Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-08
POLICE ENLISTED
IN SIGN SURVEY
Data Will Be Used in Draft
ing New Set of ReguIa-
ti0nS.

Before any attempt is made to draw
up a new set of outdoor sign regula-
tions in the District of Columbia, under
authority of the newly enacted law, it
was announced yesterday that a thor
ough survey would be made with a
view to obtaining an accurate list of
all authorized and illegal signs.
This survey is TO be made in each
police precinct with the aid of the po-
lice, who are in better position to do
this work, 1t was explained, than any
other department. BY such a survey
the committee which is to draft the
regulations will be able to secure much
needed information about the number
and locations of signs and billboards.
The committee, which is headed by
Maj. Donald A. Dawson, Assistant En-
gineer Commissioner, is expected to
hold its first meeting this week. The
corporation counsels Office and the
Police Department are to be represent
ed on this committee, and Maj. Davi-
son has requested that w. w. Bride and
Maj Pratt designate an assistant cor
poration counsel and a police official
to serve. The other members of the
committee are Roland NJ. Brennan,
chief clerk of the Engineer Depart
ment who helped draw up the present
law, and John w. Oehmann, inspector
of buildings.
Public Hearings Authorized.
Public hearings are authorized under
the new signboard law, and it Is under
stood that these would be held in the
near future so that no delay might be
made in restoring order to what even
some Of the representatives of the bill
board interests admit is messy" con-
dition in washington. Except for a few
prominent corners which are lined with
huge billboards on two or more sides
when they happen to border on alleys,
the worst conditions in the city are due
to the hundreds and thousands OF
small signs plastered over buildings.
Referring to the work that has to be
done, Mr.. Brennan said yesterday that
the police would be requested to see
that all vacant lots are cleaned up, for
one thing. There is no doubt, Mr..
Brennan said, that thousands of lille
gal signs are plastered over Washington.
Practically every vacant store or build
ing is used to show window signs for
which, he declared there is absolutely
no authority. Another condition which
has been greatly abused. Mr.. Brennan
pointed out, is the placing of portable
signs outside the authorized building
lines. Many of these are placed on the
sidewalks outside of stores and build
ings, he said, and some are placed near
the street on the edge of the sidewalks.
These conditions have grown up in
washington under the general laxity of
sign law enforcement in recent years.
He also expressed the view that a num-
Der of the larger billboards already es-
tablished are placed in positions that
constitute violation of a strict interpre-
tation of the existing regulations.
Billboard Companies Urge Plan.
The organized billboard companies
operating in Washington, anxious to
get rid of the indiscriminate plastering
of small signs on buildings, are practi-
cally unit in support of the intention,
under the new law, to require one sign
OF reasonable size on buildings which
actually advertise the products sold on
the premises.
That was one Of the detectives Of the
new law, as the Commissioners hereto
fore have been powerless to control the
display of tack-and-hamrner signs ad-
vertising products which have no rela-
tionShip at all to the business conducted
on the premises. With the cooperation
Of the police, it was said this condition
can be remedied under the new law
Although the actual revision of the
existing regulations is q matter that
has been left to the determination of a
committee of District officials, it was
said there is nothing to prevent the
committee from ccnferring from time
to time with officials of the outdoor ao-
vertising companies, the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association and
others who will be affected by the law,
including so-called representatives of
the public. 1t was on the theory that
the District officials represent every in
terest in the city that the drawing UP
Of the regulations was left entirely to
them.
At the public hearings, it was said,
ample opportunity will be given to have
all sides of the question presented. That
was the purpose in having a public
hearing guaranteed under the bill be-
fore regulations are made effective.