Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-31
Billboard Curbs
Threatened by
Long Hearings
BY ROBERT X. WALSH

Signs point to a long and
bumpy series of congressional
hearings that could greatly slow
down if not halt action this
yearon measures to keep bill
boards away from new super
highways.
The Senate Public Works sub
committee on roads will meet
again Tuesday. Its only listed
witness. Federal Highway Ad-
ministrator Bertram D. Tallamy,
hopes to push the administra-
tons drive for regulation of bill
boards along the 41,000 miles
Of interstate and defense high
ways voted by Congress last year.
Hearings which began March
ID with Secretary Of Commerce
Weeks as principal advocate of
such legislation have produced
strong line-ups on Doth sides.
States rights. national defense,
the advertising business. private
property privileges. traffic safety
and Mother Nature herself have
become deeply involved.
The subcommittee headed by
Senator Gore seems in no hurry
to wind up hearings and send a
bill to the full committee.
But hackers of the two main
regulatory bills before the sub
committee believe the outlook is
favorable for Senate considera-,
ton by June.
Administration Bill
The administration supports a
bill aimed at control Of bill
boards within 750 feet Of the
highway system in the 1856 pro-
gram approved by Congress.
States allowing biIlboards "in-
discriminatory" on that inter-
state system would be penalized
by losing 5 per cent Of Federal
highway construction assistance
funds.
The bill would exempt oficial
signs such as road markers, signs
offering sale or lease Of property
on which they were placed, signs
advertising establishments such
as roadside restaurants on the
and signs on land
zoned by States or local COM
munities for commercial or IN
dustrial use.
The administration empha-
sized through Secretary Weeks
that it does not want to infringe
on the legitimate rights of States
TO regulate such things as adj
vertising billboards. displays or
notices near highways within
their borders.
The States rights" argument
nevertheless is very much in the
forefront Of the dispute. An at
tempt to obtain Senate sanction
Tor somewhat similar control in
1865 failed. largely because of
rights" roadblock.
Another bill. proposed by Sem
ator Neuberger, Democrat of
oregon. a subcommittee mem
Der, would allow Federal finan-
cial assistance to States to OBJ
tain advertising rights" within
800 feet of the superhighways.
Administration officials are I'M
willing to go along with that
measure. If only because they
oppose spending further Federal
money on a $32.5 billion program
being financed 80 per
cent by the Federal Government.
Most arguments for the adj
bill were summed
up last week by Rear Admiral
Neill Phillips, USN (retired). Hel
,estif1ed for the National Parks
Association. the Audubon So
;iety Of the District, the National
and the George
own Citizens Association. He
rev on his own military career
o tell the subcommittee that
'estriction OF billboards along
he superhighways is necessary
or national defense.
He said billboards would i'm
)ede movement Of troops and
'efugees in emergencies and in
.erfere with direcuonal signs
'itally important in civil defense !
operations. He commended that
would distract drivers
md present fire and splinter
hazards to civil defense.
He insisted that the Govern
CAMERAS FROM THE World Of