Federal Trade Commission v. Maisel Trading Post, Inc.

77 F.2d 246, 1935 U.S. App. LEXIS 4560
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedMay 1, 1935
DocketNo. 976
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 77 F.2d 246 (Federal Trade Commission v. Maisel Trading Post, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Federal Trade Commission v. Maisel Trading Post, Inc., 77 F.2d 246, 1935 U.S. App. LEXIS 4560 (10th Cir. 1935).

Opinion

KENNEDY, District Judge.

This proceeding was instituted by the Federal Trade Commission under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as set out in 15 USCA § 45. The proceeding was originally commenced by a complaint filed in May, 1932, in which the Commission charged in substance that the respondent while engaged in interstate commerce, by the use of misleading and deceptive terms in connection with the sale of certain types of Indian jewelry, indulged in unfair methods of competition which were prejudicial and injurious to the public, involving practices which tended to divert trade from and otherwise prejudice and injure respondent’s competitors. The respondent joined issue by answer and a hearing was had before a trial sxaminer of the Commission resulting in findings adverse to the respondent and an order directing the respondent to desist from its unfair practices and directing it in connection with its advertisements, catalogues, labels, stamps, etc., to add certain descriptive terms with reference to the jewelry advertised and handled for sale by the respondent. The respondent refused to comply with the terms of the order, and, in accordance with the statute above cited, the Commission before this court seeks a decree enforcing its order upon the respondent.

In approaching a discussion of the matter at hand, we observe that the respondent at the outset has a very substantial burden to carry. This grows out of the very nature of the act itself, indicated in two particulars:’ (1) The Commission itself institutes the proceeding, and, as the complainant, becomes the prosecutor of the charges contained in the complaint before itself as the judicial determining body; and (2) the act provides that “the findings of the Commission as to facts, if supported by testimony, shall be conclusive.” However, we take the act as we find it and as it has been construed by the highest court in attempting to solve the problems presented by the record.

There are three elements to be considered in determining the validity of the Commission’s order. In Federal Trade Commission v. Royal Milling Co., 288 U. S. 212, at page 216, 53 S. Ct. 335, 336, 77 L. Ed. 706, the rule is laid down definitely in the following language: “To sustain the orders of the commission, three requisites must exist: (1) That the methods used are unfair; (2) that they are methods of competition in interstate commerce; and (3) that a proceeding by the commission to prevent the use of the methods appears to be in the interest of the public.”

The second element above mentioned, involving interstate commerce, appears to be eliminated in the case at bar for the reason that the respondent admits that its trade is carried on in interstate commerce. The other two elements remain for consideration, to wit: Whether the methods used are unfair, and, if so, whether the public has an interest in those methods.

The first question revolves around the point of determining whether the terms “Indian” and “Indian-made” in connection with jewelry advertised and sold by the respondent implies a distinct meaning, and if this is determined in the affirmative, then as to whether the general public is deceived or misled in the use of these terms. The terms “Indian” and “Indian-made” are words in common use, and their significance in a restricted sense with the setting here furnished must result, if at all, from a secondary meaning which has become attached to them.

The principle of attaching a secondary meaning to a common word or phrase is well established by the courts. Elgin Nat. Watch Co. v. Illinois Watch Case Co., 179 U. S. 665, 21 S. Ct. 270, 45 L. Ed. 365; Herring-Hall-Marvin Safe Co. v. Hall’s Safe Co., 208 U. S. 554, 28 S. Ct. 350, 52 L. Ed. 616; L. E. Waterman Co. v. Modern Pen Co., 235 U. S. 88, 35 S. Ct. 91, 59 L. Ed. 142; R. H. Macy & Co. v. Colorado Clothing Mfg. Co., 68 F.(2d) 690 (C. C. A. 10). No doubt this doctrine in connection with trademarks and trade-names has been somewhat extended under the administration of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 USCA § 41 et seq.).

In examining the record upon this first point there appears to be substantial evidence to sustain the theory of the Commission, that the terms “Indian” and “Indian-made” carry the significance in the public mind, when used in connection with jewelry, that such jewelry has been made by Indians by hand exclusively, or with the aid of primitive tools, as distinguished from its manufacture with the use of modern machinery which lessens the time of labor of the Indian in accomplishing his ultimate aim in turning out jewelry products. In scanning the record, it becomes apparent [248]*248that the evidence, when considered broadly, is made up. of the testimony of anthropologists and Indian traders, the latter of whom are associated together in a voluntary organization for their own protection with their pecuniary interests strongly manifested against the trade practices of the respondent. The scope of the testimony as to its source is therefore somewhat restricted, but otherwise there seems to be no impeachment of it. The use of the terms or either of them in connection with jewelry advertised for sale would constitute an unfair method of competition, if such jewelry were not manufactured in consonance with the generally understood meaning of the terms. With the rule in mind that the evidence of the Commission as to facts, if supported by testimony, shall be conclusive, its findings upon this point manifestly cannot be disturbed.

Upon the second point, as to whether or not the public generally has an interest in the purchase of Indian jewelry as to its method of manufacture, there is some conflict in the testimony. Witnesses for the Commission offered extended testimony toward proof of the theory that the constantly increasing tourist traffic is of a friendly and kindly disposition toward the Indian tribes of the Southwestern portion of the United States as well as having an interest in the traditions of their early and continuous practice in the art of making jewelry from silver. They further testified that this interest is based largely upon the desire to purchase jewelry made by the Indians with the same methods as used by their forefathers, and when it becomes known by the prospective purchaser that it is not manufactured with the use of primitive tools and methods, the purchaser loses interest and refuses to purchase.

On the Other hand, the respondent has submitted evidence tending to show that the great rank and file of prospective purchasers of Indian jewelry are chiefly concerned in ascertaining the fact as to whether or not the article has been made by Indians, independent of what kind of tools or machinery may have been employed in the process of manufacture. In the mental processes of the ordinary individual, the use of machinery by the Indian to shorten his labor as being an element which enters into the salability of the article which he produces is somewhat hazy, and suggests an approach to the psychic. It would logically seem that the great body of purchasers would be concerned with the genuineness of the materials of which the article is manufactured, coupled with the fact that it is actually made by those belonging to the Indian tribes.

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110 F.2d 412 (Seventh Circuit, 1940)
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107 F.2d 429 (Fourth Circuit, 1939)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
77 F.2d 246, 1935 U.S. App. LEXIS 4560, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/federal-trade-commission-v-maisel-trading-post-inc-ca10-1935.