United States v. Sussex Print Works

17 C.C.P.A. 257, 1929 CCPA LEXIS 58
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedNovember 4, 1929
DocketNo. 3216
StatusPublished

This text of 17 C.C.P.A. 257 (United States v. Sussex Print Works) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Customs and Patent Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Sussex Print Works, 17 C.C.P.A. 257, 1929 CCPA LEXIS 58 (ccpa 1929).

Opinion

Bland, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

The classification controversy involved here arose over the dutiable status of imported merchandise described in the appraiser’s answer to protests Nos. 24622 and 27637 as follows:

No. 24622. The merchandise consists of copper rollers 56 inches long by 16 inches in circumference, “W” bore. These are plain hollow copper rollers with a slat on the inner side. They are ready for engraving and when engraved are print rollers for printing silk or cotton. As print rollers are provided for as such at 60% ad valorem under par. 396, these unfinished print rollers were returned for duty as manufactures of metal at 40% ad valorem under par. 399. They are not fitted for any other purpose than to make print rollers.
No. 27637. The merchandise in question is described as engraved copper rollers, 48" long by 16" in circumference, “W” bore, and consists of rollers composed in chief value of copper, engraved with designs and used in printing designs on cotton, silk, or other materials, and is not of the class of rollers covered by abstract 50445. It was returned for 'duty at 60% ad valorem under the specific provision for print rollers in paragraph 396, act of 1922.

The merchandise was claimed by the importer to be dutiable under that portion of paragraph 372 of the Tariff Act of 1922 which reads as follows:

[259]*259Pae. 372. * * * all other textile machinery or parts thereof, finished or unfinished, not specially provided for, 35 per centum ad valorem.

The court below sustained, the protest upon the theory that the quoted provision of paragraph 372 was “predicated solely upon use” and took precedence over the general provisions of paragraph 396 the print-roller paragraph.

If the merchandise is covered by the provisions of paragraph 396 and also by the quoted provisions of 372, we think “print rollers” is more specific than “all other textile machinery or parts thereof, finished or unfinished, not specially provided for,” and that since paragraph 396 is a designation also by use the provisions of paragraph 372 could not be said to take precedence. Paragraph 396 reads as follows:

Pae. 396. Print rollers and print blocks used in printing, stamping, or cutting designs for wall or crepe paper, linoleum, oilcloth, or other material, not specially provided for, composed wholly or in chief value of iron, steel, copper, brass, or any other metal, 60 per centum ad valorem.

This appeal involves two protests. One is directed towards the classification of the finished print roller and the other towards the print roller ready for engraving, but, in its imported condition, an unfinished roller.

It will be noted that paragraph 372 provides for finished or unfinished parts of textile machinery. It seems to be conceded that both articles under consideration are parts, finished or unfinished, of textile machinery. Paragraph 396 provides for print rollers but has no provision for parts.

The Government argues that the parts have been dedicated to the sole use of making rollers and are in fact unfinished rollers and, therefore, are covered by the provision “print rollers” and contends that the decision of the Circuit Court in United States v. Riga, 171 Fed. 783, involving forged rifle barrels, rough-bored, is controlling. The court there held that the barrels were for use as parts of rifles and suitable for use for no other purpose and were, therefore, dutiable under the provision of paragraph 167, Tariff Act of 1897, as “rifles and parts thereof.” Since the provision there was for rifles and' parts thereof, it is easy to distinguish that case from the case at bar where paragraph 396 has no provision for parts.

An examination of the legislative history of this provision convinces us that Congress intended that paragraph 396, supra, should cover finished print rollers for use in printing silk and would not include unengraved rollers. Paragraph 396 is a new provision in tariff legislation.

The National Print Cutters’ Association of America, while the House of Representatives had under consideration the bill which ripened into the Tariff Act of 1922, asked for a special classification [260]*260of print rollers and print blocks, a part of the information which they gave being as follows :

The National Print Cutters’ Association respectfully submits to the Committee on Ways and Means that print rollers and print blocks used in the manufacture of wall paper, etc., belong properly under Schedule C, instead of Schedule D, and should receive a special classification thereunder.
At present the print roller or block is classified under the general heading of Schedule D, “ Wood and manufactures of.” This is an error which finds its source in the idea that the wooden cylinder roller or block is the subject upon which the workman carves or works out his design.
On the contrary, the wood used is merely a background or support, on which the workman carries out his design by working in brass, which brass is merely hammered into or affixed to the wood. When the design is completed it stands out from the wood and consists of a raised brass design. The wood is a negligible part of the finished design and contains no carving or design work of any kind, the component material of chief value being the metal.
A committee of this association had the pleasure of showing a small sample of a print roller to the members of the Committee on Ways and Means.
It is respectfully submitted that print rollers and print blocks used in printing wall paper, crépe paper, linoleum, shelf oilcloth, silk, cretonne, and rollers or blocks containing designs made from steel and used in cutting out wall paper borders and cutting out linoleum in the making of inlaid linoleum should receive a distinct classification under Schedule C.

It will be observed that the association asked for the special tariff treatment of print rollers used in printing “wall paper, crépe paper, linoleum, shelf oilcloth, silk, cretonne, and rollers or blocks containing designs made from steel and used in cutting out wall paper borders and cutting out linoleum in the making of inlaid linoleum.”

The Committee on Ways and Means inserted the provision in H. R. 7456 in the form it now appears, except that the rate was 30 per centum ad valorem. The Senate Finance Committee amended the provision by striking out “30” and inserting “45.” The Senate inserted “60” instead of “45.” When this amendment was before the Senate, the chairman of the committee, Senator McCumber, in explaining the amendment, showed that it was for the protection of the engravers who engraved the printing design upon the print rollers, but confined his remarks for the most part to print rollers used for making wall paper. The provision in the House bill for “wall or ■crépe paper, linoleum, oilcloth, or other material” remained unchanged.

The testimony of Harry T.

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Related

United States v. Riga
171 F. 783 (U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Massachusetts, 1909)

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Bluebook (online)
17 C.C.P.A. 257, 1929 CCPA LEXIS 58, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-sussex-print-works-ccpa-1929.