Section 2

Section 2. That the provisions of the first section of this act shall apply to, and in behalf of, all deputies, chief clerks, or other persons next in authority, who are performing or who have performed the duties of the heads or chiefs of any department of the State government, within the year one thousand nine hundred and seventeen, for a period of one month or more, the heads or chief places in such departments being vacant from any cause whatsoever.