Walt Schinkal v. United States

Schinkal’s business is “juke boxes.” He has operated them in San Diego County, California, for some years. From individual restaurants mainly, he obtains concessions and installs his coin-operated machines. They are placed on a basis of Schinkal and the “house” dividing the money paid into the machines by customers who come to the proprietor’s place for food or drink and then somehow find life more worthwhile if they accompany it with the music or noises emitted from Schinkal’s machines at his price.

June 27,1950, was the date upon which the United States became involved in the Korean “conflict.” On September 8, 1950, the Defense Production Act, Public Law 774, 64 Stats, at Large 798, 50 U.S. C.A.Appendix, § 2061 et seq., became effective. This act sought in many ways to control the economy of the country, as was deemed necessary in a situation that had most of the aspects of war except its name. Among the major divisions of the act was one (Title IV) to revive price controls, so familiar in World War II, and the rough equivalent of the old Office of Price Administration to be called by a new name. Price control was authorized to be established administratively by regulations of…