Evening star., 1931-04-10
CONFEREES STUDY
BILLBOARD LAWS
Proposed Legislation Would
Create State Scenic High
ways Without Signs.

Proposed legislation to create State
scenic highway systems in which desig-
mated stretches of roadside would be
barred from billboard or commercial
uses was being considered today by the
remnants of the Washington confer
ence called by the outdoor advertising
industry and the National Association
Of Real Estate Boards in an effort to
bring about cooperation between busi-
ness and public interests for the pres
ervation of rural scenery.
Public cooperation practically hav-
ing been withdrawn as q result Of ir-
reconcilable points of View developed
at a previous meeting, whatever action
the conference may take today will
represent the legislative views of the
non-public organizations afhliated with
the conference. At the outset Of the
conference, Chairman George Wharton
Pepper presented the report on the So
called model" law from the Continue
tion Committee, appointed at last ses-
sion.
The only two public members Of the
committee, representing the American
Nature Association and the National
Council for Protection of Roadside
Beauty, who attended the Philadelphia
meeting at which this proposal was vot-
ed upon, withdrew from membership in
the committee.
Pepper Explains Withdrawal
Mr.. Pepper, in explaining the rea-
sons for their withdrawal. said the re-
port of the Continuation Committee
represented the majority view as to the
only constructive proposal regarded by
them as best suited to place before legiS-
lative bodies. The proposed plan pro-
videS for the donation of easement Of
view by at least rs per cent Of the abut-
ting property owners and condemnation
Of and payment for such easements In
such cases as the other owners will not
agree to the plan.
AS Senator Pepper pointed out, the
proposed plan was considered by the
majority of the committee as more
feasible and practical in attaining the
object in view than the two alternate
plans involving q system of taxation or
the exercise Of State police power by
legislation. While Chairman Pepper
suggested that the conference need 90
no more than vote on the principal in
volved in the plan, leaving details and
differences to be worked out later, he
said 1t was being offered also to provoke
consideration OF other views. He left
to the author of the proposal, Herbert
U. Nelson, executive secretary of the
National Association of Real Estate
Boards, the duty of outlining 1t to the
conference.
Broader Problem Involved.
Preservation of rural beauty, in the
opinion of Mr.. Nelson, involves a much
broader problem than that related solely
to outdoor advertising and he declared
the proposed law was drafted with that
viewpoint in mind.
He declared he could not conceive
Of any community Of rural property
owners submitting TO arbitrary regula-
tions, and without their cooperation,
as embodied in his plan. attempts to
carry out the object OF the conference
would be futile.
Mr.. Nelson explained that without
the support Of majority OF the aDut-
ting property owners such plan a.
his involved could never be carried out
successfully. The money to pay Tor
easements Of view through condemna-
ton, he said, must necessarily be
charged to the public funds as the cost
Of gratifying the eSthetic sense.
Wide discussion developed at the con-
ference over court interpretations, the
questions of the exercise OF police power
and the exercise of the right OF eminent
domain. No matter what kind OF legis-,
lation is discussed, Senator Pepper re-
HlIlOCd4 ~ llluob 0C OOAAAC AAA AAAAAA S@AesS
the country Is approaching q new era
highway development which Is sooner
or later to be reflected in court and
legislature. While there was question
whether the power OF eminent domain
can be applied solely for the taking OF
land to preserve scenic value, except
when compensation Is made, Senator
Pepper expressed the belief that the
eminent domain method is the one
which indicates the least resistance in
the courts
Land Owners Most Affected.
In the last analysis, Mr.. Pepper said,
it is the land owner who win be Af-
fected the most under the plan pro-
posed to the conference. He there
upon asked If there was any one pres
ent who could speak for the land owner.
No one volunteered.
While the outdoor advertising indus
try and afflliated associations and busi-,
neSses were fully represented at the
conference, the attendance of public in
terest groups was more conspicuous by
the absence Of members who sat IN On
the first conference. The only public
representatives that attended todayS