Evening star., 1950-02-07
Sugar Refining Curb
Upheld as High CourI
Delivers 10 Opinions

Sugar refining restrictions on
Puerto Rico agree with the Con-
stitution, according to the Su-
preme Court.
In session sprinkled also with
q case involving salt, the tri-
bunal dispensed 10 written opin-
ions, covering 16 suits. That was
the largest number handled down
on any decision day of the cur
rent term thus far.
On the sugar stipulation, an
opinion written by Justice Frank
furter, with Justice Black the lone
dissenter, upset a decision by the
United States Court of Apeals
here. The appellate court had
held that Puerto Rican sugar
quotas to the United States, as set
by the Secretary of Agriculture,
violated a formula laid down by
Congress in 1948.
Limitation Authority Upheld.
Although the Court of Appeals
did not pass on the legality of the
law itself, the Supreme Court
went on to declare that Congress
has authority under the Consti-
tuition to limit the amount o1
sugar refining in Puerto Rico. 1t
therefore, dismissed a protestine
petition by Puerto Rico.
In the salt cases, the court
unanimously agreed that the Fed
eral Trade Commission can
compel the Morton Salt Co. ano
the International Salt Co. to file
periodic reports, showing whether
they comply with orders issued
years previously by the FTC.
Power and Force Reported.
The two companies, in .1941,
were ordered to halt an alleged
conspiracy to fix prices and con-
troll production of sale. ETC asked
for compliance reports in l947
but never got them. Lower courts
said FTC lacked power to re-
quire such reports. The Supreme
Court opinion by Justice jackson
decided otherwise.
In other opinions, the Supreme
Court:
l. Upheld a Civil Aeronautics
Board award of a 1.700-mile air
route through the Carolinas, Vir-
ginia, West Virginia. Kentucky
and Ohio to Piedmont Aviation,
Inc, instead of State Airlines, Inc.
The United States Court of Ap-
peals here had turned down the
CAB award to Piedmont. The
appellate court, at the same time,
said it had no authority to order
CAB to approve the route sought
by State Airlines. The Justice
Department and CAB appealed
to the Supreme Court.
Obscene Records Banned.
2. Ruled. 5-3. that the Federal
law banning shipment of obscene
books, pictures, film, writings "ol
other matter of indecent char.
&cter" also barred shipment o1
obscene phonograph records
g.. Ruled that community prop.
erty laws, as in California, do moi
apply to veterans insurance bene-
f-S. Justice Minton, Frankfurtel
and Jackson dissented from the
majority opinion written by JUS
tice Clark, which held that the
eS5Tanged wife of a veteran could
share in insurance benefits.
4. Decided. in another opinion
written by Justice Clark, that a
city tax assessment on assets of
an insurance company cannot
apply to United States bonds, and
accrued interest on such bonds,
held by the company.
5. Agreed unanimously that q
Wyoming coal company cannot
sue to prevent the Secretary OF
the Interior from leasing Feder-
ally owned coal lands to a COM
peting firm.
Transit Co. Denied Review.
The Capital Transit Co. failed
to get a Supreme Court review OF
procedural tangle that started
in District Court here a year ago
when clerk neglected to send
out formal notice of bench rul-
ing by Judge Alexander Holtzoff
The company had won a dam
age suit brought by Mrs. Maude
j. Underwood, and she asked q