96 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



If we do so, public planners, architects, and other people who really 

 determine the physical environments of our society will respond to 

 the discipline of an aroused public understanding. I believe that 

 this is the key to whether we can build the Great Society in which 

 man can have both bread and roses. 



GEORGE HOWIE. We in the Institute of Traffic Engineers repre- 

 sent the profession which provides traffic controls, to some of which 

 you may object. Actually, there are national standards in the field 

 of traffic controls sponsored by such groups as the American Mu- 

 nicipal Association, American Association of State Highway Officials, 

 National Association of Counties as well as by our Institute of Traffic 

 Engineers. 



Two-thirds of all the traffic control devices to which you object 

 were installed in violation, in some manner, with those national 

 standards. Some are obsolete; some are substandard; some are non- 

 standard ; some are badly maintained, or did not belong where they 

 are in the first place because they v/ere put in without adequate 

 warrant for their need. 



Well-designed highways and streets, do not require as many traffic 

 control devices as have been put in under local pressures. 



We recognize and we are shoulder to shoulder with you, that well- 

 designed, clean highways certainly encourage good traffic conditions 

 and require only a minimum of traffic control devices. 



The worst situations that we encounter are where there is a 

 vast clutter of hamburger stands and all the other things that go 

 alongside the highway. These have not been properly controlled. 



I would request that when you go home you see that your 

 local authorities do abide by and do use the national standards for 

 uniform traffic control devices and put in those devices only as they 

 are warranted. 



One of the important things that result is that when a standard de- 

 vice is used, it has target value and creates instant recognition, so that 

 a vastly large sign, an unusual sign, an ugly sign is not necessary. 

 A properly designed device will fit into the landscape reasonably well. 



N. E. HALABY. I think the mere calling of this conference has en- 

 couraged men like Slayton, Yasko, and others in the Federal 

 Government who want to make beauty a part of design. When you 

 get right down to it, the Federal official is not normally brave enough 

 to take beauty in as a factor. He is not concerned so much with the 

 excellence of the design as he is with being safe and sure that he 



