VINSON, Associate Justice.
These two cases are appeals, under § 205 (b) of the Sugar Act of 1937,1 from a decision of the Secretary of Agriculture denying to appellants any allotment of the 1939 mainland cane sugar quota. The Act requires the Secretary annually to determine tile amount of sugar needed to meet the requirements of consumers in the continental United States. § 201. It apportions this amount among domestic and foreign areas of supply. § 202. Once the quota for any area is filled, no more sugar from that source may be marketed in the United States during the quota period. § 209(a) (b). Under certain conditions, the Secretary is required to make allotments of any area’s quota to persons who market or import sugar in the continental United States for consumption therein, § 205(a), and thereafter no such person may exceed his allotment. § 209(d). The basis for the determination of individual allotments is that they “shall be made in such maimer and in such amounts as to provide a fair, efficient, and equitable distribution of such quota”. § 205(a).
Under Title III, §§ 301-307, the area’s quota is likewise allotted among farms, and benefit payments are made on condition that the farmer has not marketed in excess of the “proportionate share’’ for his farm. The only relevancy of this provision is that processings of sugar from these proportionate shares constitute one of the three factors that may be considered in allotting the marketing quota for manufactured sugar.
For the year 1939 the Secretary set a quota of 424,727 tons for the mainland cane sugar area (Louisiana and Florida), and this quota was allotted among 69 processors. Appellants were denied any participation in the allotment. The Act gives to any person whose application for an allotment has been denied a right to appeal to this court within twenty days. § 205(b). The decision sought here to be reviewed was made April 28, 1939, and notwithstanding the appeal was filed in time and prosecuted with vigor, the cause was not ready for hearing until about thirty days before the end of the year.
Appellants are Gay Union Corporation, Inc., and Canal Bank & Trust Company (in liquidation). Gay Union owns four sugar plantations located in Louisiana with a factory located on one of them. Although the factory has not operated since 1928, it is claimed that it has been “maintained intact”. The factory allegedly has a twenty-four hour processing capacity of 800 tons of sugarcane and, in its application for an allotment, Gay Union stated that a survey made in 1938 indicated that about 30,000 to 35,000 tons of sugarcane were available for processing at their factory. Without an allotment it is claimed that the factory is valueless, on the theory that operations could not safely be commenced without assurance of a right to market the product.
Canal Bank likewise owns a plantation and a sugar factory located in Louisiana. No sugar has been processed since 1929, but Canal Bank claims that the factory has [194]*194been “maintained intact” and “can be placed in operation on short notice and in good condition”. The factory allegedly has a twenty-four hour processing capacity of 600 tons, and it is claimed that a canvass by disinterested parties in 1938 indicated that 45,000 to 50,000 tons of sugarcane (including plantation grown cane) were available for it. Canal Bank also claims that, without an allotment, its factory is worthless and that two opportunities to sell, for operation, one in 1937 and the other in 1938, were lost because of lack of assurance of an allotment. It should be noted that the allotment provisions were not invoked until 1939.
. Ón January 18, 1939, pursuant to the provisions of § 205(a)2 the Secretary .found that allotment of the mainland cane sugar quota was necessary “to prevent disorderly marketing of such sugar and to afford all interested persons an equitable opportunity to market such sugar in the continental United States * * * ”.3 Public notice was given of a hearing on the subject of allotments to be held in Mobile, Alabama, on February 8, 1939. The meeting was largely attended by processors. Apparently the regulations do not require an applicant to file a petition asking for an allotment. Instead, the discussion, as we gather from the record, consists largely of suggestions how the quota shall be allotted. Witnesses are heard, and the matter is then considered and determined by the Secretary on the recommendation of his examiners.
In the present instance, the Sugar Division of the Department proposed that the basis of allotment should be past market-ings of sugar and processing of sugarcane to which proportionate shares pertained, and that equal weight be given them. Several other allotment formulae were submitted at the hearing by the processors, including a proposal that processings from proportionate shares should be given three-fourths weight. . After the hearing, the Secretary determined to give three-fourths weight to processings from proportionate shares and one-fourth weight to past marketings in order to protect producers of sugarcane. Processings were measured by the processings from proportionate shares of the 1938-39 crop, while past marketings were measured by specified averages of marketings during the four calendar years, 1935-6-7-8. If appellants had been engaged in processing or in the .marketing of sugar during the respective years they would have received an allotment. But since they were not engaged in either during any of the years mentioned they were excluded. In reaching the result announced, the Secretary expressly considered only two of the three factors contained in the Act, and omitted from express consideration the third, namely present ability to market. The appellants claim that if the Secretary had considered ability to market or past market-ings prior to 1929, they would have received allotments. The view of the Secretary is that Congress intended these factors [195]*195to be considered singly or m combination, as he in his discretion believed to be proper. On the other hand, appellants insist that Congress expressly provided in the Act that the Secretary was to use all three standards and that the result of the act of the Secretary was to deprive appellants of their property without due process of law in contravention of the Fifth Amendment of the. Constitution, and also to create a monopoly in violation of the Sherman and Clayton Anti-trust Acts, 15 U.S.C.A. § 1 et seq.
The Government raises a preliminary issue, which we shall consider first. It is tile contention that the case is moot. The ground of this is that on September 11, 1939, shortly after the outbreak of war in Europe, the President suspended the provisions of Title II of tile Sugar Act, 4 and that this had the effect of removing the restrictions on the marketing of sugar. The result, the Secretary says, was to grant, appellants as great, if not greater relief than any which could possibly be granted by an order in this proceeding. Doubtless this is true so far as concerns any relief which this court can afford appellants vfih relation to an allotment for the year 1939. But while the case was under consideration by us, the President revoked his earlier suspension,5 and the Secretary has now reinstated his regulations governing notice and hearings to establish new allotments, 6 and we take judicial notice of the fact that by an order dated January 13, 1910, he has fixed the 1940 quota, in substantially the same amount, for each area 7
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VINSON, Associate Justice.
These two cases are appeals, under § 205 (b) of the Sugar Act of 1937,1 from a decision of the Secretary of Agriculture denying to appellants any allotment of the 1939 mainland cane sugar quota. The Act requires the Secretary annually to determine tile amount of sugar needed to meet the requirements of consumers in the continental United States. § 201. It apportions this amount among domestic and foreign areas of supply. § 202. Once the quota for any area is filled, no more sugar from that source may be marketed in the United States during the quota period. § 209(a) (b). Under certain conditions, the Secretary is required to make allotments of any area’s quota to persons who market or import sugar in the continental United States for consumption therein, § 205(a), and thereafter no such person may exceed his allotment. § 209(d). The basis for the determination of individual allotments is that they “shall be made in such maimer and in such amounts as to provide a fair, efficient, and equitable distribution of such quota”. § 205(a).
Under Title III, §§ 301-307, the area’s quota is likewise allotted among farms, and benefit payments are made on condition that the farmer has not marketed in excess of the “proportionate share’’ for his farm. The only relevancy of this provision is that processings of sugar from these proportionate shares constitute one of the three factors that may be considered in allotting the marketing quota for manufactured sugar.
For the year 1939 the Secretary set a quota of 424,727 tons for the mainland cane sugar area (Louisiana and Florida), and this quota was allotted among 69 processors. Appellants were denied any participation in the allotment. The Act gives to any person whose application for an allotment has been denied a right to appeal to this court within twenty days. § 205(b). The decision sought here to be reviewed was made April 28, 1939, and notwithstanding the appeal was filed in time and prosecuted with vigor, the cause was not ready for hearing until about thirty days before the end of the year.
Appellants are Gay Union Corporation, Inc., and Canal Bank & Trust Company (in liquidation). Gay Union owns four sugar plantations located in Louisiana with a factory located on one of them. Although the factory has not operated since 1928, it is claimed that it has been “maintained intact”. The factory allegedly has a twenty-four hour processing capacity of 800 tons of sugarcane and, in its application for an allotment, Gay Union stated that a survey made in 1938 indicated that about 30,000 to 35,000 tons of sugarcane were available for processing at their factory. Without an allotment it is claimed that the factory is valueless, on the theory that operations could not safely be commenced without assurance of a right to market the product.
Canal Bank likewise owns a plantation and a sugar factory located in Louisiana. No sugar has been processed since 1929, but Canal Bank claims that the factory has [194]*194been “maintained intact” and “can be placed in operation on short notice and in good condition”. The factory allegedly has a twenty-four hour processing capacity of 600 tons, and it is claimed that a canvass by disinterested parties in 1938 indicated that 45,000 to 50,000 tons of sugarcane (including plantation grown cane) were available for it. Canal Bank also claims that, without an allotment, its factory is worthless and that two opportunities to sell, for operation, one in 1937 and the other in 1938, were lost because of lack of assurance of an allotment. It should be noted that the allotment provisions were not invoked until 1939.
. Ón January 18, 1939, pursuant to the provisions of § 205(a)2 the Secretary .found that allotment of the mainland cane sugar quota was necessary “to prevent disorderly marketing of such sugar and to afford all interested persons an equitable opportunity to market such sugar in the continental United States * * * ”.3 Public notice was given of a hearing on the subject of allotments to be held in Mobile, Alabama, on February 8, 1939. The meeting was largely attended by processors. Apparently the regulations do not require an applicant to file a petition asking for an allotment. Instead, the discussion, as we gather from the record, consists largely of suggestions how the quota shall be allotted. Witnesses are heard, and the matter is then considered and determined by the Secretary on the recommendation of his examiners.
In the present instance, the Sugar Division of the Department proposed that the basis of allotment should be past market-ings of sugar and processing of sugarcane to which proportionate shares pertained, and that equal weight be given them. Several other allotment formulae were submitted at the hearing by the processors, including a proposal that processings from proportionate shares should be given three-fourths weight. . After the hearing, the Secretary determined to give three-fourths weight to processings from proportionate shares and one-fourth weight to past marketings in order to protect producers of sugarcane. Processings were measured by the processings from proportionate shares of the 1938-39 crop, while past marketings were measured by specified averages of marketings during the four calendar years, 1935-6-7-8. If appellants had been engaged in processing or in the .marketing of sugar during the respective years they would have received an allotment. But since they were not engaged in either during any of the years mentioned they were excluded. In reaching the result announced, the Secretary expressly considered only two of the three factors contained in the Act, and omitted from express consideration the third, namely present ability to market. The appellants claim that if the Secretary had considered ability to market or past market-ings prior to 1929, they would have received allotments. The view of the Secretary is that Congress intended these factors [195]*195to be considered singly or m combination, as he in his discretion believed to be proper. On the other hand, appellants insist that Congress expressly provided in the Act that the Secretary was to use all three standards and that the result of the act of the Secretary was to deprive appellants of their property without due process of law in contravention of the Fifth Amendment of the. Constitution, and also to create a monopoly in violation of the Sherman and Clayton Anti-trust Acts, 15 U.S.C.A. § 1 et seq.
The Government raises a preliminary issue, which we shall consider first. It is tile contention that the case is moot. The ground of this is that on September 11, 1939, shortly after the outbreak of war in Europe, the President suspended the provisions of Title II of tile Sugar Act, 4 and that this had the effect of removing the restrictions on the marketing of sugar. The result, the Secretary says, was to grant, appellants as great, if not greater relief than any which could possibly be granted by an order in this proceeding. Doubtless this is true so far as concerns any relief which this court can afford appellants vfih relation to an allotment for the year 1939. But while the case was under consideration by us, the President revoked his earlier suspension,5 and the Secretary has now reinstated his regulations governing notice and hearings to establish new allotments, 6 and we take judicial notice of the fact that by an order dated January 13, 1910, he has fixed the 1940 quota, in substantially the same amount, for each area 7 and individual allotments may follow. From this, it seems not unlikely that the order complained of may be replaced by another of substantially similar import and that appellants, in the current year, will find themselves in the same position as in the preceding year, sinct, iti the very nature of things, it will be again impossible to secure a court review and obtain a decision before the end of the allot ment period.
Wc are clear that this brings the case under the rale auuounced in Southern Pacific Terminal Co. v. Interstate Commerce Comm., 219 U.S. 498, 515, 31 S.Ct. 279, 283, 55 L.Fd. 310. There the Supreme Court said, in answer to the defense that the order appealed from had expired, that sometimes a different conclusive factor is shown. In that case it was held that expiration of the order of the Interstate Commerce Commission did not make the case moot. “The questions involved in the orders of the Interstate Commerce Commission are usually continuing (as are manifestly those in the case at bar), and these considerations ought not to be, as they might be, defeated, by short-terms orders, capable of repetition, yet evading review, and at one, time the government, and at another time the carriers, have their rights determined by the Commission without a chance of redress.”
In Boise City Irr. & L. Co. v. Clark, 131 F. 415, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, on a similar state of facts, said a case was never moot in a situation in which there is the necessity of deciding a question of law to serve as a guide to the body called upon to act again in the same matter. And to the same effect, see United States v. Trans. M. O. Freight, 166 U.S. 290, 308, 17 S.Ct. 540, 41 L.Ed. 1007; and see also Federal Trade Com. v. Goodyear Tire & R. Co., 304 U.S 257, 58 S.Ct. 863, 82 L.Ed. 1326, and Panama Ref. Co. v. Ryan, 293 U.S. 388, 413, 414, 55 S.Ct. 241, 79 L.Ed. 446, where the rule announced in the Southern Pacific Terminal case is reaffirmed.
In the present case it is clear that the statute was intended to give an aggrieved person a remedy by appeal to this court, but it is equally clear that after the Secretary has announced his decision, the time for appeal is wholly inadequate for any effective relief. And it is also true that, unless the rights of the parties under the regulation complained of are determined, the result in the present year will be again to leave appellants without remedy. We think, in these circumstances, that even though we are without power to grant the specific relief prayed, our duty is to determine the question presented.
We turn now to a consideration of the question whether the Act authorizes the Secretary to deny a marketing allotment to appellants whose sugar factories have not operated in the preceding decade.
The Sugar Act was enacted for the “purpose of providing for the stabilization [196]*196of the sugar producing, refining, and importing industries”. 8 To that end it sets up the sugar quota system whereby the supply of sugar available to the market may be regulated. If it were doubtful that a statute was intended to restrict otherwise legitimate business activity the courts should be reluctant to give it that interpretation. It is clear, however, that the very foundation stone of the Sugar Act is the prohibition or restriction of otherwise legitimate economic activity— the marketing of sugar beyond the amount of the quota. 9 It. is equally clear that the Act imposes no restrictions on production or processing. The restrictions imposed relate only to the marketing of the product. The constitutionality of such a regulatory statute we deem to have been settled by the Supreme Court in Currin v. Wallace, 306 U.S. 1, 59 S.Ct. 379, 83 L.Ed. 441; Mulford v. Smith, 307 U.S. 38, 59 S.Ct. 648, 83 L.Ed. 1092; and United States v. Rock Royal Co-op. Inc., 307 U.S. 533, 59 S.Ct. 993, 83 L.Ed. 1446. It follows that the court in construing the Act must give full application to the language contained therein:
Under § 205(a) of the Act, the Secretary is directed in a variety of circumstances10 to make allotments of the sugar quota for the United States, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico “to persons who market”11 sugar so as to provide a “fair, efficient, and equitable distribution of such quota * * * by taking into consideration [1] the processings of sugar * * * from * h= * sugarcane to which proportionate shares * * * pertained; [2] the past marketings * * * ; or [3] the ability * * * to market * * * ”. Consideration of this last standard would tend to insure allotments to such new and long idle mills as could establish to the satisfaction of the Secretary that they possessed actual “ability to market”. The appellants contend that it must be so considered. This third standard, ability to market, is preceded, however, by the word “or”. Since each of the three factors is complete in itself, “or” merits its normal disjunctive meaning, i. e., introductive of an alternative standard. Thus, the third standard, ability to market, is an alternative to be invoked at the Secretary’s discretion in securing that fair, efficient, and equitable distribution of the quota commanded of him by Congress. Certain other aspects of the Act make it clear beyond doubt that this language must be so interpreted.
The Secretary is authorized to invoke the allotment provisions in several divergent circumstances in the United States, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico, and allotments in all instances must afford a “fair, efficient, and equitable distribution’’ of the quota. The appearance of the word “or” preceding the thifd standard serves to confirm the reasonable expectation that Congress would afford the Secretary a considerable measure of discretion in applying the allotment provisions to variant situations.12 The [197]*197very nalurc of the three standards also suggests that the factor “ability to market” is a discretionary one. Recent processings and past marketings are items that may be accurately ascertained. Moreover, they evidence an actual ability to market. A hypothetical ability to market based on mill capacity and like statistics could, in most instances, give little assistance to the Secretary in making actual marketing allotments affording a “fair, efficient, and equitable distribution’’ of the quota protective of the interests of consumers and growers. Since it would only be in unusual circumstances that consideration of a hypothetical “ability to market” could assist the Secretary in making allotments, express consideration of this standard should rest within his discretion.
It is significant to note that in respect to allotments of proportionate shares to growers § 302 provides that “the Secretary may take into consideration [1] the past production * * * and [2] sugarcane marketed * * * and [3] the ability to produce * * *, and the Secretary shall, insofar as practicable, protect the interests of new producers * * * ’’,13 (Italics supplied.) Carefully restricted protection for new producers has been affirmatively given in other agricultural acts.14 In contrast, § 205(a) directs the Secretary in making allotments to processors, to consider “[1] the processings of sugar * * * ; [2] the past marketings * * * ; or [3] the ability * * * to market * * * (Italics supplied.)
We are of the opinion that the third standard; ability to market, is an alternative to be invoked at the discretion of the Secretary in securing that fair, efficient, and equitable distribution of the quota commanded of him by Congress, and it must be so construed unless such construction is inconsistent with other provisions of the Act.15 The only provisions of the act that need be considered in respect to this are also found in § 205(a). The Secretary is thereunder authorized to invoke the allotment provisions in order “to afford all interested persons an equitable opportunity to market sugar”, arid the governing* standard in respect to all allotments is the requirement that they provide a “fair, [198]*198efficient, and equitable, distribution” of the quota. Thus the question arises whether an allotment formula omitting express consideration of present- ability to market is consistent with these other provisions of the Act. It is believed that question may be answered by a consideration of the cir-cuipstances under which the Secretary made the allotment order in question.
The appellants’ factories have not operated since 1929 and it appears that in the Louisiana area there are a number of other mills similarly situated. Thus a large potential processing and marketing capacity has lain idle for a rather extended period, idleness dictated not by governmental allotments16 but by various economic considerations. Since the marketing quota allotted in 1939 was appreciably less than the amounts of sugar actually processed by the sixty-nine operating mills in any of the preceding three years,17 it is clear that allotments to long idle mills would have been made at serious expense to those operating. Sq applied the Act would have been utilized, not to preserve the-living, but to resurrect the dead at the expense of the living. Moreover, it may be doubted whether allotments to long idle mills in this situation would have effected an efficient distribution of the quota from the" viewpoint of consumers and growers, whose interests are paramount. In the light of the general purpose of the statute to stabilize the sugar industry, and the apparent duplication of processing facilities, we cannot say that allotments on the basis of processings for the previous year and marketings over the' previous four year period were inconsistent with a “fair, efficient, and equitable distribution” of the quota, affording an “equitable opportunity” to interested persons to market sugar. It follows that construction of the third standard “ability to market” as an alternative to be invoked at the discretion of the Secretary is consistent with these other provisions of the Act, and, further, that the Secretary did not exercise his discretion in an arbitrary or capricious fashion in omitting express consideration of this standard. Nor can it be said that the Act so construed effects an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power.18
We conclude that under § 205(a) the Secretary, in making allotments to provide a “fair, efficient, and equitable distribution” of the quota, is authorized to consider “[1] the processings of sugar * * * from * * * sugarcane to which -proportionate shares * * * pertained ;-[2] the past marketings * * *; of [3] the ability * * * to market * * * ”. (Italics supplied.) In a sound exercise of the discretion thus afforded him, the Secretary, in the instant situation, expressly considered only processings and past mar-ketings in making the allotments. There is no merit in the contention that restricting consideration of past marketings to the preceding four years arbitrarily discriminated against those whose marketing exper-[199]*199ieuce antedated that period.19 The appellants were, therefore, properly denied any allotment in 1939.
It may be observed that even if the Act required the Secretary to consider “ability to market” in all cases (which it does not) the appellants would not be entitled to an allotment on tile basis of the evidence they adduced preceding the allotment order. In the “regulations Governing’ Notice and Opportunity for Hearing-Concerning Allotment of Quotas * * ” 20 promulgated by the Secretary, it is provided that the normal mode of receiving testimony is to be followed at such hearing but that “Affidavits as to relevant economic facts may be admitted in evidence, but the Secretary, in determining the weight to be given to such affidavits, will consider the lack of opportunity for cross examination”. At the hearing Gay Union’s representative could produce no indicia of authority evidencing his right to represent the factory, hence no evidence in behalf of Gay Union was introduced at that time. An affidavit was later submitted to the Secretary stating, in behalf of Gay Union, that 1heir factory had a twenty-four hour capacity of 800 tons; that the factory had not operated since 1928 “due largely to economic conditions over which the owners had no control”; that the factory had been maintained intact; that a survey of the cane supply situation indicated that about 30,000 to 35,000 tons of sugarcane were available for processing at the factory, and that the factory should be granted a marketing quota as a protection to the sugarcane growers in its vicinity.
Representatives of Canal Bank appeared at the hearing and offered as evidence in their behalf only an affidavit stating that their plantation in 1928 produced 7,500 tons of sugarcane and could produce 15,000 tons per year; that their factory had a capacity of 600 tons of sugarcane per twenty-four hours; that the factory, though not operated since 1929, “can be placed in operation on short notice”; that it had been maintained with the intention of operating the same at such time as an adequate cane supply was available; and that opportunities in 1937 and 1938 to sell the mill had been lost because no allotment was assured.
These affidavits and briefs filed by both Gay Union and Canal Bank with the Secretary indicate that they regarded physical ability to process as the equivalent of ability to market. For a decade that had not been true in respect to these mills. Actual ability to market involves many factors other than the rated mill capacity. 21 One consideration is the possession of adequate capital, and Canal Bank, owner of its own factory and 51% of the stock in Gay Union and creditor of the latter in an amount exceeding $240,000, is in liquidation. The affidavits filed by the appellants respecting [200]*200their ability to market failed to set forth sufficient facts to indicate that they could process and market an allotment if one was given them. Indeed, no direct statement is made that they intend to do so. It must not be overlooked that these appellants have been free to process and market sugar through every year up to 1939 and yet failed to do so. A natural conclusion under these circumstances, and one not inconsistent with statements made in appellant’s briefs and affidavits, is that they are interested in securing allotments merely to give sale value to their property. On this record it would have been difficult indeed for the Secretary to have found that the appellants had such ability to market as would justify investing them with a share of the responsibility for supplying the consumer with sugar.
Finally, it should be pointed out that absence of a marketing allotment does not legally prohibit the appellants from processing sugar. True, under an allotment system, they canmpt market their product in the year of its production, but the appellee concedes that on the basis of that production, they would be entitled to a marketing allotment for' the next year. Other processors are forced to carry over large inventories, hence there is little injustice in requiring those in the appellants’ position to do likewise.22 The loss to the appellants occasioned by this sort of regulation is incidental to the larger legislative scheme23 and gives rise to no constitutional infirmities in the Act in view of the Supreme Court’s decisions sustaining similar statutes.24 .
The order of the Secretary denying the appellants an allotment of the 1939 sugar quota was proper.
Affirmed.