Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-11
BECK RESOLUTION
s.. OPPOSES TERM
House Asked to Go on Record
Against, But Vote Is Held
"a. Unlikely.

The House is asked to so on record
in opposition to another term TOT
President Coolidge in resolutioh
offered yesterday by Representative
Joseph u. Beck of Wisconsin, IN
surgent Republican.
while Mr.. Beck's resolution does
not mention the President by name
but merely calls upon the House 10
express its approval of the precedent
established by Washington ana olheI
Presidents. which calls for retlremeh.
from office after their second term
ii is offered at this time TO raise
the "third-term issue against MT
Coolidge.
Little Prospect of Vote.
This is made clear in a statement
issued by Mr.. Beck. II comes on
the heels Of the speech IN New YORK
by DR.. Nicholas Murray Butter. Ia
which DR.. Butler expressed the oplh-
ion that the President would nor
he candidate to succeed hllhsel'
There seems little prospect OF vote
on the resolution in the House a
similar resolution may be intro
duced in the Senate.
The Beck resolution Is idenucai
sentative Springer, Democrat, of Hi
nois, in 1875, when President Grant
was rounding out two terms and
when il appeared likely he would
he the choice of the Republicans for
the nomination for third term. Inc
Springer resolution was adopted
Overwhelmingly at that time.
In support of his resolution, Mr..
Beck said, in a statement:
For 140 years, the Chief Executives
OF this nation, Federalists, Democrats
Wings and Republicans, have un1orm-
Nv observed the tradition of retiring at
the end of two terms ia the Whlte
House The Father of His Country set
This wise nrecedent by announcing in
his farewell address that he would not
accept a third term. Jefferson, Madl-
son, Monroe, Jackson, Cleveland and
Wilson kept faith with the unwritten
law of the Republic, retiring at the
end Of two terms to resume their
respective stations in the ranks OF
private citizenship.
Names Grant and Roosevelt.
ITO this number of our great Presi-
dents who observed the precedent set
by Washington. in retiring at the emu
of their second term, may be added
Grant and Roosevelt, for neither OF
them sought more than two terms or
continuous incumbency of the presi-
Dental office. It is true that later
both Grant and Roosevelt sought third
terms, but in each case another term
had interviewed since retirement TO
private life.
Neither Grant nor Roosevelt IS just
" chargeable in history with seeking
as an active candidate to secure re-
nomination for a period beyond the
traditional two terms through use of
the enormous power, patronage and
influence of the presidential Office. But
even the attempt to gain third term
after an interim of private life had
interviewed was frowned upon by the
Republican party and by the American
people in 1880 and 1912. Both Grant
and Roosevelt were defeated for the
Republican nomination when they
sought third term as private citi-
gems.
Numerous statements have appear
ed in the press in recent months ad-
vancing the argument that since the
present occupant of the White House
will have served only six years on
March 4, 1929, the third-term tradi-
ton should not be raised as a bar to
his reelection in 1928.
Opposes Another Term.
"The complete answer to this argu-
ment is found in this indisputable
fact-if reelected in 1928, President
Coolidge will serve until March 4,
1888, or 10 years from the time he
first took the oath of Office and as
sumei the presidency in August, 1928,
His reelection would destroy the
third term tradition Of 140 years
standing as completely as If it had
never existed. He would occupy the
first office in our governmental es-
tablishment, clothed with two years
longer than have ever attached to
ii in all our history, two years longer
than the nine Presidents who have
heretofore served two terms, and
more than twice as long as 10 other
Presidents who have served single
terms.
when President Coolidge completes
his second term of Office, March T.
1929, he will have served six years,
or longer than all our Presidents save
nine, and within two years Of those
who served two full terms. OF the
20 men who have occupied the presi-
Dental Office in all our history, the
average tenure has been less than
FIVE years. At the end of his present
term President Coolidge viii have
served longer than this average
tenure"