100 YEARS AGO IN THE SARATOGIAN
Friday, Nov. 8, 1918. Oops. Yesterday The Saratogian sparked celebrations throughout Saratoga Springs by relaying a United Press wire service report that Germany had signed an armistice agreement ending the world war. Today, the war goes on, for at least a little while longer.
The news had been reported from France by United Press correspondent Roy W. Howard, on the authority of Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson. Shortly after the report went out, Wilson notified Howard that he wasn’t actually able to confirm the story. Howard then wired United Press headquarters to stop the story, but “the cable, like so many others during the war, was delayed.”
Wilson and Howard are quick to absolve each other of blame, each stating that the other acted in good faith in conveying the false report. The truth is that the Germans were given the terms of an armistice agreement yesterday, but have not yet agreed to them. French and allied authorities have given them until Monday, November 11, to answer the offer.
“The Saratogian, like the other clients of the United Press, printed the news of the reported signing of the armistice in good confidence,” a local reporter writes today, “It has received the United Press service for eighteen years, and has always found it accurate and conservative. The Saratogian regrets that the reported surrender of Germany was immature; the story was not as true yesterday as it will be within the next few hours.”
“Well, it was a real celebration – the biggest we ever had. It was a little premature, that is all,” an editorial writer recalls on the morning after the premature victory parade.
“The surrender of Germany will come within the next few days, it is conceded. But when the actual news of the surrender is sent to us, certified by affidavits, we doubt that the news will thrill us as the premature report did.
“The lid went skyward with a bang. The city turned toward Broadway to the last man, woman and child. And, strangely, just about the time we were marching triumphantly up the street behind old Kaiser Bill, dead in effigy, a German commission was approaching the lines of the Allied armies seeking the terms upon which we would grant an armistice …. Perhaps the celebration wasn’t so ill-timed after all .” What’s Happening Barring another victory parade, Saratogians will have to seek entertainment in the city’s movie theaters tonight.
Western star Tom Mix plays a modern-day Secret Service agent in “Mr. Logan, U.S.A.” at the Broadway, while Alice Brady is “At The Mercy of Men” at the Palace, and the Lyric presents “The Girl of Today.”