Evening star., 1915-05-16

swer AlI communication with it had
been annihilated as il by lightning
stroke.
Maine. Vermont aud New Hampshire
slili were able TO reach the rest of the
country with eutire freedom. except
trat everything ns-mai1. telegraph mes
saGcs and freight had 80 pass h 49,
Of tn. Lake Charipr'in ,allc eH"l"-
siycl,. Eut Bosion. the riches, ha'f
of Massachusetts. al of Rhode Island
and tho vhole caste"u end OF CON
necticut were rs completely Gu, off rs
n all that great territory had heen
torn from the continent and dropped
into the sea.
of the 1875 American cities with more
Than So.ooo population. twenty two
were in the section that had been lost
h. the United States. The assessed
valuation Of those cities alone was
more than Sc 7oO. .ooo. 200. Ten thousand
manufacturing establishments were in
tho grip Of the coroueror.
The grin lay th. cantureG country
Iits q thing of iron. telegram and
te1cuhou, could he used only under the
superyision o@ snldio~s who controlled
every central onsra tin" station and
scrutinized evHrvthin". cutting out any
expressions that did not suit them
or refusing tTarS"1ission altogether.
Against these decisions there was no
appeal.
The post offices were occupied by
censors. Every piece of mail passed
under their eyes and reached those to
whom it was addressed only after long
delay and generally with parts of it
ohilterated by heavy dauhs of printing
ink.
All the springs of creative work were
broken shops and manufacturers were
open. under orders from the military
commanders. but the owners and man
ayers did not know what to do. They
continued to produce. duly and with
out plan. They dared not make even
the most uninIportant contract, for no
man could guess what might happen
next. There was no money to be had.
except for pressing needs. The banks
throughout the conquered territory had
been commanded to hold all cash in
their vaults. Every man who applied
for money had to prove to military Of
ficers that il was for immediate sub
sistence.
fees everywhere there were posted
placards reading as follows:
Our conquest. having been completed carries
VITA l; absolute ownership of property con
as well as personal ur real property"
The richest man in New England was
on level with the poorest However
much wealth he might have lying in
the banks. he could draw only enough
Tor daily food. He could not take any
th1ng from his safety deposit vaults
They were guarded by armed sentries
who permitted access only 10 those
who came accompanied by officers.
This condition would last. as the in
fAr fry
complete list of all funds had been
made
In every financial department of cities
and towns were uniformed men de-
mandins cash statements and lists of
assessed valuations for the purpose of
apportioning the amount of contribu-
tion to be levied on each community
ME tne enemy was gong thus sys-
tematically to work to ascertain the
ruli money value of his prize, he made
acquisitions for immediate needs in
every place occupied by him. The troops
demanded hay, oats. corn and other
forage Tffey paid for the supplies
with written papers that acknowledged
receipt. but il was noticed that these
receipts did not promise payments
In Boston the municipal authorities
were informed that the city was sub
ject to cash levy for the support of
troops at the rate of 81 daily for each
man of the occupying army. making an
amount payable III bank funds of $50
900 day
The authorities had no recourse ex-
cept to find the money. Nominally in
control, they were held vigorously TO
account for the obedience of their city.
The headquarters staff OF the invading
army had possession of the state..ouse.
and from this point sent out brief
orders.
Prominent among the notices that
places of Boston was the announcement
of the institution of the new govern
neut II was:
On and after This date the city .: Boston is
under the rule of the headquarters staff of this
srmy. The present civil officials Of the city
viii continue their functions. 4 continuance
c'S" Of legislative. executive and admiui.trativ.
duties are Permitted under the sanction and
win the participation OF the military govern
men,.''s
Had Boston town gone under in fame
and terror. the very fury of the catas-
trophe might have carried men throug h
II with less OF despair than this cold
conquest. Instead of blows to be
struck. or blood to be shed. there was
only humiliation-humilia intensi-
fed hourly by the cool, unimpassioned
correctness with which the enemy
treated the fallen city.
He did not even fill the city with
troops. Only four thousand infantry
and a regiment Of cavalry were sent in
to hold all Boston. The rest of the
army remained outside. encamped or
quartered on the people of the suburbs
and the towns OF the metropolitan dis
trict
Unconcerned. almost unguarded. the
commander and his officers moved
about the town. They went in and out
OF the city hall with the assurance of
superiors. They occupied the two larg-
est hotels Brookline people reported
that the Country Club there had been
turned into brigade headquarters
Dazed. If in the bonds of an ugly
nightmare that must vanish II they
could only awaken, the people OF Bos-
ton looked at this handful of men who
bad so easily. SO calmly. made them
selves utter masters of II metropolitan
district Of thirty mine Inunicipalitjes-
thirteen cities and twenty-s six towns all
within fifteen miles Of tue statehous.
From the statehouse ihis dozen or two
dozen quiet. business-lke men in uni
FORM ruled with worIl or two over Az
square miles. with pupula ton of more
than Il million and a half of people and
taxable value OF more than two and
unr-half billions uG dollars
In the city 50 helplessly given over
TO them there were. according 10 the
hen Is in lc ..;,,