Evening star., 1938-02-02
BILL
REPORT UP TODAY
Hearing Before Virginia As.
sembIy Unit on Bi||boards
Lasts Two Hours.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 2.-Ihe bill
to regulate and restrict outdoor ad-
vertising along the highways outside
cities and towns was taken under
advisement by the House Finance
Committee at the conclusion Of a
public hearing yesterday lasting more
than two hours. The committee will
meet this afternoon at 3 pm to vote
on the measure. which would place
control under the Highway Commits
sion.
The Associated Clubs of Virginia
for Roadside Development, embracing
organizations with membership of
10000 women. and former Senator
George w. Layman, representing the
Agricultural Conference Board, ap-
peared as the chief hackers OF the
measure.
Outdoor advertising companies,
manufacturers Of signs and represent
tatives of organized labor were the
principal opponents.
Edwards Explains Provisions.
Horace Edwards, delegate from
Richmond City and one Of. the patrons
Of the bill, explained Us provisions
and introduced the speakers for the
bill These included Mrs. George
Sloane Of Warrenton. representing the
Associated Clubs; Wilbur Hall, chair
man Of the State Conservation Com
mission; Lamar Timmons, represent
ing a Charlottesville soft drink bot
Ting concern; Mrs. James Cowan,
representing the Virginia Federation
of Home Demonstration Clubs; Sem
ator Layman, Delegate john Spiers OF
Radford, one Of the patrons, and
former Senator c. OConor Goolrick
OF Fredericksburg, chairman of the
Mems Executive Committee of the
Associated Clubs.
Speakers against the bill were E. w.
Lemay Of Richmond. representing the
General Outdoor Advertising Co.; r.
B. Greenway of the Central Trades
and Labor Council Of Richmond, E. j.
Shave. secretary-treasurer of the Vir-
glnia State, Federation of Labor, OF
Hampton; H. w. Callipher of Norfolk,
president of the Norfolk Central Labor
Council: Duval Martin, representing
the Allen-Morrison Sign Co. of Lynch
burg, and E. ]. Britton. representing
P. G. Morton, in the outdoor advertis-
ing business.
License Is SIS.
Delegate Edwards said the measure
required persons engaging in the out
door advertising business to get a SIS
license from the State Highway Com
He said it was one OF the few
businesses not now paying an adver-
tising tax. In addition, he explained,
the bill would require a separate IL
cense for each sign, the fee to be so
cents on signs of less than SO square
feet and 81 for larger signs, per year.
Applications, he said, would have to
be accompanied by the consent Of the
owner Of the property on which it was
to erect tho sign.
The Richmond delegate said only
1our prohloltlonS against signs were In
the bill. They would not be allowed
within 500 feet of the Blue Ridge
parkway, the Colonial National park
way, the Mount Vernon boulevard, or
any public cemetery, park. reservation.
or State forest outside the
limit Of any city, or town: signs in
series would not be permitted; signs
using the words stop" or danger" or
official signs would be
and signs would not be per-
mitted in such place and manner as
to constitute q trafic hazard.
He said the money would be paid by
the highway commissioner into the
treasury, and cited the following ad-
vertisements as excepted from the bill
and the license fee: q!
l-Signs within 500 feet Of a place
OF business relating solely to mer-
cnandise, services, entertainments,
sold. manufacturers or$ furnished at
such place. 2-Signs on real property.
displayed by the owner, stating that
the property is for rent or sale.
1Omcial notices BY public officers.