KERENSKY AT THE FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1917, Page 2

KERENSKY AT THE FRONT.

REMARKABLE SCENES. A newspaper correspondent who accompanied Alexander Kerensky on liis visit to the south-western front in June gives some vivid pictures of the remarkable scenes which took place during the tour. In the course of a day the popular War Minister, with whom was General BrusilolT, addressed meetings with an aggregate attendance of some hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and everywhere he left his auditors boiling with enthusiasm. In nearly every ease Kerensky and the Commander-in-Chief (since resigned) were carried back to their car on the shoulders of the troops. One of tho Trans-Amur regiments "paraded with red Hags, dn which was'the inscription "Down with the. war:' and a picture of hands clasped in friendship. Without giving the usual greeting, Kerensky called out the regimental committee and commander, and sternly asked: "What is the meaning of these flags?" He was told that the regiment desired a speedy peace, as it was sick of the war, and also a new commander. To this the Minister replied: "You desire (ho conclusion of peace; but don't you know that such a peace now would mean disgrace to Russia and death to freedom? It is not Sukhomlinoff velio tells you this, but I, Kerensky, 1 am ashaftied to find such a regiment in the Russian army." The committeemen were much chagrined by this severe dressing-down, and the soldiers In the first ranks raised the cries "Shame!" "Away with the flags!" The pacifist inscriptions at once disappeared, and Kerensky, turning to the regiment, said: "If you receive the commandler s' ol ' wish for, will you give mo your word of honor that your regiment will be«ome the bravest on the south-western frcnt, and always go first of all into <the attack?" The reply came back from hundreds of throats: "We give it! We give it!" The Minister then addressed himself to General Brusiloff: "Comman-der-in-Chief, I give my word that at your first command this regiment will go into battle in front of all the others. Comrades" (he continued, turning once more to the soldiers), "I have given m> word for you, and you will not make it a falsehood." "We will not. Hurrah!" was the response. "Then," said the Minister, "we will be reconciled again," in token of which he kissed the chairman of itlie regimental committee,