Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-18
WARNING AGAINST
BILLBOARD LOBBY
Miss EngIe, in Statement,
Issues RaIIying Call for Sup
porterS of Measure.
By star Correspondent of The star.

BY q STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, March 18.-Sound.
ing a rallying call to the faint-heartec
in the fight for reasonable regulation
and taxation of the billboard industry
as applied to all other businesses hav-
ing power to abuse as we'll as use the
public highways, Miss Lavinia Engle
delegate from Montgomery County, to-
day declared she would rather see the
pending bill killed on the floor of the
House than placed on the statute books
If reduced to a mere form.
Her remarks reflected the confidence
OF those behind the bill, who, having
agreed upon certain amendments. sug-
gested by various delegates, today fee
that the chances of passing the meas.
ure have never been brighter.
Statement a Warning.
At the same time. Miss Engle's state
ment became a warning to few OF
the less courageous supporters of the
measure, who having listened not wisely
but too well to the cries of the salarieo
lobbyists working to defeat the proposed
legislation, showed an inclination tt
overamend the bill.
These professional propagandists
skilled by the constant practice of then
performance" neceSSitated through the
efforts of progressive civic organiza-
lions all over the country to halt the
dissertation of the Nations highways
laugh up their sleeve" at the guilt
bility OF the public in falling for Their
stock" arguments, she pointed out.
One of the professional" gestures
yFriPh thn MI oil -
give the impression their motives are
magnanimous is to express a desire for
some type of regulation.
Forced Upon Them.
This expression has been forced upon
them by the widespread resentment
against the ruin of costly public high
ways by sordid arrays of signs. In
Maryland as well as in other States this
resentment has been manifest through
the cancellation of billboard contracts
involving thousands of dollars and the
boycott of billboard-advertised products.
The boycott is a severe tactic. not
recommended by those sponsoring the
regulatory measure, but certain, they
say, to become more widespread If some
type OF control over billboards is not
established. It has been adopted by
some groups who feel justified in such
repriSal by the widespread disregard
for the rights of the public displayed
by the unrestrained billboard operators
in reducing so many roads to their
present squalid condition.
Drafted by Experts.
The bill now before the House OF
Delegates was drafted by constitutional
experts for the purpose of restricting.
not prohibiting, billboards 1t places
them under the jurisdiction of the State
Roads Commission, requires the licensing
Of the companies and imposes a square
foot tax on individual signs.
The chief change in the amendments
which will be submitted to the WAYS
and Means Committee today, will re-
duce the last named feature from :
cents to l cent per square foot per year
This change was agreed upon by the
Joint sponsors of the bill, who do not
believe the tax reduction would affect
the essential regulatory principle sought
by the bill.
With the submission Of the amend.
ments to the Ways and Means Commit.
tee, the fate OF the bill, and of the
future of Maryland's highways. will de.
pend largely on the action of that GROUP
of ID members. Although the report.
oA CouHlICeeS are Dy no means always
adopted, favorable report is consid-
cred advantageous, creating the impress
sion that the proposed law is needful
A prompt report is anticipated on the
billboard measure.
Delegates Lawrence p. williams of st
Mary's County and Oliver Metzerctt oil
Prince Georges County, two Of the
quartet who introduced the bill. are
members of the Ways and Means Com
mittee. The others who presented the
bill are Miss Engle and Delegate Kent
r. Mullikin of Prince Georges County