The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-09
J. P. PUBLISHES EXPLANATION OF
 ARMIST|CE STORY
Says Announcement Was Made by Admiral Wilson at Brest and Forwarded
 With His Approval

New York, November s.--The United Press today published this explanation of how it came to circulate yester- day its report that the armistice had been signed, and that fighting had ended:
 New York, November S.-Yester- days announcement of the signing of the arIhstice between Germany and the allies was made by Admiral Will son, at Brest, anu was filed to the United Press with the admirafs ap- proval. This information was received by the United Press in a cablegram from Roy w. Howard, shortly before noon today
 "P1 actically at the same time anoth- CT message from Howard was delivered to the United Press stating that Ad- mira. Wilson made the announcement in Brest at D. m, French time, but that later he was notified that 1t Was not confirmabl This latter message filed by Howard did not show in the form in which it was delivered, wheth' CT it was sent yesterday, or how long 1t had been held up.
 Towards cablegram clearly showed that Admiral Wilson acted in good faith, stating that he supposed the an' nouncement was official, and, there fore, gave his approval to the filing of the message to the United Press in New York.
 "The United Press today asked the government to ascertain how long Towards message stating that Ad- miral Wilson authorized the announce ment, and also that he later was noti- fled that it was unconfirmable, were held up by the censors
 BADLY DELAYED
 There is reason to believe that the message stating that the news was uli- confirmable was badly delayed in view of the fact that it was not received here until almost 24 hours after the original cablegram. The message re- ceived today from Howard follows:
 Unipress, New York.
 Paris-Urgent Brest Admiral Will son, who announced Brest newspaper 1900 (4 p. nl.) armistice been signed, later notified unconfirmable, mean while Brest riotously celebrating.
 HOWARD,
 'SIMIS.' ''
 The other message read:
 "Unipress, New York
 "'Brest urgent armistice bulletin based local announced (announce- ment) by Admiral Wilson. admiral supposing official was filed with ad miraIs approval local newspaper bull letined Brest celebrated night long.
 HOWARD
 'It will be noted that the first mes sage quoted was signed by the names of both Howard and Simms, and was filed through the Paris office in the same form a the message received yesterday. Tn every way this first quoted message indicates that it was probably filed very quIckly after the original bulletin.
 "The second quoted message, how ever, shows clearly by the reference to the fact that Rrest celebrated night long that it was filed today, It also shows that it was sent direct from Brest, and is signed only by Howard, not bearing Simms name This mes sage clearly indicates that Howard is in Brest, al~4ough these two message and those received yesterday are the only cables which the home office of the United Press has received from him this week."
 With the foregoing explanation the United Press also publishes the follow ing which it was announced had been received from Admiral Wilson: "Brest, France November S.--Ad miral Wilson, United States navy, com mander of the American forces in French waters, today made the follow. ing statement for the informal ton ot United Press editors:
 The statement of the United Press relative to the signing of the arni- stice was made public from my office on the basis of what appeared to be official and authoritative information. I am in a position to know that the United Press ana US representa- tives acted in perfect good faith and that the premature announcementswaa aa the result of an error, for which the agency was in nowise responsible.'