The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1917. RUSSIA'S MAN OF THE HOUR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3139, 18 July 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1917. RUSSIA'S MAN OF THE HOUR

In critical times in a nation's history an unknown man or an unlikely man is brought suddenly to tne iront and becomes a commanding persop&lity, to whom the people look for. guidance. A few years ago iU'h. Lloyd George, in the oyes ot people of affluence and influence, was httle better than a dangerous demagogue, and to-day thero is no ni&n in Britain more trusted or more readily obeyed; his speeches arc 'half battles," and his actions whole battles. In Greeco in recent months most influential journalists have written to leading Amorican papers that Venizelos was an utterly impossible leader, and to-day the Greek peoplo and tho Greek Army hail him as a kind of uncrowned King. Russia to-day, torn with revolution, is sadly in need of a forceful and commanding personality, and such a need has been met in the rise to power and leadership of Alexander Kerenski, Minister of War in the Russian Provisional Government. Three weeks ago the Russian Army as a fighting machine seemed completely broken down. It is now reported that at that time Kerenski informed the United States that early in July tho Russian Army would be on the war-path again. He has been as good as his word. A terrific Russian drive towards Lembcrg is under way, a number of positions have been captured, and ovor 35,000 prisoners taken., • A New York cable message stated that this offensive is the climax of Kerenski's long campaign ,"of iron-handed discipline. Kerenski may stand out as the greatest statesman and general of Europe." This seemingly extravagant praise is fitted to excite tho curiosity of tho average reader regarding the past history of the man, and especially of his place in the! Russian Revolution. One of the first full, clear, and trustworthy accounts of tho Revolution came to hand the other day from the United States. Tho New York Times of May 27 devoted fourteen columns of its space to reprinting a most important historic document written by Dr. Christian Lanoe, of Norway, at the request of tho Director of one of the Divisions of tho Oarnegio Endowment. Dr. Lange was asked to report on tho "political, economic, and military" conritions of Russia, and he. began his work on-March 17, two days after the abdication ■ of the Tsar. Within less than two months his report, : extending to- 14,000 words, reached the United States, and was given to the New York Times for publication. It is a remarkably able piece of contemporary history, written on tho spot uy a man who got to know personally Kerenski and tho other leaders of tho Revolution. For Kerenski, Dr. Lange indulges almost in hero worship. Ho writes:— He has been the link between the bourgeois Duma and tho »Soldiers and Workmen's Delegates. Through his unique eloquence and moral courage he has been able to exert an enormous influence during.these first difficult weeks, and tho continued success of the revolution will to a very largo extent, dopend on his personal authority. . . He is sitting in the new Government as tho representative, but at the 6ame time us the hostage, of democracy. It would be most difficult to find a substitute, and every well-wisher for Kiissia will hope and pray that 'he may be spared for the great mission awaiting him. He made an extraordinary impression on liio during my conversation with him: a soul of tire, 6incero, and truthful to himself, at the same time of powerful intelligence and a born leader. His powers of work are said to bo extraordinary.

There are some things in this description that remind one of Lloyd Geoliqe, but he is twenty years younger, being only thirtyfive. But he is crippled with disease, and long years of service may not be given him. His life has been full of difficulties overcome He was bc-rn far away in Tashkent, in. Eussian Turkestan. He was no child of affluence, and he had to Btrugglo for an education at a university. Ho studied for the law, and in his practice becanio an onergctic defender of opprcscd workmen, peasants, and Jews. Four years ago he became a member of. tho Duma. As a member of the Duma, Kerenski fearlessly denounced the corruption and pro-Germanism, of the Tsar's Government, and ho turned the searchlight on the wholesale dishonesty of officials wbp purchased supplies for the Armyi. Before tho Revolution ho had b/icome a marked man to the lovers of despotism and corruption, and it was only his membership of the Duma that saved him from ruin. At the beginning of the Involution, when the Tsar ordered tho Duma to dissolve, Kerenski rose in his place and said, "We will not gO. We will stay hero." Kerenski from that time found bis right jflace as the 'man of the hour, tho commanding figure in a Russia of a "new era. Dr. Lanor writes that the rise of Kerenski and his fellow-revolution-ists to power has saved Russia. Tsar Nicholas, ho pofints out, had his oril fioniua in feja .Offlrmanj witeM

and his pro-German advisers. His evil Government had planned to stop tho transport of food to tho capital; force a starved populace to riot and plunder, then find in the insurrection they had thus created a pretext for closing tho Duma and for setting up an absolutely despotio method of ruling the people; and the next step would bo a separate peace. A separate peace thus made to the order of tho Kaiser would mean no true peace to the world. It would singly have meant an indefinite prolonging of the war. Tho Revolution which was forced on and others by . a semir.temented Tsar has disorganised tho Army for a time. That is an evil, but it is an infinitely smaller evil than a sham peace, engineered by Germany, which would havo 'left the Near East door wido open to the Kaiser, with his lust for Empire expansion. It is well for Britain and her Allies that Kbrenski is the "man of the hour" in Russia of today. And it is not surprising that we should bo told of tho desperate efforts that are being mado by Germany to get rid of him, even as a last resort turning to systematic efforts at assassination.