Invaluable

Said Former President Alexander Kerensky (at Prague), he whom the Bolsheviki threw out of power in 1917 after he, in his turn, had cast out the Romanovs: "I approve recent wholesale de jure recognition of Soviet Russia. All democratic states, even though disagreeing with Russian Communism, will be well advised to have authorized representatives at Moscow to protect their interests, if these should be violated by Bolshevik principles."

Vicente Blasco Ibanez, Spanish novelist, describes Kerensky thus: Slender, exotic, interesting, and of an original ugliness--"ugly as only Russians are ugly."

Kerensky is a moody man; he broods and broods for hours on end, "with his yellow-green eyes half closed." Then, suddenly, something snaps within him, "an enthusiasm stirs his deep spiritual organism," his face changes, his forehead "grows higher and broader," the yellow-green eyes flash--the man speaks. Once Kerensky spoke for twelve hours without stopping. Senor Ibanez, after seeing him, thought he could speak for 24 hours and not be in the least affected. Said he: "The Russian has a mouth like a codfish . . . and a voice like a cross between a megaphone and a trombone."

As for his political importance, that was well summed up in 1922, since when it has not changed. Wax figures of certain internationally known people were auctioned in Berlin. The ex-Kaiser fetched 15,000 marks; Poincare, 10,050 marks; Joffre, 600 marks; Kerensky, 1 paper ruble.*

*The ruble was at the date quoted at a figure far below the mark.