Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-25
VICTORIES SCORED
ON ANTI-S|GN BILLS
Maryland Delegates Act on
Two Road Advertising
Measures.
b . stan Correspondent Of The star


ANNAPOLIS, Nd, March 25.-The
widespread sentiment in favor of long
needed legislation to regulate and re-
strict bilIboards in Maryland was re-
flected in the House of Delegates yes
teroay when the sponsors of billboard
control measures scored double VIC
tory with the passage of one of their
bills and the adoption CT a favorable
report, with amendments, on another.
Advertiser Made Responsible.
The bill given final passage makes the
advertiser responsible for illegally placed
signs. Under its terms the person or
firm whose business or merchandise Is
advertised on sign posted adjacent 70
q public highway without the written
consent of the property owner Is sub
ject to a fine. 1t was introduced by
Delegate Oliver Metzerott of Prince
Georges County and now goes to the
Senate -
The bill favorably reported was spon-
sored by Delegates MetZerott. Lavini1
Engle, Kent r. Mulliken and Lawrence
p. williams and makes billboards sub
ject to taxation and supervision by the
State Roads Commission.
Under its terms, as amended before
the Ways and Means Committee. the
individual signs will be taxed at the
rate of one-hah cent per square foot a
year, while all signboard companies
operating In Maryland are required to
pay a 5000 license fee
The hackers of the bill, as q concession
to the signboard companies, amended it
so that the square-foot assessment
would be called fee" instead Of q
tax"
AS was expected, the report Of the
WAYS and Means Committee was prac-
tically unanimous. no record vote hav-
ing been taken in the committee room.
Likewise, in the House the favorable
report on the bill and all its amend
ments were adopted by viva yoce vote
without a single voice being heard
against the proposals.
After the committee amendments
had been adopted, Delegate Arthur G.
Cullers Of Garrett County offered an
additional amendment eliminating po-
litical posters, signs advertising church
fairs and billboards along dirt roads
from the provisions of the bill
Discussion on these amendments
threw the House into a hilarious uproar
when Delegate CulierS became en-
snarled in a parliamentary tangle
while supposedly interrogattng Delegate
Metzerott.
Political Posters Waste Money.
The Prince Georges Delegate pointed
out that biIlbosrds which endanger
trafic on dirt roads should certainly
be eliminated as well as those consti-
tuting traffic hazards on hard surface
highways, and claimed political posters
were, to his observation, a waste Of
money anyhow.
Delegate Joseph B. Griesacker Of Bal
timore City explained that one Of the
committee amendments exemp pie d
church and county fairs and signs adj
vertising historic Maryland shrines
Delegate Cullers' proposed amend
ments were then defeated by an oral
, vote and the bill ordered printed for
third reading. Because of the heavy
volume of business it Is net expected
that the bill will be ready for final
passage in the House before tomorrow.
Encouraged by the favorable recep-
| ton accorded their bill yesterday, those
sponsoring the measure are now making
every effort to get it promptly throuch
| the House and into the Senate to avoid
| having It caught in a legislative jam
\ In the Upper House late next week.