Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 1
Treason defined
Section 1. Treason against the commonwealth shall consist only in levying war against it, or in adhering to the enemies thereof, giving them aid and comfort; it shall not be bailable.
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 264 — Crimes Against Governments
Massachusetts · statute · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264 · 21 active provisions
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 2
Penalty for treason
Section 2. Whoever commits treason against the commonwealth shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 3
Misprision of treason; penalty
Section 3. Whoever, having knowledge of the commission of treason, conceals the same and does not as soon as may be disclose and make known such treason to the governor, or to a justice of the supreme judicial or superior court, shall be guilty of misprision of treason, and shall be punished by a fine of not more than…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 4
Treason; manner of conviction
Section 4. No person shall be convicted of treason except by the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act of treason whereof he stands indicted, unless he confesses the same in open court.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 5
Flag; penalty for misuse
Section 5. Whoever publicly burns or otherwise mutilates, tramples upon, defaces or treats contemptuously the flag of the United States or of Massachusetts, whether such flag is public or private property, or whoever displays such flag or any representation thereof upon which are words, figures, advertisements or desig…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 6
Flag; use in print in certain cases
Section 6. The preceding section shall not apply to publications issued solely for the purpose of giving information in relation to the flag, or of promoting patriotism or of encouraging the study of American history, or to any newspaper, periodical, book, pamphlet, certificate, diploma, warrant, or commission of appoi…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 7
Foreign flags; misuse; penalty
Section 7. Whoever publicly mutilates, tramples upon, defaces or treats contemptuously the flag or emblem of a foreign country at peace with the United States, whether such flag or emblem is public or private property, or whoever displays such flag or emblem or any representation thereof upon which are words, figures,…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 8
Foreign flag; display; penalty; exception
Section 8. Whoever displays the flag or emblem of a foreign country upon the outside of a state, county, city or town building or public schoolhouse shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars; but, except as to public schoolhouses, this section shall not apply when a citizen of such foreign country bec…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 9
National anthem; manner of playing
Section 9. Whoever plays, sings or renders the ''Star Spangled Banner'' in any public place, theatre, motion picture hall, restaurant or café, or at any public entertainment, other than as a whole and separate composition or number, without embellishment or addition in the way of national or other melodies, or whoever…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 10A
Uniforms; penalty for unlawful use
Section 10A. Whoever wears the uniform, or any distinctive part thereof, of the United States army, navy, marine corps, revenue cutter service, or coast guard, or of the national guard, or of any organization enumerated in section seventy of chapter two hundred and sixty-six, or wears a hat, cap or other apparel simila…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 11
Promotion of anarchy; prohibition
Section 11. Whoever by speech or by exhibition, distribution or promulgation of any written or printed document, paper or pictorial representation advocates, advises, counsels or incites assault upon any public official, or the killing of any person, or the unlawful destruction of real or personal property, or the over…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 14A
Educational activities; participation; exchange teachers; necessity of oath
Section 14A. Any city or town of the commonwealth may, through its school committee, participate in the educational activities under the United States Educational Program conducted by the department of state pursuant to Public Law 584, 79th Congress, and Public Law 402, 80th Congress, whereby there is an interchange of…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 16
Subversive organization defined
Section 16. The term ''subversive organization'' as used in sections seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-two and twenty-three of this chapter shall mean any form of association of three or more persons, however named or characterized, and by whatever legal or non-legal entity or non-entity it be establish…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 16A
Communist Party
Section 16A. The Communist Party is hereby declared to be a subversive organization.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 17
Subversive organizations; prohibition
Section 17. A subversive organization is hereby declared to be unlawful.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 18
Subversive organizations; actions to enjoin; duty of attorney general
Section 18. The attorney general shall bring an action in the superior court by an information or petition in equity against any organization which he has reasonable cause to believe is a subversive organization. The fact that such information or petition has been or is to be filed shall not be made public until an ord…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 19
Subversive organization; knowingly becoming or remaining member; penalty
Section 19. Any person who becomes or remains a member of any organization knowing it to be a subversive organization shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than three years or in jail for not more than two and one half years or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, provided that…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 20
Public office; ineligibility of certain persons; removal of disability
Section 20. No person who has been convicted of a violation of the provisions of section eleven, nineteen or twenty-three shall be eligible to election or appointment to any public office, or employment, nor as a teacher in any public or private educational institution, nor shall any person continue to hold any such of…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 21
Subversive organizations; destruction or concealment of books; penalty
Section 21. Whoever destroys or conceals books, records, files, membership lists or funds belonging to an organization which he knows to be a subversive organization shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than three years or in jail for not more than two and one half years or by a fine of no…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 22
Subversive organization; knowingly permitting to use building; penalty
Section 22. Whoever being in charge of an auditorium, hall or other building shall knowingly permit it to be used by the Communist Party or by an organization which has been adjudicated a subversive organization under the provisions of section eighteen shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars o…
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 264, § 23
Subversive organizations; contribution; penalty
Section 23. Whoever contributes money or any other property having a value in money to an organization which he knows to be a subversive organization shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than three years or in jail for not more than two and one half years or by a fine of not more than one…