United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Ambassador, Inc. v. United States, 325 U.S. 317 (1945)

Ambassador, Inc. v. United States

No. 446

Argued March 9, 12, 1945

Decided May 21, 1945

325 U.S. 317

Syllabus

1. The District Court properly enjoined the appellant proprietors of hotels from collecting, in violation of a regulation filed by the telephone companies with the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to the Communications Act, surcharges from guests who make interstate or foreign long distance telephone calls or receive such calls "collect." Pp. 325 U. S. 324, 325 U. S. 326.

2. Questions of the justness or reasonableness of the regulation must be addressed, in the first instance, to the Commission. P. 325 U. S. 325.

3. In the circumstances of this case, it was within the discretion of the District Court to enjoin the hotels, though it did not enjoin the telephone companies. P. 325 U. S. 325.

4. It is unnecessary here to determine whether the hotels were "agents" of the telephone company or "subscribers." Whatever the relationship, it was one which the statute contemplates shall be governed by reasonable regulations initiated by the telephone company but subject to the approval and review of the Commission. P. 325 U. S. 326.

Affirmed.

Direct appeal under the Expediting Act from a decree sustaining the validity of a tariff filed with the Federal Communications Commission and enjoining its violation by the defendant hotels.

Page 325 U. S. 318