The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-12-05
STORY OF THE PREMATURE
ARMISTICE REPORT

1t is strange that there has been so little
press comment on "The Amazing Armistice,"
the inside story of the premature announce
ment of peace during the World war, which
was written by Arthur Hornblow, Jr, for the
Century magazine and is being distributed
in the form of booklet. 1t would naturally
be of keen interest to newspaper men, for
the misleading report which started the whole
world to rejoicing on November 7, 1918, was
the greatest blunder of its kind that has ever
been recorded.
Mr.. Hornblow was an officer in the intel
lgence service of the American army and at
the time of which he writes was stationed at
Brest. Both by virtue of his official position
and his distinguished services, for which he was
cited by General Pershing and decorated by
the French government, Mr.. Hornblow's mar
rative has the value of being authentic.
As many newspaper readers will recall, the
man who sent the premature cablegram to
America announcing that the armistice had
been signed November 7, was Roy w. How
Hornbow speaks of Mr. Howard in the kndest
terms, absolves him from all blame of perpe-
trating an intentional hoax and proceeds to
show how he became the victim of amazing
train of circumstances, as if the fates had con-
spired to bring about an unfortunate mistake.
When Mr.. Howard arrived at Brest he was
on his way back to America. He was due to
sail that afternoon vessel which would
have required about two weeks to cross the
Atlantic. Had he gone on that ship the historic
blunder of November would never have oc-
Cured. In conversation with Mr.. Hornbow,
Mr.. Howard lamented the fact that the trip
would take much time. Mr.. Hornblow
learned by telephone that the Leviathan was
due to sail the following morning and
engagements were made to shift Mr.. Howard to
the sailing list of that vessel.
AS they were discussing some way to pass the
time, Mr.. Howard decided that he would like to
meet Admiral Henry B. Wilson, commander of
the American navy in French waters, who was
stationed at Brest. The admiral was out when
they called, but an appointment was made for
O'Clock in the afternoon. In the meantime
rumors had come to Brest that the Germans
were getting ready to quit fighting.
"La Depeche," Brest's leading daily newspa-
per, was handling United Press dispatches from
Paris over it's special wire. These messages
were received on an instrument of. the ticker
tape variety, which typewrites its own messages
on a paper ribbon. When United Press dis
patches were received from Paris over this wire
they were cut up, pasted on telegraph forms
and filed for the cables at the post and tele-
graph office across the square. The local CEN
sor knew that all United Press communications
from Paris had already been censored and this
explains how the false report got through to
America. Howard sent his message in this way
from the office of ''La Depeche" to the cable
office and in addition to his own name signed
that of Smms, the United Press man at Paris, in
order to let him share in the glory of what
Howard thought would be the greatest "beat"
in history
Howard was received by Admiral Wilson ut
the appointed hour. As they were chatting the
admiral remarked that he had received mes
sage in which Howard might be interested and
handed him an official telegram signed by
Commander jackson of Admiral Wilson's office
in Paris 1t read, "Armistice signed this
morning at IL, all hostilities ceased at 2 p m.
today Both Admiral Wilson and Howard be-
lieved the announcement to be true. Howard
rushed his famous cablegram to America and
the celebrating started four days in advance