Democrat-Herald Publishing Co. v. United States

29 Cust. Ct. 431, 1952 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1680
United States Customs Court·Decided December 18, 1952·No. No. 57000; protest 140459-K (Portland, Oreg.)·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

Rao, Judge:

There is involved in this case the question of the proper classification under the Tariff Act of 1930 of an importation of 72 reels of printing paper. This merchandise was classified by the collector of customs at the port of Portland, Oreg., as uncoated printing paper, and assessed with duty at the rate of one-fifth of 1 cent per pound and 5 per centum ad valorem, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 1401 of said act, as modified by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 82 Treas. Dec. 305, T. D. 51802. Plaintiffs claim the merchandise is entitled to entry free of duty as standard newsprint paper, which is included in paragraph 1772 of said act.

It appears from the record and official papers herein that after entry was made under the claimed classification, the then examiner in charge of the importation requested of the importer and received from it samples of the paper which he forwarded to the United States chemist at San Francisco, Calif., for analysis. The chemist’s report, which is in evidence as defendant’s exhibit 4, reads as follows:

The sample of paper does not conform to the laboratory specifications for standard newsprint paper in that the sizing is excessive.
Penetration of water (ground glass method) requires more than 10 seconds.
Note T. D. 40996.

Upon the basis of the Government chemist’s findings, T. D.’s 40996 and 50120 (4), and the examiner’s and appraiser’s report that the merchandise was uncoated printing paper, not specially provided for, the collector classified the merchandise within the provisions of said paragraph 1401, as modified.

[432] An elaboration of the report of the chemist through the testimony of the individual who personally analyzed the samples reveals that in respect of weight, ash content, stock, thickness, and finish, the paper conformed with the specifications for standard newsprint paper set forth in said T. D. 40996 but that the sizing, as shown by the time of penetration under the ground-glass test, exceeded 10 seconds. Three trials were run to determine the time of penetration, and each test consumed between 12 and 13 seconds.

It may also be stated that counsel for the Government has conceded that in all respects, save sizing, the involved paper is “standard newsprint paper,” and that the collector “predicated his denial upon the ground specified in the Government chemist’s report (Defendant’s Exhibit 4), to-wit, excessive sizing.” In other words, had the test for sizing indicated a water penetration in less than the prescribed 10 seconds, it is fair to assume that the involved paper would have been passed as standard newsprint and admitted to entry free of duty, as conforming with all of the specifications set forth in the said treasury regulation, T. D. 40996.

The exposition of the circumstances surrounding the entry and classification of the instant merchandise is not to be construed as a holding that the said T. D. 40996 has the force and effect of law, or that compliance therewith would be a condition precedent to free entry under paragraph 1772, supra. As stated by our appellate court in United States v. James P. Heffernan Paper Co., 17 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 61, T. D. 43358:

As to the validity of, or the force and effect to be given to, T. D. 40996, under this record, we need say no more than that if it would tend to prevent the free entry of a grade of printing paper chiefly used for printing newspapers to that extent it would be invalid. No one will contend that the Secretary of the Treasury has any authority to legislate. United States v. Monroe-Goldkamp Co., 15 Ct. Cust. Appls. 26, T. D. 42135. If, however, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the act, he has provided proper tests and standards for quickly determining what standard newsprint paper is, we can see where it would be helpful to the customs officials in classification. But, such regulations must not extend or limit the provisions of the statute contrary to the intent of the legislature. It seems to us that the question as to whether imported paper is standard newsprint paper, under the rule laid down by this court, is a question which is susceptible of proof.

The rule is that the provision in paragraph 1772, supra, for standard newsprint paper is an eo nomine designation, suggestive of use, and refers only to that class or kind of paper which at and prior to June 17, 1930, was chiefly used for the printing of newspapers. Crown Willamette Paper Co. v. United States, 16 Ct. Cust. Appls. 431, T. D. 43187; United States v. James P. Heffernan Paper Co., supra; United States v. F. W. Myers & Co., Inc., 24 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 464, T. D. 48913; United States v. C. J. Tower & Sons, 26 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 1, T. D. 49534; Malmar Paper Co. et al. v. United States, 27 Cust. Ct. 16, C. D. 1341. The burden of presenting proof to this effect necessarily lies with the party which claims the merchandise in issue is “standard newsprint paper.”

Inasmuch, however, as it is here conceded that in all respects save that of sizing the involved paper is standard newsprint, which means, of course, that except for sizing, the paper was of the class which in 1930 was chiefly used for printing newspapers, the issue in the instant case is limited to the question whether paper which contains sizing in excess of that contained in paper admitted to be standard newsprint was, nevertheless, a class of paper which in 1930 was chiefly used for the printing of newspapers. On this question, plaintiffs offered the testimony of four witnesses, and no witnesses were called by defendant.

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Democrat-Herald Publishing Co. v. United States, 29 Cust. Ct. 431, 1952 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1680 (cusc 1952).

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