1230 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 710

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ARTICLE 87A.

SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' CIVIL RELIEF.
GENERAL PROVISIONS.

1. In order to provide for, strengthen, and expedite the
national defense under the emergency conditions which are
threatening the peace and security of the United States and
to enable the United States the more successfully to fulfill the
requirements of the national defense, provision is hereby made
to suspend enforcement of civil liabilities, in certain cases of
persons in the military service of the United States in order
to enable such persons to devote their entire energy to the
defense needs of the nation, and to this end the following pro-
visions are made for the temporary suspension of legal pro-
ceedings and transactions which may prejudice the civil
rights of persons in such service during the period herein
specified over which this Article remains in force.

2. (1) The term "persons in military service" and the term
"persons in the military service of the United States", as used
in this Article, shall include the following persons and no
others: All members of the Army of the United States, the
United States Navy, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and
all officers of the Public Health Service detailed by proper
authority for duty either with the Army or the Navy. The term
"military service", as used in this Article, shall signify Federal
service on active duty with any branch of service heretofore
referred to or mentioned as well as training or education under
the supervision of the United States preliminary to induction
into the military service. The terms "active service" or "active
duty" shall include the period during which a person in mili-
tary service is absent from duty on account of sickness,
wounds, leave, or other lawful cause.

(2) The term "period of military service", as used in this
Article, shall include the time between the following dates:
For persons in active service it shall begin on October 17, 1940;
for persons entering active service after October 17, 1940, with
the date of entering active service. It shall terminate with the
date of discharge from active service or death while in active
service, but in no case later than the date when this Article
ceases to be in force.

(3) The term "person", when used in this Article with
reference to the holder of any right alleged to exist against a
person in military service or against a person secondarily
liable under such right, shall include individuals, partner-
ships, corporations, and any other forms of business associa-
tion.