Evening star., 1920-12-12
ny WILL r. KENNEDY.

IVY A1b Re MESN ~ hOxs
TN. spite, Of = considsrable urge. to
extend the term sof sthe President
and to make him, insligible for
re-election. it+is now pretty well
assured that no such action will. be
taken BY this or the newly elected
sixty-ssyenth congrsss. There are
today'in Congress-, some Of. the. most
careful students Of the Constitution
in tho entire country. and they have
been consideri for several months
the proposal in the light of. practical
politics and Of tho record of. the pres
ent fixed four-year term. Among
there is Representative s. D. Fess OF
Ohio. who was the campaign manager
who put the republicans in control of
the Sixty-sixth Congress, and again
returned them with unprecedented
majority in the sixty-seventh Con
gress. ~ '-s'-..-. s'At-
These authorities unite in the opin-
ion that the four-year term has well
met the consideration which per-
suaded tho trainers Of the Constitu-
ton to fix . quadrennial election, and
that these, considerations still per-
sist. The argument over the tenure
Of the executive ranged: from annual
election. to life. or during good be-
havior.. e.
The two extremes emphasized the
two schopls ,(1). that which feared too
strons, an executive and, t2, that
which feared too weak. an executive.
Tho first school demanded protection
Of the people from the dangers which
the colonies had. recently escaped.
This guarantee was 10 be lodged In
short terms necessitating easy recall.
The second school demanded protec-
ton from anarchy. which might re-
suit from lack of vigorous tand> PESO
lute government in the maintenance
Of law aud order. .sai <
|. ArBunents Before the Csnventisn.
: Neither of these extremes was pos
sfble. and a compromise was reached.
The Committee, in the constitutional
econteRtfoh after weeks of delibera-
tfons reported the term OF once seven
years. and ineiigibilfty to re-election.
In the conv(ntieni tho discussion dis
[playedstwe leading lines oftreasoning.
Should 1t Be seven years excluding re-
election or a, less period with the way
open for reelection? The argument
against exclusion of the right to re-
election was cast on the following
points: .-s..e..'-sFF-1,s.. ssF.o.
Il. ntsainntssnrsf ixiiauesil1ssnt stswsrd
good behavior. go So I. ~ -
Z. Invited pecuiation IL not usufpa.
ton. = =
.. .Fcofnmunity'si loss Of experienced
public sefvznts. ~ -
4. Possible embarrassment OF the
nation by the loss hf an indispensable
figure I'M q, time sof criHss - I. -
.5.s Interference with the stability OF
Administrations. -, - -
These 4copsiderations oyercame the
lcontention for the denial Of the priv
ilege Of reelection With that priv
ilege agreed upon. seven years was
too long. Four. being the average be-
tween the tenure Of the members OF
the two legislative branches, and with
reelection allowing two terms TO
make up the maximum Of the original
tenure 'decfded upon by.the committee,
was ordered by the. convention.
The. authorities ont the CONSTITUTION
tpoint out that we have had 100 years
| experience under the constitutional
pfovision.s During that time we have
hid thirty -thres' presids sntial elections
and stwenty-four Presidents. OF these
twenty-three were chosen at regular
elections and -four (TyleF.' Fillmore.
Johnson and Arthur who were not
elected. to tie once: OF. the twenty
seven men who were exalted to the
head of the government eleven were
honored by recollection of-the re-
naming sixteen. three (the elder Har-
rison, Taylor and Garfeld) died be-
fore the expiration Of their first term
of Office. Six II. 9. Adams, Polk.
Pierce. Buchanan. Hayes and Arthur)
did not contest for the second term.
Four (van Buren,, Tyler. Fillmore and
Johnson)' were denied the candidacy
of their party for re-election2 Three
| 1.-THE elder Adams, the younger Har-
rison and Taft) were given the nom-
ination by their parties, but were de-
feated in the election. :. !
These facts are cited by the students
Of political history in rebuttal of the
charges of, the proponents for q
change to the longer period. with in
eligibility to reelection.
.vigor resolution and decision. as
1