Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-08
= M.. Paris time. or IL noon Washing

Xone OF these unioundsd reports. Of
1 The Associated Press; which on the
ssonducted through official channels. TO
establish that tho story was hoax.
TWUTH FAILS TO OVERTAKE
~ HOAX CALLED TO UNITED STATES
Tho false report. however was not
by the truth. and as
1T FpTead through the country it gath
cred momentum. until demonstrations
eRtproafRhing hystsra ruled in so many
we're closed, bells were rung. whistles
shrieked, prayers were offered in
streets and the scenes usually attend
ant on New Years eve and election
night were intensified.
Tho New York Stock Exchange as
We'll Us the, curb market, was closed
at 2:Se p. NJ. after II hurried meet
Ing of tho governors. \ market which
suddenly deveioped activity Which SHOT
ups some OF the so-called peace stocks
from two to twelve points. Exchanges
Here follows n copy OF the cable
gram received by the United Press at
It's. Now York office;
paris: Armistice allies signed
eleven morning; hostilities ceased two
afternoon. Sedan taken morning by
isigned) HOWARD. sIMMs."
cCnipress is cable code address for
United Press: Howard is Roy w. How,
Sirrniss is William rhilip Simms. Paris
coLrespondent of the United press.l
col GRASP. the situation it should DO
borne in mind that Paris. being TO the
oaSt of the United states, is about six
hoprs ahead of New York time Al
though 1t had been announced that the
armistice was signed at II o'clock and
that fighting had ceased at o'clock,
it was a fact that the German COM
o were p net to be sS
hoars after the hour reported as the
end Of the fighting.
The State Departments cable OF in
quiry to Franco was not dispatched
until, after the report had been called
to the departments attention. and
tes ha not BEEN ss nea and the
ing had not ceased. more time had
ficially announced that four German
officers bearing II white flag probably
wohld arrive at Marshal Foch,S head
audrters some time tonight. That an
no1ncemcnt was one hour and thirty
five minutes after the hour reported as
the end Of the lighting. and Associated
leah army on the Sedan front at Csc
O'Clock tonight showed that an hour
and a half after the German commits
sioters had been expected the troops
stif Mere fighting their way forward
This dispatch said clearly that the
American army was consolidating ITS
When it was G:s0 o'clock to-nigh. in
London. the Foreign Office pronounced
unfounded the rumor that the armist;cc
had been signed and AZ that hour no
word, had been received in the British
capital that the German delegation had
CROSSED the French lines. II should be
borne in mind that il was then four
hours and half after the hour re-
ported ms set for the cessation OF hos
tili{iSs and more than seven hours af.
terrific hour reported as the signing OF
the armistice. Government telegraph
lines connect London and the British
Headquarters not far from the place
fixed for the meeting Of the German
commissioners with Marshal Foch. and
London, therefore, is certain 10 receive
prompt reports when truce IS ar
70 might as the clocks in France
were turning toward midnight. there
commissioners had appeared ut Mari
sha iFoch's headquarters. much less
aihxed their signatures TO an arnistice.
MARSHAL FOCH EMPOWERED
TO CLOSE NEGOTIATIONS
Upon tho question of whether the
GeTnan Delegation is empowered Ia
actIwithous communication with Bcr-
made in the terms offered by Marshal
Focsi, depends whether an immcd ia tc
cessation of hostiiities may be in
Marshal Foch. OF course. is fully EN-
powered to act for the entente allies
and America. for the Supreme War
Council at Versailles already has laid
down the terms and no changes are TO
be tolerated.
10 has been assumed. based on the
usual practice of negotiations in agree
ings upon an armistice. that the Cor
mans also arc fully empowered To siIn
for their government. That WAS the
case with the Bulgarian commission
ers who were sent down from Sofia
to meet the French and British mill
tary and naval commanders. And while
thet .Austro-Hungarian government
noninally approved the terms OF the
arnostice, which the Italian command
ar General DiaZ, dictated. IL was Cen
eraI~Bender, the Austrian commander
in tho field. who really acted.
II is regarded as entirely possible
however, that since the German dele
gates did not know the terms OF the
armistice until they actually met Mar
sial Foch. they might have plannsd
from Berlin before closing the neGotia-
lions. With military kilograms and
wireless at their disposal. little time
would be consumed in this reference.
The Germans, OF course, want no delay
in stopping the American and allied
advance. in view of the tremendous
pressure upon the government by the
populace and by the rnutinous soldiers
and sailors of the North Sea force q nd
of the pa nIc-stricken Ravarians, who
are desperately anxious 70 avert an
invasion of their country from the
south