270 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



interstate system would permit billboards wherever existing boards 

 are, wherever there is a sawmill, wherever the land is devoted to 

 a commercial and industrial use. Most of our counties don't have 

 zoning. The Outdoor Advertising Association poses nothing but 

 the same old, "Let's not do anything now," and the gentleman from 

 Illinois, "Keep Illinois Beautiful" "let's all talk together" just 

 doesn't understand the indignation of Americans against being ex- 

 ploited forever. 



BRYCE P. HOLCOMBE. I must say that this conference here today 

 reminds me very much of the assemblies in the legislative halls 

 beginning in 1956 and especially through 1958 when the govern- 

 ment and the Congress attempted to do the job of regulating the 

 advertising along the thoroughfares of this country. The same thing 

 appeared and occurred before the U.S. Senate on numerous occa- 

 sions, both in 1956 and 1958. It was apparently impossible to get 

 aesthetic-minded people to ever agree on anything, and we here today 

 have heard three definite positions discussed. 



Now, the sign and pictorial painters of this country have never 

 opposed regulating advertising, but we were in 1958 compelled to 

 oppose certain legislation. The outcome of that legislation was in 

 large measure the influence of the 1 6 million people in the American 

 labor movement. 



By all things that are holy, we are assembled here at the Chief 

 Executive's call and the First Lady's call, and what do we do? We 

 plan to take to him this afternoon a report from us who are high- 

 minded and American-minded. If we take him an honest report, 

 all that we will do is take him a shadow and a reflection of the public 

 hearings held in the U.S. Senate in 1958. 



Here this morning we have heard these same opinions. I am 

 very sorry the Senator had to leave. The Senator made reference, 

 or indicated that there is a bill one which she spoke of very favor- 

 ably that is going to help cure these things. Then the gentleman 

 from the Commerce Department says we would advocate this, we 

 would advocate that, and a thousand feet between. 



It is confusing. Do we have a legislative proposal or is the Depart- 

 ment of Commerce going to make one? The opinions expressed 

 here are exactly what we have had previously and I for one hope 

 that this panel, this conference, will take to President Johnson the 

 truth. 



