KERENSKY, Alexander Feodorovitch, Russian revolutionary statesman: b. Tashkent, Central Asia, 1881. A lawyer and journalist by profession, a dvoryaneen or "gentleman* in social rank, his early life was a struggle for existence and education. He took a degree at the University of Saint Petersburg and practised in the courts as a "poor man's lawyer.* His ex treme socialistic and republican tendencies, his hatred of autocracy and strong sympathy with the masses prevented him from attracting clients among the higher range of society. Possessed of boundless ambition and a passion ate flow of oratory, he turned to politics and became a member of the Duma. Those who know him best declare that his eloquence met with appreciative response only from the work ing classes. An object of suspicion, his foot steps were continually dogged by secret police; in the summer of 1915 the attention of the au thorities was drawn to the "criminal activity) of Kerensky in inciting the workers to struggle for power and for a constituent assembly. For some unknown reason he was not arrested and sent to Siberia, as thousands of his kind had gone before and for much less transgres sion. The Russian revolution of March 1917
and the fall of the tsar — events for which he had long striven, brought Kerensky to the front. In the first provisional government he was made Minister of Justice. Prince Lvov, the Premier, announced that the Grand Duke Michael would be appointed regent. The Soviet, or Council of Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates, at once demanded a republic, and for an hour or two it seemed as if the new government would dis appear in the horrors of a commune. Kerensky saved the situation by breaking in upon the Soviet meeting and with a short speech led the assembly to pass a resolution in support of the provisional government by a majority of 1,000 to 15. "We shall have our republic," he told them, "but we must first win the war, and then we can do what we will.) The meteoric rise of Kerensky to the supreme power in the em pire, and his dramatic fall and disappearance, are fully recorded under RUSSIAN REvourrimq (q.v.).