THE TOWNSGAPE 89 



professional societies of urban environmental designers which should 

 safeguard its public character and high aims. Working with them 

 should be the public agencies whose operations would be made more 

 efficient and economical as well as more purposeful, and the many 

 industries and firms which contribute to the creation of the urban 

 environment. The Federal Government can assist such an effort 

 with grants and specific support for its activities and educational 

 program. The Highway Research Board is an example of such 

 relationship. 



Questions and Discussion 



Mr. BACON. Mr. Gutheim's proposal for a central national design 

 center in which our best designers work with the manufacturers that 

 produce the objects in our townscape also raises the question of coor- 

 dination at the local level. Here, we must deal with the street de- 

 partment, the State highway department, and a multitude of other 

 agencies. This, I think, goes back to the suggestion which Mr. Slay- 

 ton made to develop a local unit of government to work on this 

 coordination, including the question of signs. The panel felt that 

 it would be very desirable to institute a Federal program with Fed- 

 eral assistance with funds being made available to stimulate and aid 

 the local work that would have to be done to receive and effectively 

 apply the products of Mr. Gutheim's national design center. 



Mr. SLAYTON. You have had that assistance for beautification 

 over the past. 



Mr. BACON. This is outside urban renewal areas. 

 Mr. SLAYTON. It relates to any urban renewal area. 



Mr. BACON. If you administer it that wav and the cities can 

 respond, perhaps we can achieve what you are driving at. 



AARON LEVINE. I think the problem before us might be oversimpli- 

 fied by the analogy of the lipstick. Natural beauty might be applied 

 just as a cosmetic. The point that Mr. Slayton made goes to the 

 heart of the matter. 



It is somewhat conspicuous that we have attention to the prob- 

 lem at the Federal level, whereas the policies that will really carry 

 it out are at the local level. It is our local city councils and zoning 

 boards of appeal who must decide the highest and best use of the 

 land which, in turn, affects natural beauty. 



