Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-11-08

Official assurances that the report was false failed to check the almost ] riotous demonstrations which swept over many American cities and mill lions of Americans will not know how they were fooled until they read the morning papers.
 A dispatch cabled from France to the United Press and picked up and circulated also through the country by another news agency declared the armstice signed at n o'clock this mrnng and fighting ended at o'clock 1 this afternoon.
 1 Official dispatches from France to the State Department at Washington testify that the German commission CTS were not even to meet Marshall 1 Foch until o'clock this afternoon and dispatches received tonight from the Amedican army on the Sedan front show that at 6:30 D. m. the troops still were advancing.
 After cabling to France and receiv- ing an official reply, Secretary Lan- sing from the State Department in Washington issued this statement: Lansing's Statement. | "The report that the armistice with Germany had been signed is not true. When it deached the department of state this morning an inquiry was at once dispatched to Paris. At 2:O4 o'clock this afternoon telegram in reply to that of the department was received from Paris. It stated that { the armistice had not yet been signed and that the German representative would not meet Marshal Foch until 1 5 D. m., Paris time or 12 noon, , Washington time."
 None of these unfounded reports, of course, was received or distributed by the Associated Press. which, on the contrary was able by investigation conducted through official channels, to establish that the story was hoax. Truth Slow In Parade.
 The false report. howeved, was not easily overtaken by the truth and as | it spread throuogh the country it gathered momentum until demnstra- tins approaching hysteria ruled Tn many cities. Business was suspended. schools were closed, bells were rung, whistles shrieked, player were oer- ed in churches, parading cltlzens damned the streets and the scenes usually attendant on New Years Eve and election night were intensified. 1 The New York Stock Exchange as we'll as the curb market were closed at 230 D. m., after hurried meet ing of the governors. A market which at fidst appeared to be unre- sponsive suddenly developed activity. which shot up some of the so-called peace stocks from 2 to 12 points. Ex- changes in other cities were similar ly affected.
 The Damaging Dispatch.
 United Press, New York:
 Paris: Armistice allies signed eleven morning: hostilities ceased two afternoon. Sedan taken morh- ing by Americans. , | (Signed) 'tHoWA'D' ! "SIMMS."
 "I1nipress" is cable code address fod United Press: Howard is Roy w: Howard. president of the United Press. and Simms is William Philip Simms, Paris correspondent or the United Press.)
 To grasp the situation it should pc borne in mind that Paris 'being to tue east of the United States is SIX hours ahead of New York time. Although It had been announced that the arms tice was signed at il o'clock and that fighting had ceased at ? o'clock. it was fact that the German commits |sfoneds were not to be received by Marshal Foch until 5 o'clock, three \ hours after the hour reported as the end of the fighting.
 i Official Statement
 I The state departments cable or ID. ouirv to France was not dispatched Inntii after the report had been call, ed to the departments attention and iwhen a deply came. saying the armis-
 Continued on page three)