Sign War

The lead of the Standard Oil Company of New York in moving to abolish obnoxious, vista-masking signboards from the public highways (TIME, March 24), is being followed by other potent corporations. The Chairman of the National Committee for Restriction of Outdoor Advertising (Mrs. W. L. Lawton of Glen Falls, N. Y.) has received pledges of sympathy and implied promises of aid from 15 concerns.

These friendly concerns are: Kirkman & Son (soap), The Kelly-Springfield Tire Co., the Pillsbury Flour Mills Co., Washburn-Crosby Co. (flour), The Champion Spark Plug Co., The B. F. Goodrich Rubber Co., The Sun Oil Co., The Hood Rubber Co., The Ajax Rubber Co,, The Ward Baking Co., The Dodge Brothers Co., Gulf Refining Co., Standard Oil Co. of New York, The Texas Co. (oil), The Fleischmann Co. (yeast, etc.).

According to Mrs. Lawton, the tobacco interests will probably continue to mar the landscape for some time. "The American Tobacco Company," wrote George W. Hill, Vice President, "is opposed to the idea."

On Wednesday morning, in the states of California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, 1,200 highway signs, brightly painted with the Zerolene trade-mark and the Red Crown Gasoline trade-mark greeted the sun. By Thursday sunset, not one remained. They had been demolished in the interest of beauty by order of the Standard Oil Co, of California.