The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-28

lines, where guns officially had been
silenced to mark their coming, to
debate the terms with Ferdinand
Foch, marshal Of France, in the
blue and gold dining car that was
his official headquarters.
Back of them, as described in
matter-of-fact dispatches from
American diplomats, consuls, and
foreign advisers, lay an empire in
chaos and imminent danger of in
ternal explosion. There was rioting
in Kiel and the threat of civil war.
Their armies, beaten, sullen, unre-
liable, were verging on revolt.
Gables Pour in
Into the state department at
Washington poured a succession Of
messages over closely guarded cables.
The first important and reveal
ing one was nineteen words long,
csbled Nov. 6, from Robert Woods
Bliss, American charge d'affaires
at The Hague. 1t read:
1852 Wolff dispatch Official
German news agency, Berlin
states German delegation to con-
clude armistice and open peace
negotiations left this afternoon for
the west"
1t was signed Bliss"
Between that hour and the night
of Nov. 7 came the grave moments
that were to determine the issue Of
peace or continued slaughter It
was a tense twenty-four hours, in
which official nerves were on edge.
Germans Ready to Plead
At 7:30, New York time, on the
evening of Nov. 6, the German gov
eminent formally notified the allies
that its little group of plenipotenti
aries we're ready to present them
selves wherever Foch demanded ito
bring provisional suspension of
arms"
The dispatch:
THE Special Representative Col
Edward M. House,.
TO the Secretary of State
Paris, Nov 7, 1918, II P. M
SO. For the President
German government at 1890 last
night G30 p. m, Nov. 6, New York
time) transmitted the following
radio to Marshal Foch:
German government have been
informed that Marshal Foch
has received full power to receive
tI,e occra1itoJ ro,oroca,,+a twas. Of +bo
German government pleni-
potentiaries ready to leave at once
(to proceed) to place agreed upon.
The German government would be
happy if in the interest of humanity
the arrival of the German delega-
ton on the allied front would bring
a provisional suspension of arms. :"
FOch Sends Reply
Marshal Foch sent in reply at
l:19 Ia No. the following:
IF the German plenipotentiaries
desire to meet Marshal Foch to ask
for an armistice, they shall present
themselves to the advanced posts by
the Chimay- Fourmies-La Capelle-
Gyise (road :. :"
Two further German radios were
received, number one, at o'clock,
to Marshal Foch:
The Germna plenipotentiarieS
d. are leaving Spa today Nov g.
and will be here at midday NOV. y
and at 5 o'clock in the afternoon
will reach the French advanced
posts. :. ="
The second one was received at
100 O'Clock this morning from the
supreme commander of the German
army, to Marshal Foch:
To permit the passage of the
German delegation through the two
lines, orders have been given to stop
firing on that part of the front to-
day after $3.50 this afternoon until
further orders. e"
Another Radio Sent
"A third radio was sent at 4
o'clock this afternoon from the Ger
man supreme commander to Mar
shall Foch
On account of a delay the Ger
line of the advanced posts until be-
tween 8 and 10 o'clock in the eve
ming ct Haudroy, two kilometers to
the northwest of La Capelle.
EDWARD HOUSE"
The secrecy with which these ne
gotiations were proceeding was kept
closely. and its results were the
more amazing, for "all Paris" ap-
peared to know Officially" that the
negotiations were not only in prog
reSs, but that the armiStice had
been agreed upon.
Perhaps one of the most striking
messages was one revealing that
long before the United Press car
ried, the report of the armistice
signing, the war department had
been advanced officially that the
armiStice had been signed The
message. from Secretary of State
Lansing to Colonel House. follows:
Washington. Nov 7, 1918, II a. m.
"15 Warburton Major Barclay
H. Warburton, military attache
at Paris informs war department
armistice signed. Please confirm
and notify us of when we may pub
lish armiStice.
LANSING"
Other Messages Sent
Then followed a sequence of mes
sages:
The special representative to the
secretary of state.
Paris. Nov. 7, 1918. 6 p. m.
"55. Your number Is, November 7.
IL a. m. Armistice has not yet been
signed. German Representatives will
not meet Marshal Foch until this
afternoon at o'clock. The terms
of the armistice (already agreed
upon will not be published until it
is fact that signed. We will notify
you promptly.
EDWARD HOUSE"
The secretary of state to the am
basSador in France William G..
Sharp:
Washington. Nov. 7. 1918, 4 D. m.
'6l98. United Press received tele-
gram today before l p. m. announc-
i