Evening star., 1927-05-09
Third Term Query Furnishes
Basis for Extensive Comment

! An open letter addressed to Presi.
| dent Coolidge by the editor of the
| Forum, asking the Executives views
and intentions concerning the third
term in the Presidency, brought no
answer from the White House. but it
| furnished the basis for extensive edi-
| torial comment in which opinions diff
| fered widely. both on the propriety of
addressing such a query to the Presi-
dent and on the t1ird-term issue itself
IF the President is required to re-
spond to every such set of questions
as may be directed to him." says the
Charleston Evening Post independent
Democratic), 'he would be upon the
public witness stand almost constant
". AS to the third term issue, should
Mr.. Coolidge he candidate again
next year. it is hardly likely to play
very serious part in determining the
contest for the Presidency.
The sentiment against the third term
has been greatly weakened and it
would be almost negligible in the case
of Mr.. Coolidge. Something more eff
fective than that will have to be
found to urge against his reelection"
1T is futile TO try to force the is
sue" in the opinion of the Pittsburgh
Gazette Times Republican,, which
observes that the public is showing
very little concern about the 1928
election" The Chicago Daily News
independently advises that ''impa-
tient patriots who think the President
should declare his intentions imme-
diately might properly consent to give
him the Summer for reflection, since
he has shown no disposition to crowd
possible rivals out of the picture"
The Racine Journal-News CRepub-
lican) feels sure that "he will know
best If the mess of another presiden-
tial campaign is for him.
X n
''If Mr.. Coolidge believes that he
will have more power with his party
and more influence with Congress by
saying nothing about the third term"
according to the New York Times lin
dependent Democratic). then he is
justified as a political leader in keep
ing still about it, Somewhat similar
views are offered by the Topeka Daily
Capital Republican) and the Spring
field Union tRepublican). The Yaa<{Na
Daily Republic (Republican detia{es:
IF Coolidge is renominated, iE VII
be because the Republican party
wants his services continued. If he is
reelected, it will be because a ma jor-
ity of the voters do not wish to make
change. There will be no for
midible obstacle in the 'third-term'
factor
His interrogation has a good deal
to say about traditions" remarks the
Cincinnati Times-Star (Republican),
yet fiagrantly violates an entirely
valid one. The tradition has it that
s.-k-
dents shall be spared impertinences
such as this, and shall choose their
own time and topic in communicate J
ing their views to the country either |
or through messages to Con- (,
gress."
In opposition. to the third term. the |
ST Louis Post-Dispatch independently |
contends that "once we inaugurate |
President for the third time, even |
though he has served but one and a |
fraction terms, the injunction against |
the third term will have been morally |
which, as 1t is recalled, |
Senator Norris once said would be J
ION the way to monarchy" The |
Brooklyn Daily Eagle independent |
Democratic) asks: "Why should there
be any avoidance of the issue? Why /
should the advocates of removing the |
lrIuIS Ililllt IlOl WcICOiIlcs anu tI1efn-
selves ask, the views of the President |
on the subject?"
Now IL the President will take the |
American people into his confidence
with the same readiness and frank
ness which was displayed by Gov
Smith," suggests the Davenport
Democrat Democratic). I'VE may have
the matter of the third term reduced
To the same plain terms as we have
the matter OF religious tolerance in re-