998 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 800

displace other employees with less seniority on said list,
who are not Second World War Veterans, any Merit Sys-
tem, Civil Service System, law or rule to the contrary not-
withstanding. Such displaced civilians shall remain on
such lists for a period of one year, and appropriate vacan-
cies shall be filled from said lists, according to seniority,
during said period of time.

14. A Second World War Veteran who left elected
public office to enter the armed forces shall not be deemed
to have finally vacated his office, but shall be considered
to have been on leave of absence, and if he returns prior
to the expiration of the term for which he was elected, he
shall resume the duties of such office, provided he is phy-
sically and mentally qualified to execute such office and
gives notice in writing of his intention to resume his office
to the Governor of the State or the chief officer of the
governmental sub-division involved, as the case may be,
within the period of time provided in sub-section 8 (b) of
this sub-title, and actually does resume such office within
thirty (30) days from the expiration of such period speci-
fied in said sub-section 8 (b).

15. It is the intent of this Act that all Second World
War Veterans who left public employment in Maryland to
enter military service shall be restored to the position
which they left, or to a comparable one, if it is possible
to do this, and in order to carry out this purpose, the pro-
visions of this Act are to be liberally construed in favor
of such persons.

16. A Second World War Veteran entitled to reinstate-
ment or to re-employment shall receive the position to
which he is entitled within thirty (30) days after his
application has been filed with the proper authority, or in
case of dispute, within thirty (30) days after his right to
such position has been finally established. Such reinstated
or re-employed Veteran shall be paid from the date he
assumes the duties of such position, or if he has established
his right to such position after dispute, his pay shall begin
thirty (30) days after he files his application with the
proper authority. Failure to accept within thirty (30) days
an offer of reinstatement or of a comparable position, shall
deprive any Second World War Veteran of his rights to
reinstatement or re-employment under this sub-title.

17. In the case of any Second World War Veteran who
was a State employee, either classified or unclassified, the
State Employment Commissioner shall determine whether