Evening star., 1936-11-16
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.

Because OF the part which John l..
Lewis and Labor's Non-Partisan League
played in the recent presidential cam
paign, the battle between Lewis and
his C. I. o. and William Green and the
American Federation of Labor has con-
siderable political significance, as we'll as
potentialities for organized labor. The
American Federation of Labor is meet
ing in Tampa, Fla, in annual conven-
ton. II Green has his way Lewis and
the unions which Joined the G. I. o.
will be expelled finally from the fedora
ton, unless they give up the c. I. o.
There has been no indication that Lewis
and the c. I. o. unions will back down.
If the federation goes through with the
plan to make permanent the suspension
of these unions, the country will have two
strong labor organizations instead of one.
The war between the two organizations
may be bitter. Certainly it would not
incline toward united front for polit-
ical labor party. such as that launched
in New York State during the recent
campaign.
Labors Non-Partisan League which
which gave impetus to the American
Labor party in New York. He and his
colleagues in the league have made no
secret of the fact that they feel the
labor party may be developed along
national lines in 1910. Maj. George L.
Berry, president of the Pressmens
Union, has announced that Labors Nom
Partisan League is to be kept alive. It's
Cf,lu ha tn talyp r
in political campaigns. How will the
leaders and the rank and file of the
American Federation of Labor feel to-
ward political party built by Lewis and
his league? Unless the differences be-
tween Lewis and Green and their re-
spective organizations are patched up
and peace reigns, chances for the crea-
ton of labor political party are not so
good.
The traditional policy of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor has been nom
partisan. 1t has been opposed to the
creation of a strictly labor political
party. It has preferred to support candi-
dates for public Office who have shown
themselves friendly to organized labor
and its aims, whether they were Demo-
Gratis or Republicans.
Green has charged that Lewis and his
C.. l. O. are plotting to destroy the
American Federation of Labor. through
setting up a rival organization. Lewis
and his United Mine Workers, Of which
he is president, have retorted that Green
has been in a conspiracy to undermine
the mine workers. Green is himself a
member of the mine workers union,
and through that aff1liation with organ
lied labor became president of the fed
Grafton when Samuel Gompers died.
Reports from Tampa indicate bitter
feeling on the part of An 'rican Fedora
ton of ~',or officials against Lewis and
the c. I. 0.
President Roosevelt having been tri-
umphantly reelected. proposals to limit
a President to one term in the White
House with the term extended to six
years are coming forward. The Con-
stitution says nothing about how many
terms a President may serve conSecu-
lively. 1t merely fixes the President S
term at four years. The tradition against
a third term for President comes down
from the earliest days of the Republic.
There would be nothing illegal, how
ever in a third term for a President as
the Constitution now stands.
A six-year term for the President, had
such provision been in effect in 1882,
would have meant that there would have
been no presidential election until 1884,
and President Hoover would have been
on the Job two years longer. Those who
contend that recovery was already on
the way back in this country in the
Summer of 1882 and was delayed by the
presidential campaign and the election
of President Roosevelt might have had
these questions answered for them if the
Constitution had at that time provided
for only one term of six years for each
President of the United States. And if
the siX-year single term provision had
been the law of the land this year
Roosevelt would have gone on, without
reelection, until 1888 before national
campaign got under way. Suppose this
year had been the concluding year Of a
six-year single term for President Roose-
welt. He could not have been renom-
mated by the Democrats. To whom
would they have turned? Could they
have elected another presidential candi-
date? Roosevelt himself was largely the
issue in the last campaign. 1t is all
very puzzling.
There is not the slightest doubt single
term of Office for President would have
its advantages, whether it were four
year term or a siX-year term. 1t should
have the effect of minimizing politics in
the administration Of the Federal Gov
ernment Immediately after President
is elected for his first term, campaign
starts for his election to second term.
This makes for politics, partisan poll
tics. in legislation and appointments to
public office. 1t sometimes subordinates
the good of the country to the good OF
the party A President knowing that
he could not stand for reelection might
have a different point of view. In some
of the States. Governors are limited to
a single term of Office. This has not
necessarily lessened political activity
by either the Governor or his followers.
A Governor, however, usually has his
mind bent on some other Office to which
he may aspire, a senatorship, cabinet
post. or even the presidency. So q Gov
ernor's position is not quite comparable
to the position of a President. who has
attained the highest public ONCE in the
gift of the American people.
A great deal of concern Is manifest
over what the Republicans are going
to do. All kinds of suggestions are ad-
,,.-.aS rooroo fion for neuy