Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/303/41/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 15:49:54+00:00

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Justia › US Law › US Case Law › US Supreme Court › Volume 303 › Myers v. Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp.
(1) That the District Court had no jurisdiction of a suit by the corporation to enjoin the Board from holding the hearing. P. 303 U. S. 47.
(2) That the District Court had no jurisdiction of a suit by employees of the corporation who were officers of a labor organization at the plant to enjoin the Board from holding the hearing, the bill in this case alleging further that the employees are satisfied with their existing contracts of employment, and desire to retain the existing plan of representation without change; that the holding of the proposed hearing will discredit the plan and destroy its usefulness to the employees; that they will be deprived of their right to negotiate by the method of their choice, the value of which has been proved by years of operation; that alteration of the plan will cause dissatisfaction among the employees; that operation of plant will be disrupted by labor disturbances; that employment will be interrupted, and that the damage to the employees will be irreparable. P. 303 U. S. 53.
2. In the National Labor Relations Act, Congress provided for appropriate procedure before the Labor Board and an adequate opportunity, through review by the Circuit Court of Appeals, to secure judicial protection against possible illegal action by the Board, and the grant to the Board and the Circuit Court of Appeals of exclusive jurisdiction "to prevent any person from engaging in any unfair labor practice affecting commerce" is constitutional. P. 303 U. S. 48.
3. The conclusion that the District Court is without jurisdiction to enjoin the holding of a hearing by the Labor Board, even though it be claimed that interstate or foreign commerce is not involved and that the holding of a hearing would cause irreparable injury, does not deny any rights guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. P. 303 U. S. 50.
4. The rule requiring exhaustion of the administrative remedy cannot be circumvented by a claim that the charge on which the complaint rests is groundless, and that the mere holding of the prescribed administrative hearing would result in irreparable damage. P. 303 U. S. 51.
has no application where there is an insuperable objection in point of jurisdiction to the maintenance of the suit, and where it clearly appears that the decree was the result of an improvident exercise of judicial power. In such case, dismissal of the bill should be directed. P. 303 U. S. 52.
held the contrary. [Footnote 1] Because of the importance of the questions presented, the conflict in the lower courts and alleged conflict with our own decisions, we granted these writs of certiorari.
12, 1937. 88 F.2d 154. Petitions for a rehearing, based upon the conflict with the decisions of other circuit courts of appeals, were denied. And the court denied also motions for leave to file a second petition for rehearing, based upon the decisions of this Court in Labor Board v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., 301 U. S. 1, and other cases rendered April 12, 1937. 89 F.2d 1000. The District Court denied the motions to dismiss the bills. 15 F.Supp. 915. But the review by the Circuit Court of Appeals dealt only with the decrees for a preliminary injunction.
"This power shall be exclusive, and shall not be affected by any other means of adjustment or prevention that has been or may be established by agreement, code, law, or otherwise. [Footnote 5]"
"do not offend against the constitutional requirements governing the creation and action of administrative bodies. See Interstate Commerce Comm'n v. Louisville & Nashville R. Co., 227 U. S. 88, 227 U. S. 91. The act establishes standards to which the Board must conform. There must be complaint, notice and hearing. The Board must receive evidence and make findings. The findings as to the facts are to be conclusive, but only if supported by evidence. The order of the Board is subject to review by the designated court, and only when sustained by the court may the order be enforced. Upon that review, all questions of the jurisdiction of the Board and the regularity of its proceedings, all questions of constitutional right or statutory authority, are open to examination by the court. We construe the procedural provisions as affording adequate opportunity to secure judicial protection against arbitrary action in accordance with the well settled rules applicable to administrative agencies set up by Congress to aid in the enforcement of valid legislation."
is involved, but the Circuit Court of Appeals concludes that such finding was without adequate evidence to support it, or otherwise contrary to law, the Board's petition to enforce it will be dismissed, or the employer's petition to have it set aside will be granted. [Footnote 7] Since the procedure before the Board is appropriate, and the judicial review so provided is adequate, Congress had power to vest exclusive jurisdiction in the Board and the Circuit Court of Appeals. Anniston Manufacturing Co. v. Davis, 301 U. S. 337, 301 U. S. 343-346.
See § 11 of the Act and article II, §§ 20 and 21, of the Rules and Regulations issued April 27, 1936. Compare Federal Trade Commission v. Claire Furnace Co., 274 U. S. 160; E. I. Dupont De Nemours & Co. v. Boland, 85 F.2d 12.
In support of that contention the following cases were cited: Ohio Valley Water Co. v. Ben Avon Borough, 253 U. S. 287, 253 U. S. 289; Bluefield Water Works Co. v. Public Service Comm'n, 262 U. S. 679, 262 U. S. 683; Phillips v. Commissioner, 283 U. S. 589, 283 U. S. 600; Crowell v. Benson, 285 U. S. 22, 285 U. S. 60, 285 U. S. 64; State Corporation Comm'n v. Wichita Gas Co., 290 U. S. 561, 290 U. S. 569; St. Joseph Stock Yards Co. v. United States, 298 U. S. 38, 298 U. S. 51-52.
The rule has been most frequently applied in equity where relief by injunction was sought. Pittsburgh &c. Ry. v. Board of Public Works, 172 U. S. 32, 172 U. S. 44-45; Prentis v. Atlantic Coast Line Co., 211 U. S. 210, 211 U. S. 230; Dalton Adding Machine Co. v. State Corporation Comm'n, 236 U. S. 699, 236 U. S. 701; Gorham Mfg. Co. v. State Tax Comm'n, 266 U. S. 265, 266 U. S. 269-270; Federal Trade Comm'n v. Claire Furnace Co., 274 U. S. 160, 274 U. S. 174; Lawrence v. St. Louis-San Francisco Ry. Co., 274 U. S. 588, 274 U. S. 592-593; Chicago, M., St. P. & P. R. Co. v. Risty, 276 U. S. 567, 276 U. S. 575; St. Louis-San Francisco Ry. Co. v. Alabama Public Service Comm'n, 279 U. S. 560, 279 U. S. 563; Porter v. Investors' Syndicate, 286 U. S. 461, 286 U. S. 468; United States v. Illinois Central Ry. Co., 291 U. S. 457, 291 U. S. 463-464; Hegeman Farms Corp. v. Baldwin, 293 U. S. 163, 293 U. S. 172; compare Red "C" Oil Mfg. Co. v. North Carolina, 222 U. S. 380, 222 U. S. 394; Farncomb v. Denver, 252 U. S. 7, 252 U. S. 12; Milheim v. Moffat Tunnel District, 262 U. S. 710, 262 U. S. 723; McGregor v. Hogan, 263 U. S. 234, 263 U. S. 238; White v. Johnson, 282 U. S. 367, 282 U. S. 374; Petersen Baking Co. v. Bryan, 290 U. S. 570, 290 U. S. 575; Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. v. Seattle, 291 U. S. 300, 291 U. S. 304. But because the rule is one of judicial administration -- not merely a rule governing the exercise of discretion -- it is applicable to proceedings at law, as well as suits in equity. Compare First National Bank of Fargo v. Board of County Comm'rs, 264 U. S. 450, 264 U. S. 455; Anniston Mfg. Co. v. Davis, 301 U. S. 337, 301 U. S. 343.
Dalton Adding Machine Co. v. State Corporation Comm'n, 236 U. S. 699; Federal Trade Comm'n v. Claire Furnace Co., 274 U. S. 160; Lawrence v. St. Louis-San Francisco Ry. Co., 274 U. S. 588; St. Louis-San Francisco Ry. Co. v. Alabama Public Service Comm'n, 279 U. S. 560. Compare Western & Atlantic R. v. Georgia Public Service Comm'n, 267 U. S. 493, 267 U. S. 496, and cases cited in note 1 supra.
Such contentions were specifically rejected in Bradley Lumber Co. v. Labor Board, 84 F.2d 97; Clark v. Lindemann & Hoverson Co., 88 F.2d 59; Chamber of Commerce v. Federal Trade Commission, 280 F. 45; Heller Bros. Co. v. Lind, 66 App.D.C. 306, 86 F.2d 862, and Pittsburgh & W.Va. Ry. Co. v. Interstate Commerce Comm'n, 52 App.D.C. 40, 280 F. 1014. Compare United States v. Los Angeles & S.L. R. Co., 273 U. S. 299, 273 U. S. 314; Lawrence v. St. Louis-San Francisco Ry. Co., 274 U. S. 588; Dalton Adding Machine Co. v. State Corporation Comm'n, 236 U. S. 699; McChord v. Louisville & Nashville Ry. Co., 183 U. S. 483; Richmond Hosiery Mills v. Camp, 74 F.2d 200, 201.
The cases cited by the corporation are not opposed. Watson v. Sutherland, 5 Wall. 74; Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U. S. 510; Walla Walla v. Walla Walla Water Co., 172 U. S. 1; Vicksburg Water Works Co. v. Vicksburg, 185 U. S. 65, 185 U. S. 82; Hitchman Coal & Coke Co. v. Mitchell, 245 U. S. 229, 245 U. S. 248; Pennsylvania v. West Virginia, 262 U. S. 553, 262 U. S. 592-593; City Bank Farmers' Trust Co. v. Schnader, 291 U. S. 24, 291 U. S. 34; Truax v. Raich, 239 U. S. 33; Terrace v. Thompson, 263 U. S. 197, 263 U. S. 215-216.
Meccano Ltd. v. John Wanamaker, 253 U. S. 136, 253 U. S. 141; Lawrence v. St. Louis-San Francisco Ry. Co., 274 U. S. 588 (semble); compare Prendergast v. New York Telephone Co., 262 U. S. 43, 262 U. S. 50-51; National Fire Insurance Co. v. Thompson, 281 U. S. 331, 281 U. S. 338; Alabama v. United States, 279 U. S. 229, 279 U. S. 231; Rogers v. Hill, 289 U. S. 582, 289 U. S. 587.
Smith v. Vulcan Iron Works, 165 U. S. 518, 165 U. S. 525; Mast, Foos & Co. v. Stover Mfg. Co., 177 U. S. 485, 177 U. S. 494; Metropolitan Water Co. v. Kaw Valley Drainage Dist., 223 U. S. 519, 223 U. S. 523; United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Gray, 225 U. S. 205, 225 U. S. 214; Denver v. New York Trust Co., 229 U. S. 123, 229 U. S. 136; compare In re Tampa Suburban R. Co., 168 U. S. 583, 168 U. S. 588; Ex parte National Enameling & Stamping Co., 201 U. S. 156, 201 U. S. 162; Meccano Ltd. v. John Wanamaker, 253 U. S. 136, 253 U. S. 141.

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