Many soldiers, sailors, and marines, having returned to Massachusetts and being without employment, this law should be made operative so that positions can be opened to them at once.

CALVIN COOLIDGE.

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, BOSTON, May 12, 1919.

I hereby certify that the above statement was filed in this office by His Excellency the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at twelve o'clock noon on the above date and in accordance with article Forty-eight of the Amendments to the Constitution said Chapter takes effect forthwith.

CHAPTER 151.

ALBERT P. LANGTRY, Secretary of the Commonwealth.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR STATE AND MILITARY AID AND SOLDIERS' RELIEF FOR PERSONS IN THE MILITARY OR NAVAL SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE WAR WITH GERMANY, AND FOR THEIR DEPENDENTS.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would largely defeat its purpose to render immediately available to soldiers and sailors of the present war, and their dependents, military aid and soldiers' relief, therefore, the act is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter one hundred and eight of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and eighteen is hereby amended by striking out section two and substituting the following:- Section 2. Any person honorably discharged from the military or naval service of the United States, in the war with Germany, or released from active duty therein, shall be eligible to receive state and military aid under chapter five hundred and eighty-seven of the acts of nineteen hundred and fourteen and amendments thereof. If any such person shall die in the said service during the said war, or shall die after an honorable discharge from the said service, or release from active duty therein, from injuries received or disability or illness incurred therein, his mother, if a widow, his widow and his children, up to the age of sixteen, or, any child dependent by reason of physical or mental incapacity, provided that the children were in being prior to his discharge, or prior to the termination of the said war, or any person who stood to him in the relationship of a parent for five years prior to his enlistment, draft, recall or continuance in the service, since the said February third, shall be entitled to the benefit of state aid in accordance with the provisions of the said chapter five hundred and eighty-seven and amendments thereof.

SECTION 2. The provisions of said chapter five hundred and eighty-seven and the amendments thereof relative to state and military aid for soldiers, sailors and marines and their dependents, and to the burial of indigent soldiers, sailors and marines and their dependents, shall apply to all soldiers, sailors, marines and nurses who served in the army, navy or marine corps of the United States in the war with

Germany who shall have been honorably discharged from said service or released from active duty therein, and to their dependents.

SECTION 3. The provisions of section eighteen of chapter seventy-nine of the Revised Laws and acts in amendment thereof providing soldiers' relief for veterans of the civil war and the Spanish and Philippine wars and persons dependent upon them shall apply also to those who served in the army, navy or marine corps of the United States during the present war with Germany, and shall have been honorably discharged therefrom or released from active duty therein, and to their dependents. SECTION 4. The provisions of this act shall not apply to any person who at the time of entering the federal service was a subject or citizen of a neutral country who had filed his intention to become a citizen of the United States and who afterward withdrew such intention under the provisions of the act of congress approved July ninth, nineteen hundred and eighteen, nor to any person designated upon his discharge as a conscientious objector.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

1919.

[Approved May 3,

CHAPTER 164.

AN ACT TO VALIDATE CERTAIN APPROPRIATIONS BY CITIES AND TOWNS FOR SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MEMORIALS.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose which is to give immediate effect to the appropriations of cities and towns, hereby validated, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SECTION 1. Appropriations made by cities and towns for soldiers' and sailors' memorials prior to the passage of chapter sixty-one of the General Acts of the current year are hereby made valid, provided that they are for the purposes specified in said chapter sixty-one.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 14,

1919.

CHAFTER 171.

AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE GRANTING OF SOLDIERS' RELIEF AND MILITARY AID.

Whereas, The relief and aid provided for by the following act are needed at once, therefore the act is hereby declared to be an emergency measure, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter seventy-nine of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter one hundred and sixteen of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and sixteen, and as affected by chapter fifty-eight of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and seventeen, is hereby further amended by striking out section eighteen and substituting the following: - Section 18. If a person who served in the army or navy of the United States in the war of the rebellion and received an honorable discharge from all enlistments therein, and who has a legal settlement in a city or town in the com

monwealth, becomes from any cause except his own criminal or wilful misconduct, poor and wholly or partly unable to provide maintenance for himself, his wife or minor children under the age of sixteen years, or for a dependent father or mother; or if such person dies leaving a widow or such minor children or a dependent father or mother without proper means of support, such support as may be necessary shall be accorded to him or his said dependents by the city or town in which they or any of them have a legal settlement; but should such person have all the said qualifications except settlement, his widow, who has acquired a legal settlement in her own right before August the twelfth, nineteen hundred and sixteen, which settlement has not been defeated or lost, shall also be eligible to receive relief under the provisions of this section. Such relief shall be furnished by the mayor and aldermen or the selectmen, or, in the city of Boston, by the soldiers' relief commissioner, subject, however, to the direction of the city council of said city as to the amount to be paid. The beneficiary shall receive the said relief at home, or at such other place as the mayor and aldermen, selectmen or soldiers' relief commissioner, may deem proper, but he shall not be compelled to receive the same at an almshouse or public institution unless his physical or mental condition requires, or unless his parents or guardian so elect, in case he is a minor.

In all cases where an applicant for military aid or soldiers' relief has a settlement outside of the city or town in which the application is made, the official required to act thereon shall, within three days, notify the corresponding official in the city or town of the applicant's settlement, and also the commissioner of state aid and pensions.

SECTION 2. Chapter one hundred and eight of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and eighteen is hereby amended by inserting after section ten the following new section: - Section 11. In all cases where an applicant for military aid hereunder has a settlement outside of the city or town in which the application is made, the official required to act thereon shall, within three days, notify the corresponding official in the city or town of the applicant's settlement, and also the commissioners of state aid and pensions.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 16,

1919.

CHAPTER 172.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A TESTIMONIAL TO RESIDENTS OF MASSACHUSETTS WHO SERVED IN THE ARMY OR NAVY DURING THE PRESENT WAR.

Whereas, It is fitting that some certificate or other testimonial should without delay be given to those soldiers and sailors who represented Massachusetts in the present war; therefore this act is hereby declared to be an emergency law, as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SECTION 1. The adjutant general is hereby directed to prepare a certificate or testimonial to be given to every person who served in the army or navy or marine corps of the United States during the present war and shall have received an honorable discharge therefrom or a release from active duty, and who, at the time when he or she was mustered into the said service, was a resident of this commonwealth, but

excluding those who were discharged from the service on the ground of dependency prior to November eleventh, nineteen hundred and eighteen, or who sought to avoid war service because of conscientious objections thereto, or because of alienage. In case of the death of any such person during the war or afterward, the certificate or testimonial to which he would be entitled shall be delivered to his heirs or to such person or persons as the adjutant general may deem to be entitled to the same. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 16,

1919.

CHAPTER 189.

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE DISPLAY OF THE NATIONAL FLAG IN COURTS OF JUSTICE. Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

The national flag of suitable dimensions shall be displayed in every court of justice of this commonwealth while the court is in session. [Approved May 27, 1919.

CHAPTER 192.

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL COMMISSION AND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING IN MEMORY OF MASSACHUSETTS SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SECTION 1. The governor, with the advice and consent of the council, is hereby authorized and requested to appoint a commission of seven persons, to be known as the Soldiers' Memorial Commission. Three members of the commission shall be members of the grand army of the republic, two shall be veterans of the war with Germany, and two shall be veterans of the Spanish war. Their term of office shall be three years, but any member may be removed at any time by the governor. The governor shall designate one member to act as chairman, and the members of the commission shall elect one of their number as secretary. The commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be allowed such sums for its necessary expenses as shall be approved by the governor and council. It shall be the duty of the commission to select a site for a building to be erected in the city of Boston as a memorial for all inhabitants of Massachusetts who have served in the army or navy of the United States in time of war, to choose a plan for the said building, after a competition open to all architects in the United States, and to supervise the construction of the building and the laying out of the grounds appurtenant thereto. The selection of the site and of the plan for the building shall also be subject to approval by the governor and council.

SECTION 2. The Grand Army Memorial Building Association, incorporated by chapter three hundred and twenty-six of the Special Acts of nineteen hundred and sixteen, is hereby authorized to collect money for the purchase of a site and for the construction thereon of the said building. The money so collected shall be paid to the treasurer and receiver general, and shall be held and invested by him in accordance with the laws regulating investments by savings banks. The fund shall be known as the Soldiers' Memorial Building Fund, and the treasurer and receiver general is hereby authorized to receive contributions and bequests to the said fund

from any source. When the said fund amounts to five hundred thousand dollars, the commission hereby established shall procure a site for the said building and shall, as soon as is practicable, begin the construction thereof. [Approved May 28, 1919.

CHAPTER 253.

AN ACT GIVING CERTAIN PREFERENCES IN PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT TO SOLDIERS,

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SAILORS AND MARINES.

Section twenty-one of chapter five hundred and fourteen of the acts of nineteen hundred and nine, as amended by section one of chapter four hundred and seventyfour of the acts of nineteen hundred and fourteen, and by chapter two hundred and sixty of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and seventeen, is hereby further amended by striking out the said section and substituting the following: - Section 21. In the employment of mechanics, teamsters and laborers in the construction of public works by the commonwealth, or by a county, city, town, or district, or by persons contracting therewith for such construction, preference shall first be given to citizens of the commonwealth who have served in the army or navy of the United States in time of war and have been honorably discharged therefrom or released from active duty therein, and who are qualified to perform the work to which the employment relates; and secondly, to citizens of the commonwealth generally, and, if they cannot be obtained in sufficient numbers, then to citizens of the United States; and every contract for such works shall contain a provision to this effect. The wages for a day's work paid to mechanics and teamsters employed in the construction of public works as aforesaid shall be not less than the customary and prevailing rate of wages for a day's work in the same trade or occupation in the locality, city or town where such public works are constructed: provided, however, that no city or town in the construction of public works shall be required to give preference to veterans who are not residents of such city or town, over citizens of such city or town. Any contractor who knowingly and wilfully violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars for each offence. [Approved June 24, 1919.

CHAPTER 283.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE SUITABLE RECOGNITION OF THOSE RESIDENTS OF MASSACHUSETTS WHO SERVED IN THE ARMY AND NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES DURING THE WAR WITH GERMANY.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose to provide prompt recognition of Massachusetts men upon their discharge from the military and naval forces of the United States, therefore it is declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted, etc., as follows:

SECTION 1. In order to promote the spirit of patriotism and loyalty, in testimony of the gratitude of the commonwealth, and in recognition of the services of certain residents of Massachusetts in the army and navy of the United States during the