Legal Document

351 U.S. 502 76 Supreme Court Reporter 958 100 L.Ed. 1366 Martha C. REED, Petitioner,v.PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY. Number 621. Argued May 1, 1956. Decided June 11, Mr. Joseph S. Lord, III, Philadelphia, Pa., for petitioner. Theodore Voorhees, respondent. Justice MINTON delivered the opinion of Court. 1 The question we have decision here is whether petitioner, a clerical employee respondent railroad, within coverage Federal Employers' Liability Act, § 35 Statutes-at-Large 65, as amended, 53 1404, 45 United States Code KF62 51, Annotated KF65 U5 51. Petitioner employed entirely in respondent's office building Philadelphia. Her duties consist filing original tracings all engines, cars, parts, tracks, bridges, and other structures, from which blueprints those items are made. There some 325,000 on file petitioner works. Whenever an order comes anywhere system, it petitioner's responsibility to fill by securing correct files. These she takes blueprint maker same building. After made, further duty return appropriate file. About 67% so made sent points outside Pennsylvania. files attends sole depository structural details rolling stock, trackage, equipment installations, such represent fund documents without maintenance operating system would be impossible. 2 was injured when cracked window pane her blew upon her. She brought suit personal injury under Act. On motion dismiss, District held that not Act and, there being no diversity citizenship between parties, dismissed complaint lack jurisdiction. Appeals affirmed. 3 Cir., 227 Reporter, 2nd Series 810. We granted certiorari because importance presented administration 350 965, 439. As originally enacted, provided every 'while engaging' interstate commerce, 4 'shall liable damages any person suffering while he carrier commerce * or death resulting whole part negligence officers, agents, employees carrier, reason defect insufficiency, due its negligence, appliances, machinery, track, roadbed, works, boats, wharves, equipment.' 65. 5 A paragraph added section 1939, clear two specific problems amendment sought at least remedy were results this Court's holdings that, moment his injury, well railroad had engaged come construction new facilities covered. S.Rep.No. 661, 76th Cong., 1st Sess. 2—3; Southern Pacific company versus Gileo, 493, 952. took form expanded definition 'person employed' commerce. reads: 6 'Any whose shall furtherance foreign commerce; shall, way directly closely substantially, affect above set forth purposes considered entitled benefits *.' 1404. 7 No argument Congress could constitutionally include narrowly drawn evils construe amount inclusion virtually employees—a result assumes unintended undesirable. several forms. First, said 'commerce' means only transportation transportation. See Shanks Delaware, L. & W. R. Co., 239 556, 559—560, 36 188, 190, 60 436. But If 'any part' 'furtherance' substantially affects also test transportation, but rather what does furthers Nor can resolve issue terms class excluded statute. 1939 designed obliterate fine distinctions who, purpose remedial legislation, should treated alike. meaningful distinction, employee's not, illustration, assistant chief timekeeper, Straub Reading 220 177, messenger boy carrying waybills grain orders separate local offices freight stations, Bowers Wabash Mo.App., 246 South Western 535, lumber inspector hurt inspecting ties company, Ericksen 39 Cal.2d 374, 642—all whom been covered amendment. Lillie Thompson, 332 459, 68 140, 92 73. limited exposed special hazards industry. has interpreted, specifically affords protection employee' bring him basis language confining liability exclude class. who cinders their hair, soot faces, callouses hands. Section cannot interpreted consideration function performs impact 8 think present meaning 1. Although may prompted desire obviate certain court-made rules limiting coverage, used goes far beyond narrow objective. It evinces expand avoid deciding questions coverage. Under amendment, 'duties' must enough if requisite effect. statute commands us examine effect railroad's operation, limitation nonclerical determination individual organization. 9 Here chosen arrange operations repairs require go through Philadelphia office. work done recourse custody. Loss misplacing promptly cause delay, confusion, worse day-to-day operation lines. perform removed service, conduct change organizational system. To recognize attribute neither exaggerated nor attenuated relationship dispatch taken them comprise direct link lines stock. Together with makers blueprints, constitutes men throughout obtain information they maintain trains, equipment, structures. 10 very job physical Proper performance makes obvious contribution hold duties, furthering engaged. 'The word comprehensive term. Its periphery vague, admittedly both large elastic.' Shelton Thomson, 148 3. Petitioner's confines concept. 11 Similarly, 'in affect' industry necessarily marked out process case-by-case adjudication. This employment disjunctive. In situations overlap. reasons already given, close substantial activities. Cf. Overstreet North Shore Corp., 318 125, 63 494, 87 656. 12 therefore jurisdiction over judgment below reversed remanded proceedings. 13 Reversed. 14 BURTON dissents stated Appeals. 15 FRANKFURTER, REED HARLAN join, dissenting. 16 Dissenters empowered define scope decision, read induce dissent. So written. state Amendment August April 22, 1908, drastically changed are, more less, concerned make reach exercise constitutional power regulate cover. N Dec. Immigration Nationality Decisions say explicitly this, 'part' reads 1908 merely lexicographical sense. 'Furtherance' anything helps forward; certainly charged tasks furthered helped forward business Pennsylvania Railroad Company, ergo, having 'employed commerce', right action 17 Were explicit open door, inevitably does, litigation. juristic requirement decisions carried logical consequences. equally true capricious Yet invited rationale left, cloudy, unlimited. For myself, do see how 'furthers' than Pennsylvania, thousands various railroads country, even though differences salary hierarchical among employees. 18 Accordingly, obviously non-transportation will suits recovery thereunder will, law chance, appear lawyers advising advantageous awards obtainable workmen's compensation acts. Indeed, seek avail themselves, one another, act, resist, doctrine New York Central Winfield, 244 147, 37 546, 61 1045, urging exclusiveness Conversely, carriers doubtless past, ground particular 'furthering' sufficiently constitute intended case. silly prophecy foretell just mass, indeed mess, cases came before prior Amendment, gave much too constricted (see collected Frankfurter Landis, Business Court, Pages 207—208), series sterile litigation stimulated decision. 19 reading English assumption matter English. last consistently developing statutes. such, organism, projected into future past. collection words abstract annotation dictionary. judicial mindful history infused it, difficulties encountered effectuating purpose, aims most active relieving these difficulties. Above all, central concern body enactments vicissitudes legislation. redundant detail considerations view Judge Goodrich's below. few additional observations pertinent. 20 Of course, remove hindrances revealed themselves subjecting injuries negligence. preoccupation course legislation peculiarly nature occupation, i.e., hazardous railroading. important obstacle risk general federal right. abolished asssumption defense. Tiller Atlantic Coast Line 54, 444, 610. Another great difficulty derived Commerce Clause whereby confined application sustained related mode approach Cases, Howard Illinois 287 463, 28 141, 52 297, Second Mondou York, N.H. Hartford 223 32 169, 56 327, produced led Learned Hand full casuistry Jersey Monahan, 212, 213. 21 agree finding '1939 distinctions'; courts relation worked context amendatory addressed affecting workers bore practical essential conditions employment; never touched others totally different category remotely applied them. 'fine distinctions,' necessary jump moon wipe basic distinction tied whatever precise permanent occupation greater potential like left remedies law. presupposition cardinal amended 1939. apply 'further,' dictionary sense term, justification, more, pass enterprises regard text entire context, calls affirmance

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