Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-09
UNITED PRESS ADMITS
PEACE TALE FALSE
News Agency Blames Rcar-Ad
miral Wilson for Fake END
of War" News.

From Todays New York Times.
The United Press Association, after main
| tanning for more than twenty-four hours
that the bulletin was true which IT sent
to its customers in all parts Of the country
on Thursday afternoon, III which the
positive statement was made that AN
armistice ha been signed between Mar
shal Foch and the Germans and that
fighting on the western front had ceased
at p. m French time) on Thursday
issued statement yesterday afternoon
in which it WAS admitted that the report
which caused such frantic demonstrations
of Joy in all parts Of the United States
was not based on fact The responsibility
for the false message WINS placed on Rear
Admiral Henry b. Wilson, u. S. NJ, one
OF the most distinguished officers of the
American Navy, who is In command,
under Vice Admiral Sims, of NIL American
war vessels operating in French winters
TWO CARLEGRAas SENT.
Two cable messages, one signed jointly
by Roy w Howard, President of the
United Press Association, and William
Philip Simns, head of the Paris Bureau
al the corporation, and the other signed
by MIR. Howard alone. were made public
In both of these messages IL was asserted
that Admiral Wilson had announced to
a Brest newspaper that tho arfnistIce
had been signed Subsequently the
Howard-SImns message said TINT Admiral
Wilson WAS notified that the news had not
been confirmed The message from Mr.
Howard, which is supposed To have been
filed yesterday morning the JOINT mes
sage the United Press believes To have
been filed Thursday afternoon SAID that
. l.. 4
announcement by Admiral Wilson was
filed with the approval Of the American
naval commander and WINS published in
l'rest newspaper with the result that
Brcst Celebrate nightlong
CABLEGRAM nUT NO SIGNATURE.
Later III the afternoon the United
press sent To its customers despatch
ndcr Brcst date line in which Admiral
Wilson WAS quoted IS assuming RESPONSE
bility for tho armistice report The
dispatch follows
Brcst, France. Nov & Rear Ad-
rniral Henry Il Wilson, Z S N,
Commander of the Amer lean forces
IN French waters, to-day made the
following statement
The statement of The United
Press relative To the signing Of an
armIstice was made public from nv
office on the basis Of what appeared
10 be official and authoritative infor-
nation
Il am IN position to know that
The nitcd presa and It's representa-
tivcs acted IN perfect faith, and hat
the premature announcement WAS
he result of an error. for winch the
agency was IN noWse responsible
Whether the above dispatch was from
Mr. Howard or tho regular Rresf CORE
spondent ~ the United Press was not
Incloscd The message was interpreted
in the local offices of the United Press,
~ the Pulitzer rmlding. n IN asstmp-
tIon Of full responsibility for the circnla-
tlon Of the false news by ADMIRAL vii
son This phnsc Of the question, II WAS
SAID last night, WAS now the subject of
official investigation by the Government
in Washington.
HAWKINS MAKES EXPLANATIONS.
W W Hawkins. General Manager IN
this country OF the United Press, ~ ld on
Thurdsay night that III the event the
statement made by Secretary Lansing
that the bulletin was untrue was verl-
fled. he would Immediately issue state
mcnt explaining the position OF the Uni-