Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 133, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1919 — GUARD IN BRILLIANT ARRAY [ARTICLE]

GUARD IN BRILLIANT ARRAY

Cretan Soldiers In Attendance on Venizelos at Peace Conference Were Gorgeously Uniformed. Kings, presidents and premiers ceased to be a novelty at the peace conference, but the bodyguard of Premier Veniselos of Greece never failed to attract great crowds. At the hotel where the American delegation was housed and at the foreign office, Venizelos* approach was always heralded by the arrival of one of his Cretan soldiers arrayed more brilliantly than a comic-opera bandit. The Cretans who escorted the Greek statesman were all more than six feet tall and apparently had been chosen from various organisations, as a different man appealed dally, and the same uniform was never seen twice. The swarthy Cretans all had small waxed mustaches twisted into upturned points and stood rigidly at attention for hours while awaiting M. Veniselos at the entrance to the hotel or the foreign office. The jibes of small boys and the jokes of various allied soldiers who gathered in wonderment never seemed to disturb the imperturbable Cretans. Perhaps the nfost startling uniform worn by one of the guards consisted

of white tights bound by tasseled black silk cords at the knees, a rod velvet biouge and sash, a red sea surmounted by a black silk tassel so long that it fell below the waist, and black sandals with upturned toes topped by great black silk pompons. This costume was completed by an ivory-han-dled knife two feet long thrust carelessly into the sash. The knives and swords worn by tbs Cretans were the-chlef feature of the uniforms and made collectors of antique weapons very envious. They were of all .sixes and shapes and had sheaths of great splendor, jeweled and carved in a marvelous manner. Some of the guards were bare-kneed and had costumes not unlike the Scotch in style, but much gaudier in color. Others wore marvelously decorated leggings reaching far above the knees. Capes of Oriental "hues were frequently wore by the Cretans and added to the brilliancy of the Greek uniforms, which made the fancy dress uniforms -of the French and English look somber.