Evening star., 1927-03-13
KERENSKY SEES REVOLT IN RUSSIA IMMINENT
THROUGH UPFIEAVAL OF PEASANTS FOR FREEDOM
Says Democratic Instincts
Will Lead Country Along
Paths of America.
Calls Bolshevism Child's Ill.
ness. but Improvement
Over Czarists.
BY ALEXANDER KERENsKY.


Ten years ago in Petrograd-the
day was cold and dreary-in the
morning / led into the Duma a de-
tachment of the Imperial Guards, who
had risen against the power of the
Car. At the same moment the en-
tire country united in one common
urge for freedom. And the miracle
of the revolution became a fact.
Those who did not witness the
events as they developed at that time
can hardly believe with what light
ming like rapidity in the course of
three or four days there was wiped
off the face Of the earth the entire old
governmental and administrative ap-
paratus.
Amidst the play of tempestuous ele-
mental forces of revolution, and at a
time when the country was surround
ed by the bayonets of enemy armies.
the new Russia, the revolutionary
government, had to build new DEM
ocratic state, founded upon the prin.
ciples Of liberty of the individual and
of social justice.
Fell Into Abyss.
This gigantic task could not. of
course, be performed with the same
miraculous ease with which the de-
struction of the old regime was ac-
complished The Russian people, hav-
ing taken the tremendous fight up
ward, fell with equal lightning-like
speed into the abyss of the greatest
suffering, as II has happened more
than once in history.
For us to live today, the tragedy
of this change is hard to bear. But
the pace of history is not measured in
terms of human suffering and tears.
The significance of Russian tragedy
is not, however, in that the blossoms
of liberty were so quickly destroyed
by the sharp frost which followed.
It lies in the fact that the March rev.
olution has forever swept clean the
Russian land of hereditary absolu-
ton and has sown in the Russian
land the seed of liberty.
Bolshevism is a horrible caricature
of the old regime. But it does not
have any age-long roots lodging deep
of the people.
Gave Peasants Land.
The March revolution gave the land
to the peasants; it destroyed once and
for all the power of landlordism.
The March revolution liberated la
Dor and made 1t an independent and
conscious political force, thereby
rendering impossible the old system
of relations between those who buy
and those who sell labor.
The March revolution transformed
the people of Russia from subjects
into citizens, and gave to every citl-
zen a sum of political rights. Ana
this new consciousness of free human
beings will eventually explode the
nrrsr1 NIB n
has once more turned Russia into an
object of despotisrn.
The March revolution gave equal
rights to all the nationalities enter.
ing into the composition of Russia
And this newly established principle
of federal organization of the state
will never be effaced from RassiasS his
tory. r
Bolsheyism Has Crippled.
Bolshevism has crippled and per-
verted all the fundamental principles
of the greatest Of political and social
revolutions in history. But 1t has not
destroyed them. Thev rest and are
being preserved in the soul and mind
of the people-just as the forces OF
life maintain themselves and continue
to develop in a growing but yet I'M
mature organism.
Bolshevism is a child's illness in
the growth of Russian freedom.
/ have been following closely from
day to day all that is happening in
Russia under Bolshevism. see quite
clearly the symptoms of the social
and economic resurrection of Russia.
And see the reawakening of the po-
litical activity of the masses in the
struggle for liberty.
The paths Of Russia are peculiar.
But In the final analysis she is ad-
vancing by the same roads which
were traversed by the peoples OF the
west, who have had a greater expe-
rience in democracy. This must be
taken into Consideration by foreign
ers. Those who mistake the tempo
rary weakness of my country for the
weakness of senility are making
very grave mistake.
Likes Sword Rafting.
The consequences of the March revo-
luton in their effect upon internation-
al relations will be no less profound
and significant than upon the inner
life of Russia herself This was real.
ized by President Wilson in almost
genius-like fashion when he declared
that only the Russian revolution made
III DOSSlUlG 1OI bitC CAAAtSA 0k0SSS ~
aba ndon its neutrality. And 1t is no
mere accident that the famous Ia
points of woodrow Wilson found their
first expression in the declarations and
notes of the provisional government
of free Russia.
Just now, under the Bolsheviki, Rus
sia has become once again, as before
the revolution, the symbol of revived
n1ilitarism to some people and to 9TH
ers the tempting prey OF easy con
quest. Red Moscow likes to rattle the
sword. only to retreat without any
sense of dignity and self-respect before
the admonitions and threats or Tor
eign powers.
The world will have no peace as
long as centers of absolutism will con
tinue to exist in Europe, for govern
ment which is inimicai to its own peo,
pie always lives by war or threats OF
war. Therefore, in striving to turn
Russia back to the paths which Were
opened to her in March, 1917, to the
paths of social and political democ
racy and international peace. we Rus
sian democrats are as uncompromls
ing In our revolutionary attitude
toward Bolshevism as we were toward