The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-07-03
THE FARMER: JULY 3, 1915

penal laws and the exercise of legislative. executive and administrative duties are permitted under the sanction and with the participation of the military government.
 Had Boston town goneunder in flame and terror the very fury of the cataS- trophe might have carried men through it with less of despair than this cold conquest.
 The first pages of all the newspapers were reserved by the military govern ment for it's announcements. These were headed:
 OFFTCIALI
 ORDERS AND DECISIONS BY THE
 MILITARY GOVERNMENT OF
 MASSACHUSETTS, AND THE
 CITY OF BOSTON.
 There were so many of them that there was no room for news on the first pages. even had news been per mitted.
 Within twenty-four hours the city had been set back to it's condition in the seventeenth century when Boston's first newspaper was throttled by re- acttonary legislature.
 The people of Boston did not know if Connecticut had been conquered. They did not know if New York had fallen. They did not know where their army was or what it was doing. A great battle might be deciding the fate reached them.
 As in colonial days, they were re- dueed to such knowledge as might come from rumor or from information whispered by those who learned some thing by chance.
 It was in this way that nearly every body in Boston came to know that in the statehouse there sat council, dressed in uniform and bearing mih- tary rank, but in reality a council of men learned in international and United States law. Surrounded by great rows of books which they had brought with them, these men were the real rulers of the conquered land
 The commanding general and his field staff might act with summary, au- thority under the rules of war. The commanding generals name might be signed to all the scores of orders that Issued daily, but this council of naili- tary lawyers acted as governors, judges and soldiers at once, Their de- cisions in all mooted casess their in geniousIy worded orders, were perfect ing the enemy's complete possession
 No American, great or humble, might go a step beyond the prescribed and routine affairs of the day without first learning what their orders were. No man held property, whether it were priceless or beggarly, except by their favor No man knew at any moment what remaining liberties might not be taken from him at word from them.
 With the impersonal coldness of a ju- diciaI machine they went about the work of stripping the city of treasure. In all the departments of the munici-s pality were soldier experts, studying the books. In the custom house were half hundred others searching the records of exports and imports. Every financial institution of the city had been ordered to present it's accounts in the statehouse
 During all this time the invader made daily acquisitions for the use of the troops or for other military pur- poses. He demanded for the navy supply of 10, GOO pounds of smoking to- bacco, 1000 pounds of roasted coffee, one ton of rice, 500 pounds of salt and 10000 pounds of fresh meat. He made requfsition for paint, cable, ropes, hose and steel for the ships.
 ; There were acquisitions for medical supplies, for cloth and for shoes. To the harassed officials who demonstrated against the hardships that were laid on the city and pointed to the state of its trade, the reply was that it was one of the richest cities in the world and that the leyies were modest When deputation of citizens pressed the pro- test the council printed its reply in the 'tof1cial' columns of the newspapers
 Tn regard to the requisitions made by the occupying army" said this state ment, attention is called to the fact that the United States supreme court in the case of New Orleans versus Steamship Company, 20 Wall, 394, de cfded that the military governing au- thority may do anything to strength en itself and to weaken the enemy and that the court further stated that there is no limit to the powers that may be exerted in such cases save those which are found in the laws and usages of war.'''
 Despite the cannon that gIowered in Ill the streets Boston's fury at this lronic rejoinder nearly broke through all restraint In the old city that had the famous tea party among it's prized achievements the spirit of that past Age awoke again and spread almost without concerted thought or intention. Wherever men could meet they formed In groups to ease their minds by free speech if they could do nothing else In several quarters of the city there were incipient riots, suppressed by the police only just in tirne to avodd bloody mterferenee by the soldiers
 .sWe must curb this town said the commanding general to the military council in the statehouse- eIt is not one to remain cowed for long without oppressive meaaures.''
 The council nodded. Next mornings newspapers had on their first pages an announcement that made many read CTS rub their eyes and stare incredu- sously at the printed page, for on it was such proclamation as might have been