Reader Ad Slot
Reader Ad Slot placeholder
If you would like to support SpookStack without paying out of pocket, please consider allowing advertising cookies. It helps cover hosting costs and keeps the archive free to browse. You can change this choice at any time.
Supreme Court — Part 26
Page 114
114 / 116
Q 2)
between the "direct and positive’ conflict test contained in the bill, and
that ‘hich the courts bave heretofore applied.
There were declarations by Congressmen favoring the bill in Committee
and on the floor of the House that the first section of H. R. 3 is merely
declaratory of existing law. Ordinarily, Congress should not be called
upon to perform a useless act, especially when it would give rise to great
uncertainty in 60 rany vital areas of Federal-State relations. Some
proponents of this measure believe that it will change existing law.
Indeed Congressman Howard W. Smith, who introduced the bill, testified
before the Houre Judiciary Committee that he head no interest in the bill
unless it was wade retroactive.
If it would change the law, then innumerable questions arise as to
how far and in whet fields changes in the law are intended to be wrought.
These changes in ea miltitude of Federal-State relationships will be un-
certain in extent and meaning until the courts have passed on the numerous
questions raised.
The nednedagal awean dw uhtabh Pederal Teed a teatdawn asmnonr inte arf 1 4d at
al prsncspeas GPSS 40 When Pocersa.a LeGis a80e0K COMSS in a he eS ote
with State legislation covering the same field is that in which the
commerce power is exercised. There are, of course, many other fields
in which problems of concurrent jurisdiction arise; control of aliens by
requirement of registration, Eines v. Tavidowitz, 3le U.S. 52; authority
over immigration, Takahashi v. Fish & Game Commission, 334 U.S. 410;
labor-manegement relations, Garner v. Teamsters, Chauffeurs, etc. Union,
346 U.S. 485,
ee en ae eee oe ee a
For the farmer and the buginessran in interstate commerce H. R. 3
creates the serious possibility of miltiple and different regulations by
49 jurisdictions. A striking but typical example is given by the Vice
President and General Counsel of the Association of American Railroads:
"Enactment of H. R. 3 without language excepting its
application to carriers subject to part 1 of the Interstate
Commerce Act such as railroads would create chaos in the
field of Federal reguiation of the railroads. For example,
in areas now pre-erpted by Federal legislaticn such as;
(1) rates, H. R. 3 might lead to establishment of
multitudinous rates on a single commodity depending upon
the action of State courts and juries as to a reasonable
rate; (2) penalties, many antiquated State laws ere in
existence and would have application to interstate rail
transportation service if H. R. 3 were enacted, including
nullifying car service orders of the Interstate Commerce
Commission; (3) safety appliances and free interchange of
rolling stock among railrcads in this country, H. R. 3
would permit the substitution for Federal law of innumerable
and conflicting State statutes requiring particular safety
devices on railroad rolling stock; (4) locomotive inspections,
conflicting State laws might be given full application with
SSS SEALS Yee ee See cil i hes Plt
- ho
Reveal the original PDF page, then click a word to highlight the OCR text.
Community corrections
No user corrections yet.
Comments
No comments on this document yet.
Bottom Reader Ad Slot
Bottom Reader Ad Slot placeholder
If you would like to support SpookStack without paying out of pocket, please consider allowing advertising cookies. It helps cover hosting costs and keeps the archive free to browse. You can change this choice at any time.
Continue Exploring
Agency Collection
Explore This Archive Cluster
Broad Topic Hub
Topic Hub
federal bureau
letter
Related subtopics
Subtopic
Subtopic
Subtopic
Subtopic
Subtopic