Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/338/680/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 08:12:37+00:00

Document:
1. Obscene phonograph records are within the prohibition of § 245 of the Criminal Code, which forbids the interstate shipment of any obscene "book, pamphlet, picture, motion picture film, paper, letter, writing, print, or other matter of indecent character." Pp. 338 U. S. 680-685.
2. The rule of ejusdem generis may not be applied when to do so would defeat the obvious purpose of the legislation. Pp. 338 U. S. 682-683.
Respondent was convicted in the District Court of violating § 245 of the Criminal Code. The Court of Appeals reversed. 175 F.2d 137. This Court granted certiorari. 338 U.S. 813. Reversed, p. 338 U. S. 685.
The question in this case is whether the shipment of obscene phonograph records in interstate commerce is prohibited by § 245 of the Criminal Code, which makes illegal the interstate shipment of any "obscene . . . book, pamphlet, picture, motion picture film, paper, letter, writing, print, or other matter of indecent character."
"containing certain matter of an indecent character, to-wit: phonograph records impressed with recordings of obscene, lewd, lascivious, and filthy language and obscene, lewd, lascivious, and filthy stories."
Respondent, having waived jury trial, was found guilty by the District Court on two counts, and was assessed a fine on each. The Court of Appeals reversed, 175 F.2d 137. We granted certiorari to examine the applicability of § 245 of the Criminal Code to the facts of this case. 338 U.S. 813.
"Whoever shall . . . knowingly deposit or cause to be deposited with any express company or other common carrier [for carriage in interstate commerce] any obscene, lewd, or lascivious, or any filthy book, pamphlet, picture, motion picture film, paper, letter, writing, print, or other matter of indecent character . . . shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."
41 Stat. 1060, 18 U.S.C. § 396, now 18 U.S.C. § 1462.
It is conceded that the phonograph records were obscene and indecent. The only question is whether they come within the prohibition of the statute.
In interpreting the statute as applied to this case, the Court of Appeals invoked the rule of ejusdem generis. Since the words "book, pamphlet, picture, motion picture film, paper, letter, writing, print" appearing in the statute refer to objects comprehensible by sight only, the court construed the general words "other matter of indecent character" to be limited to matter of the same genus. The Court of Appeals held phonograph records without the statute, so interpreted, since phonograph records are comprehended by the sense of hearing.
"The rule of ejusdem generis, while firmly established, is only an instrumentality for ascertaining the correct meaning of words when there is uncertainty. Ordinarily, it limits general terms which follow specific ones to matters similar to those specified; but it may not be used to defeat the obvious purpose of legislation. And, while penal statutes are narrowly construed, this does not require rejection of that sense of the words which best harmonizes with the context and the end in view."
297 U.S. at 297 U. S. 128.
those proscribed by the portion of the statute under which respondent was charged. Statutes are construed in their entire context. This is a comprehensive statute, which should not be constricted by a mechanical rule of construction.
obscene ideas. We are clear, therefore, that obscene phonograph records are within the meaning of the Act. The judgment of the Court of Appeals is reversed, and the judgment of the District Court is affirmed.
See Horack, The Disintegration of Statutory Construction, 24 Ind.L.J. 335, 343-344 (1949).
"Whoever shall bring or cause to be brought into the United States, or any place subject to the jurisdiction thereof, from any foreign country, or shall therein knowingly deposit or cause to be deposited with any express company or other common carrier [for carriage in interstate or foreign commerce] any obscene, lewd, or lascivious, or any filthy book, pamphlet, picture, motion-picture film, paper, letter, writing, print, or other matter of indecent character, or any drug, medicine, article, or thing designed, adapted, or intended for preventing conception, or producing abortion, or for any indecent or immoral use; or any written or printed card, letter, circular, book, pamphlet, advertisement, or notice of any kind giving information, directly or indirectly, where, how, or of whom, or by what means any of the hereinbefore mentioned articles, matters, or things may be obtained or made; or whoever shall knowingly take or cause to be taken from such express company or other common carrier any matter or thing the depositing of which for carriage is herein made unlawful, shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."
18 U.S.C. § 396, now 18 U.S.C. § 1462.
See The Motion Picture Industry, 254 Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, pp. 7-9, 140, 155, 157 (1947).
H.R.Rep. No.580, 66th Cong., 2d Sess. (1920); S.Rep. No.528, 66th Cong., 2d Sess. (1920); 59 Cong.Rec. 2178-2179, 7162, 7297, 8280, 8334 (1920).
MR. JUSTICE BLACK, with whom MR. JUSTICE FRANKFURTER and MR. JUSTICE JACKSON concur, dissenting.
"any obscene, lewd, or lascivious, or any filthy book, pamphlet, picture, motion picture film, paper, letter, writing, print, or other matter of indecent character. . . ."
18 U.S.C. § 396 (1946 Ed.), now § 1462 (1948 Rev). The crime with which respondent was charged involved phonograph records, which do not come under any specific category listed in the statute. Consequently the information against respondent could only charge violation of the provision's general language barring shipment of "other matter of indecent character." The Court sustains the conviction here by reasoning the a phonograph record is "matter" within the meaning of this congressional prohibition.
did not, by the language it used. [Footnote 2/1] Compare United States v. Weitzel, 246 U. S. 533, 246 U. S. 543, with United States v. Sullivan, 332 U. S. 689, 332 U. S. 693-694.
The reluctance of courts to expand the coverage of criminal statutes is particularly important where, as here, the statute results in censorship. According to dictionary definitions, "matter" undeniably includes phonograph records and the substances of which they are made. Indeed, dictionaries tell us that "matter" encompasses all tangibles and many intangibles, including material treated or to be treated in a book, speech, legal action, or the like; matter for discussion, argument, exposition, etc., and material treated in the medieval metrical romances. The many meanings of "matter" are warning signals against giving the word the broad construction adopted by the Court.
irreplaceable, have often been destroyed by honest zealots convinced that such destruction was necessary to preserve morality as they saw it.
here may itself be small. But it is accomplished by a technique of broad interpretation which too often may be successfully invoked by the many people who want the law to proscribe what other people may say, write, hear, see, or read. I cannot agree to any departure from the sound practice of narrowly construing statutes which by censorship restrict liberty of communication.
Since Congress did not specifically ban the shipment of phonograph records, [Footnote 2/5] this Court should not do so.
The Government points to the legislative history of this and related statutes as proof that Congress intended its language to be most broadly construed. Particularly it relies on the argument that Anthony Comstock, a supporter and promoter of the first federal statutes in this field, had a reputation for "thoroughness in his pursuit of immorality." This may be conceded, but we cannot construe this statute on the theory that Mr. Comstock's zeal as a reformer of morals must be considered as determinative legislative history. That zeal was undoubtedly great, so great that, if accepted as a criterion of construction, the Court could expand the punishment along with the coverage of the Act.
See Hannegan v. Esquire, Inc., 327 U. S. 146, 327 U. S. 157-158; Bleistein v. Donaldson Lithographing Co., 188 U. S. 239, 188 U. S. 251-252.
See discussion in 1 Chafee, Government and Mass Communications 200-366.
"any drug, medicine, article, or thing designed, adapted, or intended for preventing conception, or producing abortion, or for any indecent or immoral use. . . ."
A New York statute, Penal Law, Consol.Laws c. 40, § 1141, contains two provisions closely resembling these two provisions in the federal statute. The New York Court of Appeals refused to sustain a conviction for selling phonograph records based on an information charging violation of the first provision of the state act, which was substantially equivalent to the federal provision here involved, except that the word "matter" was modified by the phrase "written or printed." The state court did not find it necessary to determine whether a prosecution could have been based on the second provision, which covers "any article or instrument of indecent or immoral use." New York v. Strassner, 299 N.Y. 325, 87 N.E.2d 280.
"Apparently, the time has now arrived for a further amendment to bring obscene phonograph records clearly within the scope of the present section."
This proposed bill is still pending in the House Committee on the Judiciary.

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