
tory.
Offer IL Encouraged.
IF our company is going to demolish
it's business, as 1t expects to do" Mr..
DigGes said, you can be sure we will
use all the moral persuasion possible on
other competitors"
His company will not be deferred
from helping to besutify the approaches
to washington by failure 70 agree on
a policy inside the city, Mr.. Digges eX-
planned, and as a contribution toward
the removal Of it's advertising units
from the specified approaches to
Washington.
Regardless of the fact that details of
the plan remain to be worked out, and
other companies must come into 1t with
respect to the approaches to the city,
the genuiness of the offer was regarded
as the most important result that has
issued since inauguration Of the cam
paign. 1t was an indirect result also
of the recent conference held here UNI
der sponsorship of the outdoor Adver-
Using Association Of America and the
National Association of Real Estate
Boards, at which George Wharton Pep
per, former Senator from Pennsylvania,
presided Mr.. Pepper, who had nego-
tiated the offer from the General Out
door Advertising Association, was un-
able to attend yesterdays meeting and
Proposal Is Outlined.
The proposal Of the company which
Mr.. DigHeS submitted was as follows:
I'D In keeping with plans for the
Identification of washington and en-
virons, 1t Ia the desire Of the General
Outdoor Advertising Co. to revise its
advertising display units Of the greatest
possible beauty and utility consistent
with the rendition Of an advertising
service.
"(2) The present boards of the COM
pany in the District Of Columbia, I'M
like those located elsewhere, are obso-
lete, unsightly and poorly maintained.
This condition has resulted largely
from existing regulations in the Dis
ton or repair Of existing structures.
The company Is willing, in cooperation
with q representative committee to re-
locate over period of time prior to the
| Bicentepnial all such advertising units
as do not in the opinion Of such COM
mittee harmonic with their surround
1 ings and to work with the committee
/ in taking all needful steps for the beau
tification, through landscaping or other
| wise, Of those units which are to re-
main a. q part Of the permanent plant
Of the company.
Full Co-OperatbOn Promised.
"(Sl 1t Is our present understanding
| that 1t Is the desire Of the committee
| planning the Bicentennial to beautify
| the approaches to washington, and es-
pecially to clear Of all commercial en-
| terprises, including outdoor advertiS-
ing, emile stretch in the States Of
Maryland and Virginia along the pFin-
cipally travelled thoroughfares. and also
to preserve from commercial enterprises
the new George Washington Memorial
! Highway to Mount Vernon. The COM
pany will cooperate to the fullest in
both of these undertakings by any prac-
teal method 10 achieve the result de-
sired BY the COMMITTEES.
20 To eRectuate the above results,
.AS SNAnR~AS 0n@OA N~sAOo w w VA'S AVE-
"Cay To treat each Of the above prob
lens IS distinct and separate, and 1t
viii not be deferred from helping 10
heautify the approaches 70 Warrington
by failure to agree on policy inside
the city.
"(b) As q contribution toward the
Bicentennial of 1892, 1t will cause the
removal Of its advertising units from
l he Nd oh 70 ~ NsaefA
| "(c) Regardless Of what industries
other than outdoor advertising may do,
its course will be that outlined above"
Many Contracts Expired.
Mr.. Bloom. who had previously read
| to the meeting q number Of letters from
local and national Arms indicating their
agreement to discontinue billboard ad-
vertising within the specified two-mile
zone, brought up the question Of 40
called illegal signs. Billboards for which
contracts or leasing had expired were
still standing in many instances, he
| said he had been informed, because the
owners OF the property on which they
are located have not taken them down.
| This discussion led to another sug-
gestion, by Mr.. Digges. to the effect
that his company, II given a permit
from the property owners, would re-
move all such signs for which 1t was
responsible.
There are no legal obstacles in either
Maryland or Virginia for the State
Highway Commissions to take down IL
legal signs on the right of way Of pub
lie highways, Col. Grant and Repre-
sentative Moore pointed out, although 1t
was agreed that the only way to remove
signs from private property was with
consent Of the owners. There is no
question but that the owner of the land
has the right TO throw out all signs for
which contracts have expired, Col.
Grant believed. He suggested that the
could cooperate with local committees
IN seeing property owners at the main
highway entrances, with q view TO re-
moving all illegal signs.
Discuss Model Filling Stations.
Speaking for the National Capital
Committee Of the Garden Club Of
America, Mrs. Noyes said IL waS inter.
ested In q general cleanup Of all UNI
slightly structures on the approaches
within the two-mile limit and heartily
approved such q suggestion.
Mrs. Noyes also directed attention TO
conditions on the Virginia side OF Chain
Bridge, where several unsightly signs are
located on private property, as an ex-
ample OF what might be accomplished
through Intervention with the property
owner, who, In this case, Is understood
10 have erected the signs.
Another important proposal projected
at the meeting was the establishment
OF model hlling stations in Maryland
and Virginia In close proximity 70
Washington which would serve as an
example of orderlineSs and design for