The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-05-16
Is Coolidge A Candidate?

believing that the trainers of the Constitu-
ton acted wisely in providing after long and care
full deberation, that the term of the President
should be for the period of four years, and that the
unwritten law which prohibits any person to hold
that Office third term should be made part of
the written Constitution, do respectfully petition
that during the present session you win submit to
the States for their action joint resolution pro-
posing to amend Article II of the Constitution as
to provide that:
"No person who has held the Office of president
for two terms, or for any of two terms, whether
consecutive or otherwise, shall thereafter be eligible
to be chosen to the Office of president vice
president"
Michael J. O'Shea of Worcester, Mass. says he
has one of the original copies of the above petition
which was submitted to congress in 1912
And on his copy he says is the signature of
Calvin Coolidge
This is important if true. Not meaning, of
course to impugn Mr. O'Sheas credibility as a
witness; but he himself, recognizes that his state
ment might be doubted, for he has promised to
produce the original petition bearing the Coolidge
signature. Furthermore, questions on the subject
have been asked at the White House and have met
with silence So there does remain some doubt
that Coolidge forgot his customary caution back
in 1912 and completely committed himself on this
third term question.
Should the signature be produced some of
are going to be rather we'll pleased. Some of us
have never found it possible to believe that Calvin
Coolidge actually proposes to offer himself for an
other term as president. We haven't read his
nof nav 70 In
tends merely to have an important part in choos
ing the next Republican nominee and that he is
keeping silent as means Of Strengthening MS
1and to that end.
When Coolidge signed that petition-if he did
if was part of an effort to foresta the nomination
OF Theodore Roosevelt for third term But note
the petitions language The signers were not con-
cerned solely with what seemed the danger OF the
moment but with principle that reached much
further They proposed that the Constitution of the
Inite1 States should be amended that again
could anybody possibly make third term race
That. it is said, was the Coolidge of LELAND
we believe il was We believe it is the Coolidge or
today, likewise.
Coolidge If he thought Roosevelt should not
aspire to third term after the latter was out OF
Office and out of control of the party machinery
with which to renominate himself, certainly would
been lsooo0'OA"
latter had had his third term ambition while still
in the White House. The distinction is extremely
important
Roosevelt pointed it out. The third term trad
ton. he said was aimed to prevent any president In
office from using the great powers of his position
TO perpetuate his tenure. After four years out OF
office said Roosevelt the President had lost control
of the party machinery and no longer had any
unfair advantage
Coolidge, it seems, felt that even so the third
term should not be permitted. Somehow we've an
idea he hasn't changed his mind and, in due time,
will make known this fact