The sun., 1915-05-16

THE INVASION OF AMERICA-UNDER THE CONQUERORS HEEL


Floating from more than a score OF
warships and transports, the coalitions
flags moved toward the city. Cannon
saluted them from the forts. and they
saluted in reply. Among the stricken
thousands on 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 a 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 defences to pro-
tect conquered Boston against attack
from its own navy.
Naval and army transports steamed
up to the city and took possession of
the wharves and the navy yard basins.
Destroyers and small craft moved up
the channel to the Mystic River and
occupied the naval and marine hos
pitals. Marines and sailors came
ashore in South Boston and estab-
lished a signal station on Telegraph
Hill.
The naval commander seized all
Federal 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 was happening in their city the
people OF Boston could learn only
slowly and in fragments as the news
spread from man to man by word OF
mouth. The newspapers were under
armed guard. like all other important
places that touched on public business.
Censors sitting at editorial desks per-
mitted only the printing of the most
trivial routine news of local happen
ings that did not touch on the real
concerns Of the invaded country and
city.
The first pages Of all the newspapers
were reserved by the military govern
ment Tor its announcements. These
were headed: "Official, Orders and
Decisions by the Military Government
" Massachusetts and the City of Bos-
ton"
There were so many Of them that
there was no room for news on the
first page, even had news been per-
mitted.
Within twenty-four hours the city
had been set back to Its condition in
the seventeenth century, when Bos-
tons first newspaper was throttled by
a reactionary Legislature.la
The people of Boston did not know
il Connecticut had been conquered
They did not know If New York had
fallen. They did not know whtre their
army was or what 1t 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
whispered by those who learned some
thing by chance.
1t was in this way that nearly
everybody in Boston came to know
that in the State House there sat a
council, dressed In uniform and bear
ing military rank, but in reality q
council Of men learned in international
and United States law. Surrounded
by great rows Of books which the,
had brought with them, these mer
land.l3
The commanding General and hi.
field staff might act with summary au
thority under the rules of war. Th'
commanding Generals name nigh
be signed to all the scores Of orderi
that issued daily. But this council
of military lawyers acted as governors
judges and soldiers at once. Thei
decisions in all mOoted cases, their in
geniously worded orders, were perfect
ing the enemy's complete possession.l
No American, great or humble
might go step beyond the prescribe'
and routine affairs Of the day withou
first learning what their orders were
No man held property. whether
were priceless or beggarly, except b.
their favor. No man knew at an
moment what remaining libertie
II. "COmplete conquest carries Wit
Il, all rights Of former 0opernment,"-
United States Supreme Court.
12. Benjamin Hdrris's "PubHck OC
currences," suppressed after one issue.
l3. There Is an immense literature o
military ldU, and every army contain
officers UhO haze taken degrees IN ldt
for the purpose OF erpOunding and dd
mimtsterin0 II.
IA. The legal and technical correct
ness Of al! acts is Of ertreme importanC
IN the peace settlements.