Evening star., 1927-04-27
Politics at Large
BY C.. Gould Lincoln.

President Coolidge is requested by
John Carter, In letter transmitted
by the editor OF the Forum, to say
whether he is to be a candidate to
succeed himself and also to give his
views on the so-called third term"
tradition. Mr.. Carter is New York
newspaper man. He is only one of
many millions of people who would
like to know whether Mr.. Coolidge
will be a candidate or will decline to
be- Only his declination, 1t is well
recognized, could eliminate Mr..
Coolidge as a candidate of the Re-
publican party for President in 1928
that or a tremendous economic up
heaval in this country. There is no
sign of the latter.
Republicans generally are taking 1t
for granted that the President VIII
not eliminate himself from the 1923
picture. Many of them believe that
he is entitled to reelection on his rec
ord. Many of them believe that he
is by far the easiest man to elect
next year. The last will have an I'M
portant bearing on the nomination.
The head of the national ticket in
presidential year carries TO victory or
to defeat thousands of office holders
and office seekers throughout the
States. This applies to members OF
the Congress, to governors OF states
and to State officers. 1t is not difficult
to understand, therefore, that the
politicians are giving earnest consld-
Grafton to the availability" of the
President or any other candidate
whom they may nominate.
* \ X X
Take the State of Ohio, for example.
Senator Simeon D. Fess, an ardent
supporter of the Coolidge admlnlstra.
ton, is up for reelection next year.
Representative Begg is reported to be
ambitious to become governor. PreSl-
dent Coolidge has been and is very
popular in the Buckeye State. 1t is
no wonder. therefore, that Senator
F'ess and Mr.. Begg should look with
interest, in addition to their general
interest in good government, upon the
denomination of President Coolidge.
Efforts to smoke out President Cool
idge in regard to his 1928 plans are
under way. They have been, in more
or less degree, ever since he was
elected in 1924. It does not appear
now that the President is going to
make an answer to the Carter ques-
tions submitted via the Forum. 1T is
not believed here that the President
will make any definite statement that
he is to be candidate to succeed hlm-
self, If he makes any statement IN
regard to the presidential race next
year it will be to say that he declines
to be a candidate. With few excep-
tions, Republican leaders believe ne
will be a candidate, and are governing
themselves accordingly. Those Repub-
licans who would like to be candidates
themselves, and who for that reason
would like to see the President elim1-
nate himself, are saying nothing pub
licly, though here and there they
privately express the belief that 1t
would be a grave mistake to have any
President in the White House for
longer than the traditional eight-year
maximum. Senator Norris of Nebras-
ka. who does not fall into the cate
gorv of those who are desirious of be-
coming candidates for the Republican
nomination, is one OF the few proml'
nent Republicans who have publicly
raised the so-called third term issue
against the President.
DIR. Nicholas Murray Butler of New
York, who is as wet as Senator Nor
ris is dry" is another. DR.. Butler.
however, has said he believed the
President would take himself out of
the race.
The letter transmitted to the Pres
ident by the editor of the Forum puts
,,,Y,,ohay. nf Cr1nSfioDc aupnnO them
the following:
do you believe that the tradition
of American politics is hostile to
substantive third term in the presi-
dency?
do you believe that Your reelection
would be in harmony with the spirit
of the common law which has given
you your present power?
do you consider that your silence
in no way infringes the dignity of the
presidential office?
"Will you accord the electorate the
leisure to consider whether it may
be called upon to break with the ira
ditions of 140 years of the presidential
office?"
The letter calls attention to the fact
that the Presidents silence is embar-
raising to other possible candidates for
the nomination. If President Coolidge
is to be a candidate at the behest of
his party, that is scarcely a matter
which he would worry about as much
as those who would like to succeed
him.
The request that the President give
his views on the third term" tradi-
ton Is somewhat SuperfiuouS if he is
expected to say that he will be a Candi-
date to succeed himself. He would
scarcely take another term if he be-
lieved that the third term tradition
would be violated If he were reelected.
Many Republicans insist that it would
not be so violated. Furthermore, sup
pose for the sake Of argument, that
the President should step aside in
1928. declare himself out of the race.
He is q comparatively young man, 55
years old next fourth of July. If after
the lapse of four years, the Republi-
cans should again look at him for
leadership, any comment upon the
third term issue made by him now
might be used against him in the fu-
ture. President Roosevelt's declara-
ton that he would not accept another
term immediately after he had been
elected in 1904, is a sufficient lesson,
it would seem, to any man.
X X
William M. Butler, chairman of
the Republican national committee is
securing the West, building up the
party fences for next year. He is ex-
pected to return to Washington
within a few weeks, bringing with
him the information which he has
picked up during his conferences with
party leaders throughout the Middle
West and the West. Incidentally, Mr..
Buffers own political career may be
affected by what he learns. 1t has
been generally supposed that Mr..
Butler will be a candidate for the
Senate next year in Massachusetts
against Senator David I. Walsh,
provided President Coolidge is the
nominee of the party. He has author.