Evening star., 1932-11-27
Road Identification by Unemployed
BY FREDERIC ]. H.ASKIN.

The extent Of the outdoor adver-
Using business is tremendous. 1t has
become one of the big industries. WhiEe
in 1913 only S5,000,000 was spent on
outdoor advertising, the most recent
estimate places the figure at SIS, 5,00O, ,000.
The investment in what many people
regard as eyesores runs between $780,
900, 900 and Sl50.000,000. Some $4,000
persons are employed. normally, by the
industry and some 400, 900 structureS-w
billboards, electric signs and the like
are maintained.
To be sure, great many of these
structures are in cities. The figures
include the bright lights of the famous
electric signs on Broadway's Great
White Way as well as the signs in other
cities. It is not against these that
the motoring public complains. but
rather against that portion OF the ao-
vertising structures lining the highways
Of the country.
Source Of Income.
A hitch comes in every effort to regu-
late the placing of these signs because
200, 900 landlords are receiving rent for
the use of their properties. Such rentals
cover the use of land for the erection
of billboards and also the sides OF
barns and such structures which are
painted with the enticementS OF the
/ tradesmen In some cases there Is no
cash consideration A farmer viii con-
sent to have a contented COW or the
picture of a pill adorn the side Of his
| barn provided the advertising company
will agree to keep his farm buildings
painted all over. A great deal OF cash.
| however, is disbursed for advertising
rights. Especially in hard times, own
ers of raural property are slow to give
/ I'M this form Of farm relief
! Yet an investigation made by the
| American Civic Association has re-
vealed that when approaching the Ma
| tional Capital on the Baltimore Pike
| one passes 80 billboards to the mile
over a 28-mile route. which means, at
an average rate of driving, sign every
| two seconds. This does not give the
natural scenery much of a show. Other
! approaches to the National Capital show
| range of from IL to % signs mile,
with the figure running up to 81 Tor
the Richmond road
1t is a comparatively simple matter
to legislate signs off the actual rights OF
way, but the most hideous monstrosities
may be erected a yard beyond and do
the same damage. The rights of private
property intervene here, although 1t has
been held by the courts that police
power extends to limiting the nearness
Of an obstructive sign to curves anc
other places along roads where trafnc
safety would be affected.
Court decisions going back to Queen
Elizabeth uphold the right of private
property to obstruct public view, but
some recent American decisions have
shown a tendency to recognize the
esthetic right of the public-a sort Of
visual eminent domain over natural
beauties. I
Education probably will go farther
than litigation in roadside beautifica-
ton. If 1t could be hasttned there
would be a vast amount of work for
unemployed persons in disposing Of or
moving to more suitable places the
thousands of signs and billboards which
now subtract so largely from the de-
lights of country touring. Automobile
manufacturers should be natural Lead
ers IN such a campaign Of education.
ASsuredly, the motoring American ar
IDENTIFY desires that the tradesmen use
the rear entrance.