Armistice ends the Great War

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 1918 (UP) -- The armistice between Germany and the allies was signed at 5 o'clock this morning, French time.

Hostilities ceased at 11 a.m. French time.

This announcement was officially made by the State Department at 2:45 a.m. Monday.

Thus ended the greatest war in all time.

The department stated that the terms of the armistice would not be made public until later.

President Wilson was asleep at the time the announcement was made, and it was decided not to awaken him then.

At 5 a.m. Secretary Tumulty aroused the president with the telephone message that the armistice had been signed.

Our work is now to assist in the establishment "of just democracy throughout the world," said President Wilson in a proclamation announcing the signing of the armistice today.

He said:

"My fellow countrymen: The armistice was signed this morning. Everything for which America fought has been accomplished. It will now be our fortunate duty to assist by example, by sober, friendly to assist by example, by sober, friendly counsel and by material aid in the establishment of just democracy throughout the world.

(Signed) "Woodrow Wilson."

The president then ordered that all government departments be given a holiday.

The first announcement of the armistice signing was made by Philip Patchin, information chief and assistant to secretary Lansing.

The last hours of the vigil in Washington were far from democratic.

Patchin, who had been in touch with cables day and night since Thursday, had settled down in a deep leather chair in Lansing's private office for a nap.

On the floor below a corps of cable operators "stood by," but had only the use of a single cable wire. They telephoned details to Patchin when the flash came, and he hurried to the pressroom shortly afterward.

Patchin was coatless, bundled up in an old gray sweater.

In the pressroom of the huge building, where for many months they have followed the course of the war, a few men lingered for the tidings.

All were dozing, reading or amusing themselves as best they could during the "watch."

"Get set," said Patchin, dashing into the door shortly before 3 a.m.

He paused a moment to see that every agency was represented.

As men rushed to their phones he shouted:

"The armistice has been signed."

Thus officially ended the greatest war in history.

Over a hundred billion of dollars have been burned, blown and eaten up during its course.

Thirty-three million men have been called to arms, 16,000,000 have been maimed and gassed.

Emperors have been toppled from their thrones.

Revolutions have swept three of the great belligerent nations.

The strongholds of autocracy, manned by the Romanoffs, the Hohenzollerns and the Hapsburgs, have been disarmed and the peoples of Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary have taken affairs into their own hands.

Today Germany stands defeated and ashamed before the bar of world justice.

She must answer in money and deeds for the crimes she has committed upon the world.

The armistice terms, to which she has bowed, will prevent her breaking forth again in any sudden and violent assault upon her neighbors.

The peace conference, which will come next, will lay down such laws that the threat of Germany might well be definitely banished.

This conference will change the map of Europe and the politics of the entire world.

Participating in it will be most civilization-the United States, England, France, Italy, Belgium, Japan, Serbia, Greece, China, Brazil; Cuba, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Liberia, Nicaragua, Panama, Portugal, Siam and San Marino (all associated against the central powers) and Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey.

In addition, Russia and Rumania, forced to a bitter separate peace by Germany, will have a voice at the table-and the plan is to admit neutral nations to the conference.

Where this peace conference will be held will likely be determined soon.

It probably will be necessary first, however, to see what comes out of the present revolution in Germany.

Germany must have accredited representatives to speak for her at the table, and until order comes out of the present situation there, it would be impossible to know whether the government in Germany really represented the people.

Brussels, Belgium, and Geneva, Switzerland, have been mentioned as possible locations for the conclave.

President Wilson is expected to attend-also War Secretary Baker, Justice Brandeis and Colonel House.

There also remains now the gigantic work of returning the fighters to their homelands. The general staff already has completed its plans for mobilization.

Throughout the nation today celebrations were held.

From the White House to every corner of the land there was rejoicing.

At the close of the unprecedented stife Germany stood alone, before the wrath of 21 civilized nations. Five others had severed relations with her government and two others-Russia and Rumania-she had embittered by enforcement of a vicious peace.

Her enemies had called to the colors over 23,000,000 men.

Her allies, Bulgaria, Turkey and Austria-Hungary, had left her when her strength began to weaken and finally her own people, seeing at last the disaster their treacherous emperor and war lord had brought upon them, overthrew his reign and he has fled the country.

It was America's privilege to turn the tide of the war.

Her entrance as a belligerent in April, 1917, has been followed by the shipment of over two million Yank fighters to Europe, loaning of over $7,500,000,000 to her associates in the war and expenditure of over $20,000,000,000 during her 19 months in the fighting.

The War Department today stopped all draft calls.

Shipments of troops as division units ceased recently, and while the department was not relaxing its war work the recent shipments were only of replacement troops and service supply men.

The exact nature of plans for the return of the soldiers now over there has been concealed, but it is known in general that the department proposes to return first those longest overseas and those most needed in industries here.