within ninety days from hospitalization continuing after such completion or such relief for a period of not more than one year

(A) if such position was in the employ of the United States Government, its Territories or possessions, or the District of Columbia, such persons shall be restored to such position or to a position of like seniority, status, and pay, without regard to whether such position shall have been covered into the classified civil service during the period of his military, naval or merchant marine service;

(B) if such position was in the employ of a private employer, such employer shall restore such person to such position or to a position of like seniority, status, and pay unless the employer's circumstances have so changed as to make it impossible or unreasonable to do so;

(C) if such position was in the employ of any State or political subdivision thereof, it is hereby declared to be the sense of the Congress that such person should be restored to such position or to a position of like seniority, status, and pay.

(b) Any person who, after May 1, 1940, and before the termination of the unlimited national emergency declared by the President on May 27, 1941, shall have entered upon active military or naval service in the land or naval forces of the United States, and who shall thereafter, within the aforesaid period, have been discharged or released from active service and have received a certificate evidencing satisfactory completion of such active service, and who shall, within thirty days from date of discharge or release from active service, have entered upon service in the merchant marine, shall be entitled to all the reemployment benefits of this Act, as amended, to the same extent as in the case of any person who, in order to perform service in the merchant marine, has left or leaves a position, other than a temporary position, in the employ of any employer, in lieu of the reemployment benefits of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as amended, and of the Service Extension Act of 1941, as amended.

(c) Any person who, after May 1, 1940, and before the termination of the unlimited national emergency declared by the President on May 27, 1941, shall have entered upon service in the merchant marine, and who shall thereafter within the aforesaid period have terminated such service in the merchant marine solely in order to perform active military or naval service in the land or naval forces of the United States, and who shall, within thirty days from date of termination of his service in the merchant marine, have entered upon such active military or naval service, and who shall thereafter have received a partial certificate of substantially continuous service, shall be entitled to all the reemployment benefits of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as amended, and of the Service Extension Act of 1941, as amended, to the same extent as in the case of any person who, in order to perform active military or naval service in the land or naval forces of the United States, has left or leaves a position other than a temporary position, in the employ of any employer, in lieu of the reemployment benefits of this Act, as amended."

(d) Any person who is restored to a position in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a) shall be considered as having been on furlough or leave of absence during his

period of service, shall be so restored without loss of seniority, shall be entitled to participate in insurance or other benefits offered by the employer pursuant to established rules and practices relating to employees on furlough or leave of absence in effect with the employer at the time such person entered such service, and shall not be discharged from such position without reasonable cause within one year after such restoration.

SEC. 3. In case any private employer fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of section 2, the district court of the United States for the district in which such private employer maintains a place of business shall have power, upon the filing of a motion, petition, or other appropriate pleading by the person entitled to the benefits of such provisions, to specifically require such employer to comply with such provisions, and, as an incident thereto, to compensate such person for any loss of wages or benefits suffered by reason of such employer's unlawful action. The court shall order a speedy hearing in any such case and shall advance it on the calendar. Upon application to the United States district attorney or comparable official for the district in which such private employer maintains a place of business, by any person claiming to be entitled to the benefits of such provisions, such United States district attorney or official, if reasonably satisfied that the person so applying is entitled to such benefits, shall appear and act as attorney for such person in the amicable adjustment of the claim or in the filing of any motion, petition, or other appropriate pleading and the prosecution thereof to specifically require such employer to comply with such provisions: Provided, That no fees or court costs shall be taxed against the person so applying for such benefits.

SEC. 4. Employees of the United States Government, its Territories or possessions, or the District of Columbia (including employers of any corporation created under authority of an Act of Congress which is either wholly controlled or wholly owned by the United States Government, or any corporation, all of the stock of which is owned or controlled by the United States Government, or any department, agency, or establishment thereof, whether or not the employees thereof are paid from funds appropriated by Congress), who, subsequent to May 1, 1940, shall have entered upon service in the merchant marine, shall be entitled to receive, in addition to any pay for such service, compensation in their civilian positions covering their accumulated or current accrued leave, or to elect to have such leave remain to their credit until their return from such service.

SEC. 5. The Administrator, War Shipping Administration, may make such rules and regulations as he deems necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Act.

[CHAPTER 905—2D SESSION]

[H. R. 1519]

AN ACT

Relating to marine insurance in the case of certain employees of the War Department who suffered death, injury, or other casualty prior to April 23, 1943, as a result of marine risks.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That effective as of March 24, 1943, section 2 (b) of the Act of March 24, 1943, entitled "An Act to amend and clarify certain provisions of law relating to functions of the War Shipping Administration, and for other purposes", as amended, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Whenever the Administrator, War Shipping Administration, finds that, on or after October 1, 1941, and before thirty days after the date of enactment of this subsection, a master, officer, or member of the crew of, or any persons transported on, a vessel owned by or chartered to the Maritime Commission, the War Shipping Administration, or the War Department or operated by, or for the account of, or at the direction or under the control of the Commission, the Adminis tration, or the War Department, has suffered death, injury, detention, or other casualty, for which the War Shipping Administration would be authorized to provide insurance under Subtitle-Insurance of title II of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended by this Act, the Administrator may declare that such death, injury, detention, or other casualty, shall be deemed and considered to be covered by such insurance at the time of the disaster or accident, if the Administrator finds that such action is required to make equitable provision for loss or injury related to the war effort and not otherwise adequately provided for: Provided, That in making provision for insurance under this subsection the Administrator shall not provide for payments in excess of those generally provided for in comparable cases under insurance hereafter furnished under the said Subtitle Insurance of title II, as amended: Provided further, That any money paid to any person by reason of insurance provided for under this subsection shall apply in pro tanto satisfaction of the claim of such person against the United States arising from the same loss or injury. There shall be no recovery of any money paid on account of insurance provided for the master, officers, or members of the crew of, or individuals transported on, any vessel under this subsection or under Subtitle-Insurance of title II of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, from any person who in the judgment of the Administrator, War Shipping Administration, is without fault, and when in the judgment of the Administrator such recovery would defeat the purposes of benefits otherwise authorized or would be against equity and good conscience. The declarations, findings, and actions of or by the Administrator under this subsection shall be final and conclusive."

Approved August 8, 1946.

[CHAPTER 912-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 6263]

AN ACT

To amend the Act of June 23, 1943, so as to authorize inclusion of periods of education and training in an Army Transportation Corps civilian marine school "service in the merchant marine".

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first sentence of the Act entitled "An Act to provide reemployment rights for persons who leave their positions to serve in the merchant marine, and for other purposes", approved June 23, 1943 (U. S. C., 1940 edition, Supp. IV, title 50 App., sec. 1471), is amended to read as follows: "That when used in this Act the term 'service in the merchant marine' means service as an officer or member of the crew on or in connection with a vessel documented under the laws of the United States or a vessel owned by, chartered to, or operated by or for the account or use of the Administrator, as an enrollee in the United States Maritime Service on active duty, and, to such extent as the Administrator shall prescribe, any period awaiting assignment to such service and any period of education or training for such service in any school or institution under the jurisdiction of the Administrator or any civilian marine school under the jurisdiction of the Army Transportation Corps."

Approved August 8, 1946.

[CHAPTER 918-2D SESSION]

[8. 2236] AN ACT

Providing for a medal for service in the merchant marine during the present war.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the United States Maritime Commission is authorized and directed to procure a medal and suitable appurtenances of appropriate design, including an honorable discharge lapel button, to be awarded to (1) each person who served honorably in a war zone as an officer or member of the crew of vessels owned by or operated by or for the account of the Maritime Commission or the War Shipping Administration for thirty days during the period beginning December 7, 1941, and ending with September 3, 1945; and (2) each person who is entitled to receive a certificate of substantially continuous service pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 87, Seventy-eighth Congress, approved June 23, 1943 (57 Stat. 162). The medal may be awarded posthumously and, when so awarded, shall be presented to such representative of the deceased as shall be prescribed in the applicable regulations. Awards under this Act shall be made pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Maritime Commission.

SEC. 2. The Maritime Commission is authorized to expend out of any funds available for expenditure by the Maritime Commission such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 3. The manufacture, sale, possession, or display of any insignia, decoration, medal, award, or device, or the ribbon, button, or rosette thereof, or any colorable imitation of any insignia, decoration, medal, award, or device, provided for in this Act, is prohibited, except as authorized under such Act or any rule or regulation issued pursuant thereto. Whoever violates any provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $250 or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both.

Approved August 8, 1946.