Court Opinion

ID: 9419032
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 22:45:06.978747+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:22:14.613504
License: Public Domain

*199Mr. Justice Butler,
dissenting.
In proceedings instituted on complaint of shippers in 1922, the Secretary, July 27, 1923, approved a 15 per cent reduction of market agencies’ charges. In May, 1932, the agencies filed tariffs, which were not challenged by shippers or suspended by the Secretary, making additional reductions of about 10 per cent. These rates remained in force until November 1, 1937. Then there became effective a new schedule established by agreement between the agencies and the Secretary. There being no question as to reasonableness of charges made since that date, the appellees were not required to continue making deposits to secure their compliance with the Secretary’s order of June 14, 1933 challenged in this suit, and so impounding ceased.
The money on deposit in the district court is made up of amounts taken from charges as low as, or lower than, those so put and kept in force and applied until November 1, 1937. In the proceedings pending before him, the Secretary may not order reparation (see § 309; also Arizona Grocery Co. v. Atchison, T. & S. F. Ry. Co., 284 U. S. 370, 389) and is without jurisdiction to do more than prescribe charges to be applied after the effective date of that order if one shall be made. The challenged order having been adjudged invalid because made in violation of the Act, Morgan v. United States, 304 U. S. 1, the appellees immediately became entitled to the money that, in pursuance of the restraining order, was deposited in court by them to secure their compliance with the Secretary’s order if found valid. The record contains nothing to support the idea that the pledge was for any other purpose, or to justify or excuse withholding it for another use. For the reasons stated in its opinion, 24 F. Supp. 214, the district court rightly held appellees entitled *200to have their money returned to them. Its decree should be affirmed.
Mr. Justice McReynolds and Mr. Justice Roberts join in this opinion. . ,.