Evening star., 1915-05-16

office. $4,000 men liable TO enrolment
in the state militia. These were part
Of those millions of men of whom
passionate orators had spoken so often
the millions of heroic, strong. intell-
gent American freemen who would in
stantly spring to arms AT the call OF
need and sweep the most daring in
rader back into the sea-
They were heroic. They were strong.
Ther were intelligent. But they were
confronted Ivy the cold truth 1t stared
at them from all their squares. from all
their PARKS. from the approa ches to all
their bridges. II was the cold truth
ii, the shape o. cannon. i:ven the
@roT:'"~ q Harvard and Of Boston mi
,ers.t- eye or""rlsG by batteries
Se"iii'eis "e+ ~ "'i'h II b"s'""
church TOW ers viii: ..'.;riiae guns that
poitlte ed iowa into ;he streets.
t.ainS that n-:schiasTH OF W.tr. cour-
was rs hs'',;.ss q" infant IN q cy-
clone Irte'ltce~,e ''as nallea against
the unlrtclligert "teel.
So tuis rj}s. o-;@ o. t,'e richest of the
Norlo uc'' 20 New York in it's inn
ports. with its enormous railroad ter-
miUals trat Grew together the roads OF
into tn. iulat,cr,s hand almost for the
picking. and lay in his grasp as INCA
pahle of resistance as il. instead OF be-
ing the fourth greatest city of the
United States, it had been seaside
village
There had not been shot fired after
the last shot had sounded from the har,
bor forts and the american nag had
vanished from the harhor sky.
There was nothing to do. Slowly. sNs-
tematically as il had invested Boston,
so the army had taken Boston. Ihere
was no commanding point in all the
country around il that was not crown
cd with heavy artillery. There was no
road to the city that was not held by
troops who demanded passes. Patrols
moved constantly through the streets
Through the whole metropolitan dis
trict had been sent proclamation. is
sued by the local authorities, warning
the people that all intercourse between
the territories occupied by belligerent
armies whether by letter. by travel, or
in any other way. had been interdicted
and was punishable by fine impris-
onment. or. in cases Of serious infrac-
tion. by death after summary trial.
This procla nation was countersigned by
the military commanders OF the various
districts.'
Another proclamation. issued from
headquarters in the statehouse said
Tie civil authorities. by and with the con.
of the military government. proclaim that
the pleasure of segimcntal and company Of
hccrs. T'se troops are required TO respect the
persons and property Of citizens during the good
part of citizens is Punishable by death. Re-
fusal to comply with any provision of this proc
lamaton Will he punished with fine or imprls-
onmcnt. in aggravated cases by "nnfscation
troops. s 49, ~
Along the water front an order was
given to clear all the big wharves.
Owners of vessels berthed there were
instructed to have them towed TO
basins or anchored in the stream. Pro-
vioed with diagrams Of the mine fields
that had been surrendered under the
conditions Of capitulation. the mine
sweepers cleared the harbor Tor the
entrance Of the fleet.
Floating from more than score Of
warships and transports, the Coalitions
flags moved toward the city. Cannon
saiuted them from the forts. and they
thousands shore there were many
who sobbed as they heard the foreign
thunders peal around their bay and
saw the foreign flags against their sky,
with never starry banner on all those
ancient American waters.
There were foreign ships lying under
the forts, unloading spare guns to re-
place those that were destroyed. All
the works were busy with enemy sailors.
repairing the defenses to protect con-
quered Boston against attack from its
own navy.
Naval and army transports steamed up
10 the CITY ana tOOk pOSSSSSlou VI tHe
wharves and the navy yard basins. De
stroyers and small craft moved up the
channel to the Mystic river and occu-
pied the naval and marine hospitals.
Marines and sailors came ashore in
South Boston and established signal
station on Telegraph hill.
The naval commander seized all fed
eral property that had anything to do
with the conduct of the harbor He
assumed control OF the quarantine and
pilot service and declared the port open
under his supervision.
All this and all else OF importance
that happening in their city tine
people Of Boston could learn only slow
Is and in fragments as the news spread
from man to man by word of mouth
The newspapers we're under armed
guard. like all other important places
that touched public business. Cen
sors sitting at editorial desks permitted
only the. printing of the most trivial
routine news Of local happenings that
did not touch the real concerns OF
the invaded country and city.
The first pages of all the newspapers
were served by the military government
for it's announcements. These wee
headed.
"OFFICIAI..
ORDERS AND DECISIONS BY TEE
MILITARY GOVERNMENT OF
MAsSACHT sETTs AND THE
'II1 of boSo IoN.
There were many of them that
there was no room for news on the first
pages. even had news been permitted
Within lwentyfour hours the city had
been set back to its condition in the
seventeenth century. when Rostons first
newspaper was throttled by a reaction
ary legislature.
The people of Boston did not know
if Connecticut had been conquered
They did not know il New York had
fallen. They did not know where their
army or what il was doing. A
great battle might be deciding the fate
Of the entire country. but no whisper
reached them.
AS in colonial days. they we're re-
duced TO such knowledge as might come
from rumor or from information whis-
pered by those who learned something
by chance.
II was in this way that nearly every
body in Boston came to know that in
the state house there sat council
dressed in uniform and bearing military
rank. but in reality II 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
cf the conquered land Is