[CHAPTER 546-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 86]

AN ACT

To grant pensions to certain unremarried dependent widows of Civil War veterans who were married to the veteran subsequent to June 26, 1905.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the dependent unremarried widow of a Civil War veteran who is barred from the receipt of pension because her marriage to the veteran occurred subsequent to June 26, 1905, but who is otherwise entitled to such pension either under the Act of May 1, 1920 (41 Stat. 585), or under the Act of June 9, 1930 (46 Stat. 528), shall be entitled to pension in her own right under said Acts at the rates and under the conditions specified therein and to the additional pension provided for minor and helpless children in the Act of May 1, 1920, provided she married the veteran ten or more years prior to his death and lived with him continuously from the date of marriage to the date of his death except where there was a separation which was due to misconduct of or procured by the veteran without the fault of the widow: Provided, That if pension has been granted to an insane, idiotic, or otherwise helpless Ichild of the veteran or to a child or children of the veteran under sixteen years of age, the widow shall not be entitled to the pension authorized in this Act until the pension to the child or children terminates, unless such child or children be a member or members of her family and cared for by her; and when these conditions are fulfilled and the pension is granted to the widow, payment of pension to such child or children shall cease; except that in the event the amount being paid to such child or children is less than the amount authorized to the widow by this Act, then the difference between said amounts will be paid to the widow: Provided further, That no pension shall be payable under this Act to a widow under sixty years age.

of

SEC. 2. Payment of pension as provided by this Act shall be effective from the date of receipt of application in the Veterans' Administration, after the date of enactment of this Act, in the form prescribed by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs. Pension under this Act shall not be paid to the widow of a veteran of the Civil War who has remarried either once or more than once since the death of the veteran, and upon the remarriage of such a widow her pension shall be terminated. The penal and forfeiture provisions of the pension laws providing pensions for veterans of the Civil War and their widows and dependents shall be applicable to the provisions of this Act.

Approved December 8, 1944.

[CHAPTER 548-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 5386]

AN ACT

To amend the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as amended, to extend the time within which application may be made for reemployment, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 8 (b) of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, Public Law 783, Seventy-sixth Congress, approved September 16, 1940 (50 U. S. C. 308), as amended, be further amended by striking out the word "forty" therefrom and substituting the word "ninety" therefor, and by adding after the words "relieved from such training and service" the following: "or from hospitalization continuing after discharge for a period of not more than one year".

SEC. 2. Section 3 (b) of Public Resolution 96 of the Seventy-sixth Congress (U. S. C., 1940 edition, Supp. III, title 50, App., sec. 401; 54 Stat. 858), as amended, authorizing the President to order members and units of reserve components and retired personnel of the Regular Army into active military service, is further amended by striking out the word "forty" therefrom and substituting the word "ninety" therefor and by adding after the words "relieved from such active duty or service" the following: "or from hospitalization continuing after discharge for a period of not more than one year".

SEC. 3. Section 7 of Public Law 213 of the Seventy-seventh Congress (U. S. C., 1940 edition, Supp. III, title 50, App., sec. 357; 55 Stat. 627), the Service Extension Act of 1941, is hereby amended by inserting", as amended," after the words "Selective Training and Service Act of 1940".

Approved December 8, 1944.

(323)

[CHAPTER 549-2D SESSION]

[S. 2004]

AN ACT

To amend the Act entitled "An Act to mobilize the productive facilities of small business in the interests of successful prosecution of the war, and for other purposes", approved June 11, 1942.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That subsection (b) of section 4 of the Act entitled "An Act to mobilize the productive facilities of small business in the interests of successful prosecution of the war, and for other purposes", approved June 11, 1942 (56 Stat. 351-357), is hereby amended by substituting the figures "$350.000,000" for the figures "$150,000,000" wherever occurring in said subsection. Approved December 8, 1944.

(324)

[CHAPTER 580-2D SESSION]

[S. 2019]

AN ACT

To establish the grade of Fleet Admiral of the United States Navy; to establish the grade of General of the Army, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the grade of Fleet Admiral of the United States Navy is hereby established on the active list of the line of the Regular Navy as the highest grade in the Navy. Appointments to said grade shall be made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from among line officers on the active list and retired line officers on active duty serving in the rank of admiral in the Navy at the time of such appointment. The number of officers of such grade on the active list at any one time shall not exceed four.

SEC. 2. The grade of General of the Army is hereby established. Appointments to said grade shall be made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from officers of the Army who, at the time of such appointment, are serving in the grade of general officer in the Army. The number of officers holding the grade of General of the Army on active duty shall not exceed four. The officers appointed under the provisions of this section shall take rank above all other officers on the active list of or on active duty in the Army and shall be entitled to all rights, privileges, benefits, pay, and allowances provided by this Act, notwithstanding any provisions of the Act of February 23, 1929 (45 Stat. 1255), or any other law.

SEC. 3. Appointments under authority of this Act shall be made without examination and shall continue in force, during such period as the President shall determine. The permanent or temporary status of officers of the active list of the Navy or of the Army appointed to a higher grade pursuant to section 1 or section 2 hereof shall not be vacated solely by reason of such appointment, nor shall such appointees be prejudiced in regard to promotion, in accordance with the laws relating to the Navy or the Army. An officer appointed from the retired list to the grade of Fleet Admiral of the United States Navy on the active list or General of the Army as provided herein shall, upon the termination of such appointment, revert to the status held by him prior to such appointment, except as otherwise provided herein.

SEC. 4. Appointees under this Act shall, while on active duty, receive the same pay and allowances as a rear admiral of the upper half, plus a personal money allowance of $5,000 per annum.

SEC. 5. In the discretion of the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, each officer who shall have served in the grade or rank of Fleet Admiral or General of the Army by virtue of an appointment under the provisions of this Act shall, upon retirement or reversion to the retired list, as the case may be, have on the

retired list the highest grade or rank held by him on the active list or on active duty: Provided, That each such officer shall be entitled to retired pay equal to 75 per centum of the active-duty pay provided herein for an officer appointed pursuant to the provisions of this Act: Provided further, That no officer of the naval or military service on the active or retired list shall be appointed or advanced to the grade or rank of Fleet Admiral or General of the Army except as provided in this Act.

SEC. 6. The officers appointed under the provisions of this Act shall take rank among themselves while on active duty according to dates of appointment.

SEC. 7. Nothing in this Act shall affect the provisions of the Act of September 3, 1919 (41 Stat. 283; 10 U. S. C. 671a), or any other law relating to the office of General of the Armies of the United States.

SEC. 8. This Act shall be effective only until six months after the termination of the wars in which the United States is now engaged as proclaimed by the President, or such earlier date as the Congress, by concurrent resolution, may fix.

Approved December 14, 1944.