Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 50 Part 1.djvu/114

 75TH CONGRESS, 1ST SESSION-CH. 127-APRIL 26, 1937 and among themselves, provide for the cooperative marketing of their coal, at prices not below the effective minimum prices nor above the effective maximum prices prescribed in accordance with section 4 Provided, That no such approval shall be granted by the Commission unless it shall find that the agreement under which such agency or agencies propose to function (1) will not unreasonably restrict the supply of coal in interstate commerce, (2) will not prevent the public from receiving coal at fair and reasonable prices, (3) will not operate against the public interest, and (4) that each such agency an d its memb ers have a greed to ob serve the effective marketing regu- lations and minimum and maximum prices from time to time estab- lished by the Commission and otherwise to conduct the business and operations of the agency in conformity with reasonable regulations for the protection of the public interest, to be prescribed by the Co mmis sion. The Commission may, by order, upon complaint of any code member, district board, or member thereof, any State or political subdivision thereof, the consumers' counsel or any other interested person, or on its own motion, suspend or revoke its prior approval of any such marketing agency agreement upon finding that the regu- lat ions an d orde rs of t he Comm ission or the require ments o f this section have been violated. Unless and until the approval of the Commission is suspended or revoked, neither the agreement creating such marketing agency nor any agreement between such agencies, which has been approved by the Commission, nor any act done in pursuance thereof, by such agency or agencies, or the members thereof, and not in violation of the terms of the Commission's approval, shall be construed to be within the prohibitions of the antitrust laws of the United States. SEC. 13. If any provision of this Act or the code provided herein, or any section, subsection, paragraph, or proviso, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, is held invalid, the remainder of this Act or code, and the application thereof to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby ; and if either or any of the provisions of this Act or code relating to prices or unfair methods of competition shall be found to be invalid, they shall be held separable from other provisions not in themselves found to be invalid. OTHER DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION SEC. 14 . (a) The Commission shall study and investigate the matter of increasing the uses of coal and the problems of its importa- ti on an d e xpo rta ti on ; and sha ll further investiga te- (1) ' The ec onomic operat ions of mines with th e view to the con- servation of the national coal resources. (2) The safe operation of mines for the purpose of minimizing worki ng hazards, and for s uch purpos e shall be authorize d to utili ze the services of the Bureau of Mines. (3) The problem of marketing to lower distributing costs for the benefit of consum ers. (4) Th e Commi ssion s hall, a s soon as rea sonably possib le afte r its appointment, investigate the necessity for the control of produc- tion of coa l and m ethods of suc h contr ol, inc luding allotme nt of output to districts and producers within such districts and shall hold hearings thereon. (b) The Commission shall annually report the results of its inves- tigations under this section, together with its recommendations, to the Sec retary of the Interi or for tra nsmission by him to C ongress. 89 Proviso . C ondi tio ns sti pu lated. Commission may suspend or revoke ap- pro val for v iolations. Separability provi- sions. Other duties of Commission. Studies and inves- tigations. Reports of investi- gations.