The Washington times., 1919-04-20
EVERY DELEGATE AT
CONCLAVE "SHOT"

This is the story of how a Wash
ington man shot up the Peace Con-
ference and got away with it.
One hundred and twenty-five years
ago royalty trod the pavement of the
magnificent Place de la Concorde. di-
rectly in front of the Hotel CrillOn,
American Peace Commission head
uarters in Paris. The plaza then
ran red with their blood as they met
their fate on the grooved death-b board
of the gullotine.
Years later royalty trod the same
path to face a firing squad.
In February and March, 1919, dur
ing the sessions OF the present
Peace Conference. preniers. diplo-
mats, princes, dukes, generals and
presidents trod among German can
non, silent and grim relics Of the
late slaughter. to face-a camera and
George w. Harris, the Washington
man who scooped the world.
Mr.. Harris, who is head of Harris
Ewing, the famous Washington pho
togTaphers. sailed for France on De-
cember ], last. He spent three
months in Europe.
He Got Every One.
He lugged his eight by ten camera
and his other equipment over Europe
for six weeks before he was ready to
fire away and then his batting aver
age was 1.OOO-he got every delegate
to the conference.
Men of all coIors and all nationali-
ties stood before him.
Il told men to raise your chin or
look pleasant now-remember the
war is over in twenty-odd different
languages" Mr. Harris told a Times
representative.
mo, l don't speak all those Ian
guages-I used interpreters. Nearly
all the delegates to the conference
have secretaries who can speak Eng
lish. In fact most Of the delegates
know some English, which, L under
stand. helps a lot in the peace ne
gotiations."
Saw All But wilhelm.
With one exception Mr.. Harris saw
every person Of prominence in Eu-
rope, he says. The exception was
Wilhelm Hohenzolicrn, to whom Mr..
Harris is largely indebted for his
trip. The exception in question is
no" IlNluB IN ItLli tlncnL anu COuiu u
not be seen.
From fist 20 last, Mr.. Harris says.
his most enjoyable experience was
his visit TO Rome and to the Vatican
where he saw the Pope.
He brought TO " NashingtOn and
presented TO each Catholic young wO
man employed by Harris & Ewing a
rosary blessed by the Pope.
While in Italy, he visited Flume,
about which there has been so muCd
discussion at the conference. He
visited Trieste twice anu took an air
flight over the Adriatic sea.
Colonel House Aided Him.
1t was through the good offices of
Colonel House that Mr.. Harris was
able to photograph many Of the dele
gates to the conference.
Colonel House was one of the few
notables in this count y who had not
given US a sitting" Mr.. Harris said.
Il had my doubts about being able
TO land him in Paris.
What was my surprise when Col
onel House asked me what I wanted?'
Il shot him first and when he gave
me his autograph. he said he was
signing it Edward NJ. House. eX-
planning that for the last twenty one
years hc had signed himself f. NJ
House While at the conference il
was necessary to sign the full name,
thus the change. So when he returns
to America, he told me, he will be
Edward VI. House again.
Il found him to be one Of the most
amiabIe and ODliEing men ! have ever
met. | also found him to lie the best
'fixer' in Paris. Just by a word over
the telephone he could bring before
my camera almost anyone l wished"
Mr.. Harris said it is difficult TO say
which Of the two is dominating the
peace confcrence-Presid Wilson
or Colonial House.
Visited Birthplace In Wales.
On his visit TO England, MIR. Harris
made a brief visit TO Wales, and TO
his birthplace there. He left Wales
wnen he was nine years old.
While in Wales he met a cousin. an
officer in the British army. The cou-
sin gave him an officers automatic
pistol, which he took from a German
prisoner. The German, he learned
had taken the weapon from an Amer
lean prisoner. Mr.. Harris brought
the pistol to Washington.
1t began to appear as II he was
going TO miss seeing David Lloyd
George, Mr.. Harris said, but he final