The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-11-29
SINGLE TERM FOR
. PRESIDENT AGAIN
BEING DISCUSSED
Many Leaders in Both Parties
Said to Favor Legislation
Limiting Term Of Chief Ex-
eCutive to Four Years.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial CORE spondent Of The News
Scimtsr.)


WASHINGTON, Nov 29.-The
age old question OF whether presi-
dents of the United States should
have a single term Is up again. Just
eight years ago it was raised in con-
gress when Woodrow Wilson was
presi lent -elect, and he wrote let
ter to A. Mitchell Palmer then chair
man of the Democratic caucus in the
house of representatives saying four
years was often too short time to
complete an administration program
and that often it was too long a
period to keep an incompetent ex-
tecutive, and that the people them
selves We're the best judges,
Now, however, the question has
arisen in connection with the selec-
ton of a cabinet by President elect
Harding. There seems to be two
definite lines of thought---one that
Mr.. Harding ought to select men who
will be of benefit to him in case he
has made a record emitting him to
second term and the other Is that
he ought to select men for has cabi-
net whose own ambitions would give
birth to political intrigue or an in
ordinate desire for the limelight on
the part of the would-be candidates
for the 1924 nomination.
Senator Hiram johnson may raise
the question when he revives the
whole subject of choosing presidents
by preferential primaries He is de-
termined to get legislation that will
put an end to the methods by which
the political conventions of both
parties operated in 1920.
Lowden for One Term.
Incidentally Gov Lowden of Illi-
nois pledged himself to be a single
term president in the event that he
were nominated at Chicago and the
idea gained considerable support be-
cause of his advocacy of 1t. Also
it can now be told that Gov. Cox
was In complete sympathy with the
proposal and was ready to put 1t in |
his speech of acceptance, but was |
dissuaded at the last moment by |
Democratic leaders who argued that |
such declaration should not be per- |
sonal. but should be embodied In a |
constitutional amendment and would |
come with better grace after cleo |
ton than before. This proposal by |
which Gov. Cox planned to limit |
himself to a single term in the event |
of election constituted the mysteri-
GUS insert which was to have been !
telegraphed to newspapers through |
out the country as an addition to
the copies of the speech of accept
ance which already had been printed |
and mailed, In support Of the pro-
posal, there were others in the DEM
ocratic fold who believed an an
nouncement of the sngle-term |
pledge would bring enthusiastic CO.
operation from Democrats who were
themselves potential candidates for |
the presidency. The theory was that
the would-be candidate had nothing |
to gain from Cox's victory because
he would naturally be the nominee
for a. second term, whereas in the
event Of Harding victory. there
would be an open contest for the
Democratic nomination In 1924. New
ertheless, the plan was abandoned |
and was never referred to again dur
ing the campaign.
Harding Not Ambitious.
As for Senator Harding the ques-
don Of second term enters into
many discussion of the policies OF
the next administration. Nobody is
attrtbuting to the president elect a
desire for a second term for anybody
who knows Warren Harding we'll
would never characterize him as an
ambitious man. He is much more
concerned with making good in the
and letting the future take care of
itself.
Nevertheless, the politicians who
think they are going to have a good
deal to say about the next admins
tration are already laying lines for
the retention of control after the
first term shall have been ended.
One man who is close to Senator
Harding said he felt sure there
h. Ttvnr |
that 1t would be only to ignore politi-
cal traditions or opportunity by TAX
ing any other course after the Re
publican party had been cooling its
heels outside the White House for
eight long years. Delegates to ma
tional conventions as rule are either
federal officeholders or former fed
eral officeholders. The nomination
of william Howard TAFT in 1908 was
accomplished because the federal Of
ficeholders under President Roosevelt
were advised to choose Taft The
denomination Of Mr. Taft in 1912 was
possible because the federal office
holders and the existent Republican |
organization were dominant in the
regular convention President Will Ii
son had no difficulty getting a re-
nomination in 1915, and If he had said
the word he could have selected the II
tpthlDtIdLlC HuLllleG lUlS year. Inc I
MeAdoo and Palmer forces consti-
tuting two-thirds of the Democratic
delegates were largely federal office r
holders or their friends.
Can Have Nomination.
Warren Harding can easily get a
denomination in 1924 II he makes ,
even fair record in the presidency,
as the officeholding machinery is all ,
powerful at national convention |
Senator Hira'n JC lson intends to
put a stop 10 this influence in
national politics. But it would not be
surprising to find Senator Harding
himself eliminating the personal is
sue from consideration by making a | '
single term pledge similar to that | ,
which Gov Lowden Of Illinois gave II
to Republican leaders at Chicago. ,
There are those who think Senator |
Harding would got along much bet !
Ter with Hiram Johnson and have !
much less trouble II the question of |
single term for the presidency were |
disposed of 50 that the California |
senator would feel that he had an |
equal opportunity to win the nomna-
tlon in 1924, This is one phase of
cabinet making and organization |
planning which Mr., Harding will find
70 necessary a. settle when he gets
back to Marion
Copyright 1920, by David Law