Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-24
PUBLIC AID ASKED
IN DRIVE ON SIGNS
Prince Georges Community
Council Acts Against Road
side Advertising.

BY STAFF Correspondent of The Star.
EVANSVILLE, Md, May 23-Co-
operation of the public in reporting
Illegally placed signs so that the new
laws regulating roadside advertising in
Maryland may be properly enforced
was urged at the senl.-annual meeting
of the Prince Georges County Com
munity Council in Masonic Hall today.
The council adopted resolut ,ons recon-
manding the rental of the former First
National Bank of Hyattsville Building
to house county offices in the metro
politan area, and requesting the Wash
ington Suburban Sanitary Commission
TO report on the ACCESSIBILITY of estab-
fishing trash disposal plants in the
metropolitan area
The latter step was taken after three
speakers had delivered addresses dealing
with ROADSIDE identification and plans
for the George Washington Bicentennial.
1t was suggested by Prof. S. S. Stein
berg of the University of Maryland that
the trash disposal plants would aid
materially in roadside Identification and
prove self-supporting even if so small
fee as 10 cents was charged all per-
sons using the plant.
Survey Being Made.
With the cooperation of advertisers
and billboard companies, the State
Reads Commission is now making a
survey Of all roadside signs preparatory
10 putting into effect the law to
regulate and tax billboards, Maintenance
Engineer F. p. ScriVener told the
council. The new law goes into effect
June l, and Mr.. Scrivener will be in
charge of its enforcement.
The present survey Is being made not
80 much to check up on the billboards
as 10 Iamlharlze the State roads officials
with the advertisers, he said. The adj
Nertisers are being advised by letter that
the new law will go into effect shortly
and the State Roads Commission is in
p position to enforce it thoroughly.
Inc advertisers are sending in lists
OF their signs and the billboard COM
panles being issued metal tags to 90
on them showing they have been au-
1hor1zed by the State Roads Commits
sion and paid the necessary tax.
A reasonable length of time after
June IL Mr.. Scrivener said. another
Survey viii be made by the entire main
Nenance force. when one day will be
set apart for each chief to check IN
on all signs in his section. Most of
the legal signs viii be tagged by that
time, according to Mr.. Scrivener. so
that the check-up will not be difficult
yet Will provide the State Roads Com
mission with a complete list of un-
licensed signs.
Advertisers to Be Notified.
The advertisers and billboard con-
panieS responsible for the illegal signs
then will be notified that they must
comply with the law within 80 DAYS or
their signs will be removed and they
VIII be subject to a fine as high as $500
for each Illegal sign.
1t was brought out during Mr.. SERVE
ners talk that the State Roads Com
mission does not have Jurisdiction over
signs in incorporated towns and special
coming areas. AS the metropolitan dis
trict OF Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties is a special coming
area, 1t would not have jurisdiction
there except with the consent Of the
coming body. No difficulty is expected
in securing this consent.
The roadside Identification program
OF the State Roads Commission is "in
the making" Engineer Scrivener said.
put 1t hoped with the revenue derived
respect
This Spring about 10 miles of hieh-
ways have been improved through tree
planting, while honeySuckle has been
planted on bare banks in cuts to inn
prove the scenery and prevent erosion.
Most OF the tree planting was near Bal
timore, but one planting was made on
the Grain Highway not far from MARI
boro.
Citizens viii assist the MARYLAND Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission II they viii advise it of any new
signs which have been erected Illegally
IN their community, r. w. Rogers, chief
architect Of the commission, told the
council IN an address on the plans Of
that body for the Bicentennial.
Enforcement Depends on Public.
The law making an illegally placed
Eign prtn1a facie evidence of the re-
sponsibility of the ADVERTISE, and the
one to tax the billboards, both passed
BY the recent Legislature. fare enforce
sble and will be enforced exactly to the
extent that the public Desires Delegate
Oliver Metzerott declared
II the public will take sufficient in
terest to note Illegally placed signs. and
then not complain, but report them
To the State Roads Commission or the
park commission, those groups viii
realize public sentiment is behind the
measures and viii be diligent IL their
enforcement" Mr.. Metzerott said.
Reviewing plans for Identification
LolA1eSGo Among Tic communities OF
Prince Georges County, Mark Shoe
maker, landscape specialist of the Uni
verstty of Maryland, said that Laurel,
Brentwood, Daniels Park, Berwyn, Hy-
attsville. Mount Rainier and College
Park had already entered competition.
Relief work in the county during the
past year was described by J. Enos Ray.
Mrs. Herbert Roby and Mrs James
Severe. Arthur Keefer reported on the
movement TO improve jail conditions
and other current topics.
County officials who reported on
their activities were Superintendent Of
Schools Nicholas Orem, Health Officer
A. p. Hooton, Attendance Officer Kath-
leen Shears, School Supervisor Maude
Gibbs and Miss Ruth Tighe and Jennie
Hartman, county nurses. President C.
p. Close presided, with Miss Ethel NJ
Regain as secretary.