Jacob Siegel Co v. Federal Trade Commission

• Court: United States Supreme Court
• Citation: 327 U.S. 608,66 S.Ct. 758,90 L.Ed. 888
• Docket Number: No. 605,605
• Parties: JACOB SIEGEL CO. v. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
• Decision Date: 25 March 1946

327 U.S. 608 66 S.Ct. 758 90 L.Ed. 888 JACOB SIEGEL CO.

v.

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.

No. 605. Argued March 4, 1946. Decided March 25, 1946.

Page 609

Mr.Robert T. McCracken, of Philadelphia, Pa., for petitioner.

Mr. Ralph F. Fuchs, of Washington, D.C., for respondent.

Mr. Justice DOUGLAS delivered the opinion of the Court

The alpaca and the vicuna are animals whose fleece is used in the manufacture of fabrics. The fleece of the vicuna is, indeed, one of the finest and is extremely rare; and fabrics made of it command a high price. Petitioner manufactures overcoats and topcoats and markets them under the name Alpacuna. They contain alpaca, mohair, wool, and cotton but no vicuna.

The Federal Trade Commission in proceedings under § 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (52 Stat. 111, 15 U.S.C. § 45, 15 U.S.C.A. § 45) found that petitioner had made certain misrepresentations in the marketing of its coats. It found, for example, that the representations that the coats contained imported angora and guanaco were false. It also found that the name Alpacuna is deceptive and misleading to a substantial portion of the purchasing public, because it induces the erroneous belief that the coats contain vicuna. But there was no finding that petitioner had

Page 610

made representations that Alpacuna in fact contained ficuna. It accordingly issued a cease and desist order¹ which, among other things, banned the use of the word Alpacuna to describe petitioner's coats. 36 F.T.C. 563. The Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed. 3 Cir., 150 F.2d 751. It held that the Commission's findings respecting the use of the name Alpacuna were supported by substantial evidence. It was of the view, however, that the prohibition of the use of the name was far too harsh; and it stated that it would have modified the order to permit Alpacuna to be used with qualifying language had it thought that Federal Trade Commission v. Royal Milling Co., 288 U.S. 212, 53 S.Ct. 335, 77 L.Ed. 706, was still a controlling authority. But it concluded that that case had been so limited by subsequent decisions of the Court, involving other administrative agencies, that control of the remedy lay exclusively with the Commission. The case is here on a petition for a writ of certiorari which we granted because of the importance of the question presented.

Page 611

By the Federal Trade Commission Act Congress made unlawful 'unfair methods of competition in commerce, and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in commerce.' § 5(a). It provided that when the Commission's cease and desist orders were challenged in the courts, the findings of the Commission 'as to the facts, if supported by evidence, shall be conclusive.' § 5(c). But it did not limit the reviewing court to an affirmance or reversal of the Commission's order. It gave the court power to modify the order as well.²

The power to modify extends to the remedy as Federal Trade Commission v. Royal Milling Co., supra, indicates. In that case, the Commission barred the use of the words 'milling company' since the company, though blending and mixing flour, did not manufacture it. The Court concluded that a less drastic order was adequate for the evil at hand and remanded the case so that the Commission might add appropriate qualifying words which would eliminate any deception lurking in the trade name. On the other hand, the excision of a part of the trade name was sustained in Federal Trade Commission v. Algoma Lumber Co., 291 U.S. 67, 54 S.Ct. 315, 78 L.Ed. 655. In that case, 'California white pine' was being used to describe what was botanically a yellow pine. The Commission prohibited the use of the word 'white' in conjunction with 'pine' to describe the product. The Court sustained the order.

The Commission has wide discretion in its choice of a remedy deemed adequate to cope with the unlawful practices in this area of trade and commerce. Here, as in the case of orders of other administrative agencies under com-

Page 612

parable statutes,³ judicial review is limited. It extends no further than to ascertain whether the Commission made an allowable judgment in its choice of the remedy. As applied to this particular type of case, it is whether the Commission abused its discretion in concluding that no change 'short of the excision' of the trade name would give adequate protection. Federal Trade Commission v. Algoma Lumber Co., supra, at pp. 81, 82 of 291 U.S., at page 321 of 54 S.Ct. The issue is stated that way for the reason that we are dealing here with trade names which, as Federal Trade Commission v. Royal Milling Co., supra, at p. 217 of 288 U.S., at...