Legal Notes and Verdicts 
59 
and sometimes killed the plants, the Federal Horticultural Board’s 
regulations concerning the fumigation of orchids were modified. 
The S. A. F. Committee on Tariff and I.egislation was also success- 
ful in inducing the French Government to raise the embargo on the 
importation of raffia from Madagascar. The committee was, however, 
unable to raise the embargo on Lily of the Valley pips from Copen- 
hagen, Denmark, the British authorities maintaining that these were 
German grown. • * * * 
The Federal Standard Container Act, under which the Secretary 
of Agriculture has the authority to make regulations concerning con- 
tainers for produce, etc., went into effect Nov. 1. 
* * * 
The Dutch nurserymen and other Hollanders stranded in New 
York City, petitioned President Wilson, about Nov. 1, to arrange for 
their passage to Holland on a Dutch steamer at that time lying in port 
in New York Harbor. * » » 
The British Government, about Nov. 1 ratified the 3c. postal rate, 
to conform with the U. S. War Revenue Bill which went into effect 
Nov. 2. . , , 
The War Revenue bill, after passing the House of Representatives 
and the Senate was placed in the hands of the President on Oct. 3. 
The clause of the bill which, as it read previously, appeared to require 
a Ic. war tax on catalogs, was clarified, and as it plainly applied to 
parcel post packages on which the postage was 25c. or more, the clause 
evidently did not apply to catalogs. The law, however, placed a heavy 
tax on second class matter, the tax increasing annually till the fifth 
year after the law’s going into effect, being a fixed amount on reading 
matter and a charge based on the zone system for the advertising 
carried. First class mail rates were also increased. 
* * * 
A. N. Pierson, Inc., Cromwell, Conn., insured its employees; $500 
on death after one year’s service; $100 per year extra for those with 
the firm a longer time, up to $1500; in case of permanent disability 
the principal amount is to be paid, either in a lump sum or in install- 
ments. The insurance was written on the group plan, by the Travelers’ 
Insurance Co. of Hartford. 
* * * 
Senator John W. Weeks, of Massachusetts, introduced an amend- 
ment to allow a refund of excess duty paid by importers because of 
clerical error in invoicing or entering merchandise. 
* * * 
Congressman Adamson of Georgia purposed to introduce a bill 
designed to prevent swindling in interstate commerce, carried on through 
misbranding, false circulars and advertisements, etc. 
* * * 
The Post Office announced that all mail service to Germany, 
Austria, Hungary, Luxemburg, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and 
Turkey; also parcel-post to Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden 
and Denmark had been suspended; also that information concerning 
mail for and via Europe, the West Indies, Mexico and Central and 
South America could not be given, except that it would be forwarded 
at the first opportunity. 
