KERENSKY, ALEXANDER, a Rus sian statesman. Born at Simbirsk where his father sent him to school. La ter he studied law at the University of Petrograd and became after his gradua tion commissioner of oaths at Petrograd. In his practice of law in the Russian courts he championed the cause of those accused of violating the autocratic rules of the bureaucracy. This local popu larity made him a member of the Fourth Duma of 1916. As a member of the Duma he associated with the small La bor following and became their leader. When in March 1917 the Czar abdicated Prince L.vo.ff hoped to win the support of the Socialists for his new government hy giving Kerensky the post of Min ister of Justice. The extreme socialists continuing their attacks upon the new government and their propaganda being especially harmful in the Army, Keren sky was appointed to the difficult and trying post of Minister of War. During May and June he worked with almost incredible energy, making speeches by the score appealing to the workers not to allow the Germans to conquer their coun try. His efforts resulted in an offen
sive movement by the Russians in Ga licia on July 1, 1917, which for a time promised to restore the broken morale of the Army. But the change was only passing and the former soldiers of the Czar broke into a disgraceful rout within a few weeks. This failure caused a new change in the government at Petro grad; Kerensky, the compromise be tween the extreme socialists and the "cadets," becoming. Premier. In spite of his efforts to revive Russia's fighting spirit the Bolsheviki gained perceptibly in popular favor largely because they demanded immediate peace. The down fall of the new government was hastened by the attempt of General Korniloff, a Russian of the Czar's regime, to seize the power. Although Kerensky was able to frustrate this aim of his he did it only by the active aid of the Bolsheviki, and thereby proved his dependence upon them. They were not slow to push their advantage and on Nov. 9, 1917 drove Kerensky from power and from Russia.