Evening star., 1927-04-20
Continued from First Page,)

| LhlrQ term IN the w Hll6 I1OusS, - He
question arose again in 1912, when
Col. Roosevelt dramatically cast his
hat in the ring. He, too, had been a
military chieftain. He had served
only seven months less than two full
| terms. His defeat in the convention
resulted, however, not so much from
! the fact that otherwise Washington 6
| Injunction would have been ignored as
| from the contention that President
| Taft deserved a second term. There
was deep and earnest feeling against
| his nomination then that would have
vanished by 1915 if in 1912 he had
supported Taft. AS it was, he re.
ceived an enormous popular vote.
| Clearly. the surviving supporters OF
| Col. Roosevelt who held that the third
term precedents would not have been
| discredited If they had won in 1912
would not hold differently II Mr.. Cool.
idge were to run again.
What constitutes a term? My
friend President Butler contends that
when a man takes the oath that is ad-
nlinistered to a. President he is on the
threshold of term, and that when he
takes the oath second time he Is en-
tering a second term. 1t then follows
that Mr.. Coolidge is in his second
term. Clause 1 of section ] of article
] l of the Constitution defines n term
differently. 1t provides that the ex-
ecutiVe power shall be vested in a
President of the United States OF
America. He shall hold his Office dur
ing the term of four years Under
DR.. Buffers Interpretation a Vice
President who is elected President In
November and succeeds to the Presi.
dency unexpectedly on February IS,
serving four days as President before
entering upon his elective term, would
be barred from serving as President
for more than S69 days. Under that
Interpretation every citizen with the
exception of Mr.. Coolidge is eligible
to serve as the Chief Magistrate for
730 days; Mr.. Coolidge being limited
to 577 days. think President Buffers
definition of term is in conflict with
the Constitution, which provides for
the term of four years
Served Only 10 Months.
CAS- matter OF fact. Mr. Coolidge
served only one year and seven
months to complete Mr.. Harding s
term. He continued his predecessor s
policies undeviatingly and his per-
sonnel almost without exception. He
was, in truth, Mr.. Harding's faith
full official administrator. Conse.
quently there apparently is little
Popular support for the contention
that Mr.. Coolidge's short term as Vice
President should count as part of
his term as President To hold other
wise would be to say that because
John Adams served two terms as
Vice President with Washington, he
really was President IL years: and in
Tel - 1,A
credited with IL years as President
because he served four years as Vice
President with Adams. Washington
wisely refrained from a third term.
When he made the decision he was
10 years older than President Coolidge
is today. But, in all Common sense,
the form rather than the substance
of the idea of President combining
himself to two terms should not be
allowed to degenerate into mere
fetch. Except for age or disability
President should not be ineligible to
a second elective term. Washington,
Jefferson, Madison and Wilson were
each so when elected the second time.
Monroe was 81 and Mckinley 57.
When the convention of 1928 meets
President Coolidge will be only 55,
Speaker Longworth will be So. Vice
President Dawes will be So, John c..
Tilson will be 81, ex-Gov. Lowden will
be 66, Senator Curtis will be 6s, Judge
Hughes will be 65. Physical vigor Is
as important in the presidency as
mental and moral equipment.
THE people know that Mr.. Coolidge
would be the last of the men in public
life to yield to any departure from the
structure OF government designed by
the founding fathers. They have no
fear that he would abuse a trust or
be corrupted by power, however long
he might be invested with either. The
abandonment by him Of any part of
our form of government or his
apostacy from Republicanism is un-
thinkable.
IF Mr.. Coolidge had served for the
practical equivalent Of two terms, our
devotion to tradition might make a
candidacy for further service of doubt
full propriety; but ii would be proof of
idolatrous devotion to tradition to at.
tack him after less than six years of
service, during only four of which he
served in his own right. 1t would be
a foolish taboo. If his opponents
should be reduced to that specious
contention it would be evidence of the
fact that his record is unassailable.
1t is my observation that our people
do not fear a fetch, and that they do
not think the third-term rule applies
In the case of Mr.. Coolidge"
Urges "Rule of Reason"
The reply OF Mrs. Charles II. Sabin,
also of New York. insists that a rule
of reason" is necessary today. and
that the third-term tradition should
not apply, even IL 1t existed in the
case of Mr.. Coolidge. She says:
I'm my judgment, another term Of
office for President Coolidge would not
constitute third term Is the phrase
is generally understood.
'I think the rule should apply only
to third elective term, unless a Vice
President should assume the ONCE of
President so soon after the inaugura.
tion as to control the course and ap-
pointments of the administration.
Whatever the intention or interpreta-
tion of the 'third-term' rule may have
been 130 years ago, in modern times
a rule of reason is demanded.
No Fear Of Dictatorship.
President Coolidge in his first term
merely carried out President Hard
ing's plans and policies, 1t cannot be
said that the country would be afraid
that one of President Coolidge's tenn.
perament would acquire habit Of be-
ing President or that there would be
danger that he might become a die
tator. II there were other valid rea.
sons for objecting to a further terTp.
the third term might be used in addi-
ton to the others, but it is unreason.
able to use 1t as the sole objection.
1t might be thought that an election
for a longer period than two terms
might create a precedent, but / feel
sure the people can be trusted in the
future to judge, on its merits, any sim.
liar case, If one should arise.
In the case Of President Coolidge
do not believe the 'third.term' issue
would be a serious obstacle either to
his denomination or reelection.
President Coolidge would be the
logical candidate IL the convention
were in session today. Every one has