Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-11-08
Stung Again.
told q lie stick to it"

This is a time-worn adage, but it is still being
lived up to in certain quarters.
Take the case of the United Press association
Once on a time it brought credulous world the
news that Dr.. F. A Cook had discovered the north
pole 1t stuck to the story through thick and thin
afterward and the result is that there some
people who still believe it, On another occasion
this same agency flashed the startling news that
there were living beings the moon. No retrao-
ton ever appeared.
The climax came yesterday when it sprung the
yarn that an armistice had been signed at IL a. H.
Paris time and that fighting would stop all along
the line at 2 p. N At the time the dispatch was
filed in the French capital the German emissaries
had not reached the French lines. They had never
seen the armistice terms. They did not arrive at
the headquarters OF General Foch till several
hours later. at last accounts, however the United
Press was sticking its story, taking the word of
one man in the face Of repeated denials from all
reliable sources of news and ignoring circumstan-
tial accounts of events Transporting in France com
ing from authorities that absolutely reliable
The United Press was right and all the rest of the
world was wrong
The Associated Press, on the other hand, gave
the rumor simply such and made it clear at the
time tnat it was highly improbable, to say the
least and that was regarded in official circles,
and that there was absolutely confirmation.
There is every evidence that the hoax DELHI
erately perpetrated and stage managed to give it
effect 1t was considered inevitable that
mstioe would be signed and that hostilities would
cease OF terms which would it virtually i'm
possible for Germany to resume fighting. Peace
brea far
the word. The news agency first to bring it would
fash spark which would set the nations ab1aze.
1t would be perhaps the greatest news story of all
time Once celebration started there would
be no stopping IT. II there happened to be a dis
crepancy of few hours it could easily be
planned so that the reputation for scoring a beat
would stand. 1t a great opportunity and the
United Press decided to take a chance.
How it panned out everybody who has access to
the daily newspapers now knows The celebration
took place IN many cities It was instant and spon-
taneous In others. Rock Island for instance.
where the people recalled previous hoaxes of the
same sort. it took time and stage business to
get things going Telephone messages urging the
blowing of the waterworks and other whistles fell
on deaf at first For five hours It bus
mess as usual" in Rock Island. Then the rumor
reached the ears OF someone who had access TO a
whistle cord and in short time things began to
happen,
The people not 70 blame They heard the
whistles and took 1t for granted that the footing
not started without On such occa-
sion most anybody would rather celebrate two
three times false reports than miss giving
to their feelings when the hour for demonstra-
ton actually arrives. They have a right now, how
ever, to know that they hoaxed, by whom and
for purpose, If they still inclined doubt
deception the fact that fighting was going on in
France today will suffice TO convince them.
The Associated Press IS still doing business at
the old stand and giving the people the when
It IS news, and not before