New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12
Continued from page l

ment," a not very fitting sign IN wei
coming the head of all the armed FORCES
of Russia. But nowhere did l see any
Down with the war" posters.
Kerensky would leave his car receive
the greetings and make speech prac-
tically the same everywhere. Inc e.o-
ouence of Kerensky is peculiar e'o-
ouence. He does not at all descend ~
H. ;II;tsrate audience. He uses 700
r,ory foreign words. He expresses MS
tbougbts too abstractly. In cohse-
orenco Il seems 70 me the exact mean
inc ~ his speeches escapes the vast ma,
;o1itv Of soldiers. But Kerensky Is d
oreaf master at communicating H''
nsvchic state to his audience.
II happened more than once that tne
Iicbt- minded and Indifferent CURIOSITY
of a crowd which poured out 10 eye .hu
new War Minister turned INTO StoIns
ontbusiasm after several phrases
uttered by him. And those phrases
were no demagogical maXmS Ina S
NIGH, appeal TO a poorly educateu
crowd. nor were they alluring ana az
trective promises. Kerensky very ser
dom speaks Of the land that ought 70
mass into the possession OF the peas
ants and never promises a speedy peace
~ ali costs. On the contrary, ne al
T,svs demands discipline, self-sacrince
and realization Of duty. And ne'e'''''
less, his words ignite Ike ire
Leader of Intellectuals
Tho ability 10 raise the crowd above
it's ordinary spiritual state, an apllILy
Characteristic Of all great popular leau-
ers. Kerensky unqueStionaoly pos
sesses. Therein is the main guarantee
of his successes, present and future,
But his power is founded on another
The name of Kerensky is popular not
so much with the dark and Ignorant
soldiers of the rank and tle, VINO are
the easy prey of the first skilled agl-
tator. as with the intellectuals OF the
army. such as the student volunteers
the educated regulars, the medical as
sistants, the lieutenants who have risen
from the peassntry and laborlng class
and, finally, the enormous majority OF
Young officers. In the midst OF these
men Kerensky is adored, almost Wor'
shipped.
The adjutant of Kerensky told me
that the War Minister is somewhat de-
pressed by the ovations continuously
showered upon him. This pomp, TINS
constant. solemn celebration accompa-
nying his daily life and acts, do not
delight him at all He would be more
pleased if his personality provoked less
idolizing.
Such modesty is, of course, praise
worthy. But the laws of human nature
are unalterable. Even when inspired
with an ideal, the crowd always seeks
a hero to idolize. The cult of hero
worship is a human necessity. keren,
sky unwittingly became the subject OF
such a cult. The people who found II
difficult TO subscribe to one or the
other Of the many faiths now preached
among US find In the living and con-
crete figure of Kerensky the realization
Of their hopes and aspirations. And
this gives him such power as no other
man in Russia has possessed since the
revolution.
Escaped Multitude
In Riga Kerensky played trick, II
one may say so, on his followers. Au'
tomobiles were waiting for the minis
ter and his suite at the main entrance
of the railroad station. But he made
use of a side exit, and thereby created
considerable confusion and disorder IN
the multitude that poured out TO meet
him.
Only three cars were allowed to pro-
coed TO the fighting line simultaneously,
for a large number of them might at
tract the attention of the enemy's ar
tillery. In the first car were the presi-
dents of the soldiers and officers COM
mittees. In the second, some distance
behind. we're Kerensky and Generals
Radko-Dmitrieff and Dragomirof. The
writer was one of the passengers Of the
last car.
About US, on both sides Of the road
stretched the usual panorama of the
immediate rear-barracks for the
wounded belonging TO the Red Cross
two-wheeled carts concealed from the
German airmen by a layer OF green
branches, fields ploughed up to the very
trenches, and an inn wrecked by the
foes guns.
Our cars stop. Kerensky at his usual
pace, races toward the communication
trench. The number OF his followers il
growing. The commanders Of the corps
of the division, members of the staff
have Joined US now. Soldiers are run
ming toward Us from all directions. In
vain does General Radko -Dmitrieff plead
with them to dispense in order not tC
attract the Germans attention. They
retreat a little, then surge forward
again close TO Kerensky, and stare a.
him with eager, pressing scrutiny.
Weighs Soldiers Helmet
One soldier wears a helmet of French
appearance. Kerensky is interested ir
the helmet. He takes it off the soldier
and weighs it in his hand.
Heavy, isn't ?" he inquiries.
"No, not at all, your :" The sol
der hesitates, not knowing how to ad.
dress this strange visitor in the
trenches, whom everybody is honoring
90 much. at is very light indeed, Sin
General"
81 am not a general, but q comrade,
corrects Kerensky.
The soldiers features melt into a
confused smile. He carefully takes his
helmet from the War Minister'S hands
a. if it were a very fragile and precious
thing, and for a long while dares not
to put it on his head.
Deeper and deeper do we penetrate
into the communication trench. We
zigzag along a narrow corridor Of earth
Finally there is a stop. You cannot GO
further. Only barrier of barbed wire
separates US from No Mans Land.
Kerensky and General Dmitrieft
mount 70 the top Of the breastwork.
"But pray, general, where is the
enemy"
Fright there, you see, in front Of the
rnnds nhnnt q thousand feet AWAY