Evening star., 1936-01-12
FOES
G|RD FOR FIGHT
Virginia Senators Would
Place Authority in High.
way Commission. &
BY Stan Correspondent of The Star.

BY Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
RICHMOND, Va, January IL
Undismayed by previous reverses at
the hands of Virginia's legislators,
billboard opponents were today prim-
ing themselves for the hardest fight
ever waged before the General Assem-
bly, for the virtual abolition Of road
side signs.
The opening gun in the biennial
battle was fired Friday, when Sena-
tors Aubrey G. Weaver of Fronk
Royal, John S. Battle of Charlottes-
vile and Hunsdon Carey Of Rich
mond introduced a bill which would
transfer the issuance of billboard
permits from the clerks Of courts in
the localities to the State Highway
Commission.
This plan was adopted after re-
peated failures to either prohibit the
signs altogether or tax them out OF
existence had been frustrated by the
billboard lobby.
See Ultimate Elimination.
Patrons believe that through the
Highway Commission the alleged
nuisances can be almost entirely elm
mated. At the last session opponents
succeeded in getting through legisla-
ton prohibiting the erection Of signs
close to curves and railway or highway
crossings, but provided for the issu-
ance Of permits at a small cost by
clerks of courts. These officials have
not been in a position to make actual
surveys to determine whether the
signs for which permits were issued
were legally placed.
In the Highway Commission. it is
believed by opponents, which include
the Garden Clubs of Virginia and
other organizations of a like charac-
ter, lies the one agency which can
eliminate the signs for a logical rea-
son other than their lack of beauty
and obstruction of the views other
wise to be enjoyed by motorists.
The commission can and is expect
ed to hold that practically all bill
boards are menaces to traffic safety.
4OIdl 11Olu Iul NCS WOQ4Q
deal serious blow to the billboard
interests, since it is at these points
the signs are more easily seen. The
commission could further hold them
as traffic hazards at any point, be-
cause they are designed to attract at
tention of the motorist from the
proper control of his automobile.
Give Previous Support.
Previous billboard legislation has
received the support of the northern
Virginia delegation, which has, be-
cause of the density of population and
multiplicity of signs. a much better
opportunity to observe their effects
upon traffic and the view than have
those legislators from the rural Sec
ton of the State, where billboards are
rare.
One of the prime factors In the de-
feat of previous legislation was the
opposition of former Norfolk men,
Der who served in the House of Dele
gates and was engaged in the billboard
business on a large scale. He died
before the last legislative session, but
his widow, who took over his business,
so impressed the 1884 committee hold
ing hearings on the bill by shedding
tears over what she declared to be the
threatened loss of her income that
the measure lost all of its teeth before
reaching the floors of both houses.
Senator Weaver, author of previous
anti-billboard legislation, and his joint
patrons on this sessions bill are pre-
pairing to prevent, if possible, a repe-
t1tion Of such scene at this session.
A date for public hearing on the
measure has not been set.