254 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



First Lady have created among Americans everywhere of the need 

 to beautify our country. 



The standardized outdoor advertising industry can play an impor- 

 tant role in the President's beautification program through the loca- 

 tion, relocation or, in certain areas, the removal of its structures. It 

 is entirely consistent to preserve this important medium of commer- 

 cial communication and at the same time to develop a more beauti- 

 ful America. 



The American countryside in the last half of this century should 

 properly be preserved for the enjoyment of all Americans. Bill- 

 boards have no place in the scenic areas of our highways. Cities and 

 towns, too, in the last half of the 20th century should and must be 

 places of beauty. They must also be vital and productive for a grow- 

 ing America. Within this framework, outdoor advertising as a serv- 

 ice business stands as a vehicle to communicate commercial and 

 public service messages in the interest of the public as well as the 

 American business system. Outdoor advertising will, in the future, 

 relate to the environment of the community, and we will support 

 legislation and engage in a voluntary effort to meet these ends. 



Outdoor Advertising Association of America, representing the 

 standardized outdoor advertising medium, pledges its enthusiastic 

 and aggressive support of legislation embodying the following prin- 

 ciples in furtherance of President Johnson's beautification program : 



1 . We will restrict our outdoor advertising structures to those areas 

 zoned for business and industry or predominantly used for business 

 and industry. 



2. We will remove outdoor advertising structures from areas other 

 than those zoned or used for business or industry in accordance with 

 equitable and appropriate regulations. 



3. We will assign priority to the removal of structures in relation 

 to the importance this may bear to the improvement of scenic views. 



4. Regardless of zoning, or business use, we will voluntarily re- 

 frain from building structures in locations which may interfere with 

 scenic or historic areas. 



This is what we propose to the President of the United States. 



Senator NEUBERGER. I am glad to hear through the words of Mr. 

 Tocker that the Outdoor Advertising Association is going to some- 

 what emulate the American Medical Association. After years of 

 opposing control of billboards as the AMA did Medicare programs, 

 they have finally and reluctantly been dragged in. 



