Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-12

kerensky upon his return from the
| front
President Rodziauko took a deep in.
| terest In the project. He introduced
/ inc TO Captain Dementiev, comman-
dant of the Home for Invalids ask
| ing him 10 place a room or two at
my disposal and generally take care
! of me. | went home with the cap
| tain, who presented me TO his wife, a
dear and patriotic woman who soon
became very much attached to me.
The following morning RodZiankn
telephoned, suggesting that before the
matter was hroached TO the War Min.
lister, kerenSky, IL would be wise 10
take II up with the commandment.
chief. General Rruslov. who could
pass upon II from the point OF view
of the army. If he approved of il. It
would be easier 10 obtain karensky' S
permission.
General headquarters were then at
Mughilev and there we went. Captain
Demeutiev and I. to obtain an au.
dence with the commanderin-chief.
We were received by his adjutant on
the 14th of May. He announced our
arrival and purpose to General Brusl.
lov. who had us shown in.
Hardly a week had elapsed since
left the front. and here 7 was again,
ever but in the presence of the COM
mander-in. chief. 1t was such a sud
den metamorphUsiS and I could not
help wondering, deep in my soul. over
the strange ways of fortune. Brusilov
met us with a cordial handshaking.
He was interested in the idea, he said.
wouldn't we sit down? We did
Wouldn't | tell him about myself and
how l conceived the scheme?
I told him about my soldering and
my leaving the front because | could
not reconcile myself to the prevailing
conditions I explained that the pur-
pose Of the plan would .be TO shame
the men in the trenches by having the
women go over the top first The
commander.in.chief then discussed the
matter from various angles with Cap
tain Dementiev and approved of my
idea. He bade us adieu, expressing his
hope for the success of my enterprise,
and. in happy frame OF mind, | left
for Petrograd
Kerensly Grants Audience
Kerensky had returned from the
front. We called up Rodzianko and
told him of the result of our mission.
He informed us that he had already
asked for an audience with kerensky
and that the latter wanted to see him
at o'clock the following morning,
when he would broach the subject TO
him After his call on kerensky
Rodzianko telephoned to tell us that
he had arranged for an audience for
me with kerensky at the Winter
Palace at noon the next day.
Captain Dementiev drove me to the
Winter Palace and few minutes be-
fore Il j was in the ante-charber of
the War Minister. | was surprised to
find General Brusilov there and he
asked me If I came to see kerensky
about the same matter. | replied in
the affirmative. He offered TO support
my idea with the War Minister and
introduced me right there to General
poloytzev, commander Of the Petro-
grad Military District, who was with
him.
Suddenly the door swung open and
a Young face, with eyes intlamed
from sleeplessnesS, beckoned to me to
come in, II was Kerensky, at the
moment the idol of the masses. One
of his arms was in a sling. With the
other he shook my hand. He walked
about nervously and talked briefly and
dryly. He told me that he had heard
about me and was interested in my
idea. I then outlined TO him the pur-
pose of the project, saying that there
would be no committees, but regular
discipline in the battalion OF women.