Evening star., 1915-04-04


England sent out warning.
1t was still, warm morning. heavy
with the soft. humid air that early
spring lays on the cities of the sea.
gorous breathing from the distant
ocean that stole up the harbors and
scarcely moved the air. Suddenly that
brooding, heavy air was shaken. One.
Two. Three,
Afterward. when men compared The
time. they knew that it was heard 1T
the same instant at New York and Bos
ton. and all the stretches of coast be
moment of fear. there were thousands
who instinctively looked at their
watches and timed it. 1t was exactly
half past 10 when the first shot sound
ed. Very regularly, almost somnoleit-
ly. came the far-off shocks through the
air. There were half-minute intervals
between them. quite exact.
The last boom was heard at IL
gun to tell that ships were shelling the
coast. Duxbury Beach near Boston
was being shelled. Long Branch and
Asbury Park were bombarded. ANA
gansett on Long Island was in flames.
"It has stopped" said the bulletins.
then. The ships have ceased firing"
Then there came news from the har-
Dor defenses. Two ships, said Plum
Island at the east end of Long Island
sound, had engaged the defenses Al
long range without effect. A ship had
come in east of Coney Island, just out
side of the zone of fire from sandy
Hook. reported Fort Hamilton; AMI
dropped shells into Brooklyns suburbs.
Now the crowds were silent no long
er. Long years afterward. old men
told how on that still April morning
they were in quiet places on the OUT
skirts of the great cities, and heard
from there great strange sound as
Of a vast aeolian harp. 1t was the
noise of multitudes, risen.
They stormed their city halls. roaring
for soldiers. They tried to rush thsir
armories. demanding weapons. To
Washington flashed the dreaded news
of mobs. Troops must be sent Ut
once said the cities
The old chief of staff, with the b;t
in his teeth" dropped the dispatches
on the floor. Let EN- handle their
own mobs, said he.
Handle your own mobs. he sara
again. to The Boss from New York
who appeared with a flaming face
But The Boss had the bit in his teeth
too. Those dispatches, and long dis
tance telephone messages from close
lieutenants. had filled him with II dread
that was bigger than the newborn
dread of the old soldier. I've broken
bigger men than you"' he roared- "a
thousand times bigger! Once and for
the last time. are you going 10 send
the army to protect us?'
Once, and for the last time, said the
General. quietly. no"
The Boss looked at him. His eyes
glared Then. all at once, he saw
that in the Generals face that gave
him brg. new. overwhelming know
ledge. He saw that the new word
mo had been born in Washington: and
that he and his henceforth would have
to admit that it meant NO
1t hit him like a club. Something
came from his throat that was not
sob, yet strangely like one. '"rhen
what-then-are we going to ever
lasting smash
LISTEN" said the General. gravely
calm IN the beginning. He laid
his hand on the politicians shoulder
I'VE have swept together the stun
that you and your Ind gave in
these past years Up there" he pointed
north. in Connecticut. our officers have
been fighting to make an army of it
of battalions that have no regiments.
Of divisions that are not divisions, Of
riflemen who never learned to shoot
and of cavalry that never learned to
maneuver. But even if all that mess
were not a mess-if all these young
men were Mt to fight in the battle line
this moment. there are not enough of
them to guard even the watersupply
OF New York and Boston,.
Then you won't put any men into
the city,
ITO defend city from within is an
act Of desperation. no matter how big
ones army is" said the General
"The place to defend a city is as far
away from it as you meet the
enemy"
But the newspapers say that you
haven't men enough to stop him"
The Boss had dismissed all attempt to
, bluster. isn't there chance"
Not II he comes in the force We
expect-and he viii be sure to come
So" The General did not endeavor to
soften his statement. He spoke sharp
} and short And remember-the cities
are not the United States. Our busi-
, for the Union. not for New York or
, Boston or even Washington. There
is a price to be paid-and perhaps the
cities must pay it.
"And you'll pay the price, too" NUT
, tered the chief of staff. looking north
ward toward New England from his
: window after the politician had gone
: You're paying 1t now with sweat and
!. nerves and you'll pay it in lives"
: There, in Connecticut, lay the army
) looking formidable enough. Radiatine
in beautiful precision from centra
point were miles Of tents separated by
geometrically straight rows of com
pany streets. Over all the great space
afoot and horseback, in companies anc
troops. in squadrons and battalions
, moved spruce, agile figures. in the trim
efficient campaign dress of the Ameri-
l can soldier. Glossy, bright flags floatet
, everywhere. The sweet bugles sang.
It would have seemed very har-
moni0us solidly welded whole, tina
3 army. to any layman who could hav,
2 This statement Is based on of1cial calrula
tons. In succeeding instsllment there will ,,
a detailed description OF these AMI other condi
cities.