The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-23

ford, whose inhaDitantS are Con-
necticut people by residence and New
Workers. by occupation. They took
Greenwich.
From Roslyn, Long Island, anne
word that all the invading vessels that
could find room at the Cold Spring
wharves were unloading material.
The character of the derricks that
had been rugged, said the report, in
dicateds that extremely heavy guns
were being handled.
A bulletin that went up Immediately
afterward announced that the army
was crossing the State line from Con-
necticut into New York and that add
vance patrols already were passing
through the New York State town OF
Port Chester.
The enemy was now only twenty
Ave miles from New York city. This
and the actual entrance into State
territory. caused a senseless. head
long fright. 1t spread even into the
councils Of the citizens committee and
city officials in the City Hall.
Men jumped to their feet and ex-
claimed that the bridges over the
Harlem must be dynamited at nce.
otueTS pTODOstu 10 utTnOllsn the great
suspension bridges by cutting away
the s%uspending rod and letting the
roadways fall into the East River.
that the Long Island invader might
be lsept from crossing.
1t was only the final fiareup Of
nerve rasped, helplessly orner men.
The least intelligent people in the
streets could perceive hat nothing
except and cannons again.
could stop this invader who came with
a war machine that made wal a mat
ter Of systematic business.
As Boston had learned 1t, so New
York was learning II. There could moi
be even the barren relief Of desperate.
futile activity. The city. richer han
many a kingdom, more populous than
any State in the Union except three,
was as utterly unable to ward of
its doom as a trapped animal.
Trapped by its own wealth. It could
only wait for the hunter TO take 1t.
II any men adhered to the belief
that the city might gain anything by
destroying its approaches a telephone
message that came through from Port
Chester presently was sufficient to
convince even the most reckiessiy
daring hat 1t would be madness in
the face of the iron will that actuated
the enemy. The telephone call was
from the corps commander, who
asked for the Mayor.
II have the honor" he said. ito in
form o that. the American army
having abandoned the defence Of the
city Of New York and surrounding
territory. all military resistance
against us has ceased, and We lain
occupation. Under the rules of war.
your civilian citizens lay themselves
open to penalties II they destroy
bridges. railways or other lines Of
communication. Should such de-
structfon occur, I shall have to exact
compensation for any suffering that
1t may cause to the troops under my
command"
Nj Is straining the law" cried one
Of the citizens committee who was al
authority on international law. HE
has not yet occupied the territory con-
tiguous to the city"
II think that he has made his occn-
patton good" said another. I'm our
W army's rules of warfare. para
graph 200 expressly states thar 1T IS
sufficient that the occupying army
can, within a reasonable time, send
detachments of troops to make its
authority felt within the occupied dis
t~rict.'"
1T makes little difference inter-
posed the Mayor. I'VE can't take him
before a Court OF Appeals to argue
hair splitting distinctions He has us,
and can do to us what he pleases. He
needs only the color OF law to go to
any extremity. We should be insane
to with him. The only thing
to do Is to give renewed and urgent
orders that the population must abso-
lutely avoid any act Of violence"
Again the cold logic Of memorable
circumstances forced humble submits
sion. Through all the districts north
of the Harlem and through West
chester county. almost to the line of
the enemy patrols, there was sent by
every possible method Of communica-
b ton the following warming:
The invading forces assert occu-
patton OF the territory in which you
reside. Under this occupation n act
or disorder involving raiding, espi-
onage. damage to railways :. wal ma.
terial. bridges. roads. canals. tele-
graphs or other means of communi-
cation Is punishable by death as war
treason. Communities In which such
acts occur may be punished collec-
lively. All persons are warned ear
nestly to yield full obedience to the
Occupying military forces and to alb
stain from all offensive acts."ls
Thus for the men of New York
war was no matter of glorious re-
sistance or of a splendid death. It
was a matter OF cold lawyers logic
with imprisonment or execution as
felons the only answer should they
try to assert their manhood.
The knowledge held all the terri
tory passive. Men and horses and
motors moved into Westchester
county with no more opposition than
II they We're pleasure seekers NOV
Ing through friendly country. Guns
jolted along the highways with their
artillerists sitting at ease. The West
chester hills and valleys echoed no
shots, no cries Of battle. In every
village and town the American flag
huttered down from the flagstaffs Of
schools n town halls.
The corps commander that evening
established his headquarters in one
OF the great houses in the famous
residence colony Of Orienta Point,