31 JANUARY 1931, Page 17

One of the difficulties of co-operation between advertisers and preservers

of beauty is that the withdrawal of an advertisement held to be objectionable may do no good ; may even do harm. For example : there is one very beautiful tree beside a popular road and it is the very key to the composition of a most English scene. It was decorated with an advertisement which was willingly and at once removed at the first hint. Another firm at once took the place. This, too, immediately withdrew the poster when its offence was pointed out. But the scene had scarcely a day of unsullied charm. Its last state was worse than its first or second. Not only was the trunk presently plastered with a glaring poster but standard posters were erected on either side ; and the latest occupants were much harder of persuasion than the first. They had come in where angels had consented not to tread.