Evening star., 1936-06-29
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.

Chief Executive in 1910? Either Frank
lin D. Roosevelt will be found seeking
a third term, or the Democrats will pick
another man. Mr.. Roosevelt, who has
still to be elected for his second term,
has certainly given no indication SO far
that he will endeavor to break the ira
dition. coming down from George WASH
ington, that limits q President OF the
United States to two terms Of office.
There is no law denying President
a third term OF Office II he can get 1t.
Theodore Roosevelt was President for
more than seven years, his first service
in the White House growing out Of the
assassination Of President Mckinley.
He issued a statement Immediately
after he had been elected for his sec
ond term Of office to the effect that he
would abide by the old two-term tradi-
ton and that he considered his first
| three and a half years as first term
Later he changed his mind about seek
ing another term of office and was
candidate In 1912, first for the Re-
publican nomination and then as the
| candidate of the Bull Moose party. He
was not seeking q third consecutive
| term, but still, third term. Gen.
| Grant, the hero of the War to Pre-
serve the Union, tried for third-term
nomination, but failed. Calvin Coolidge,
| who succeeded Harding as President
when the latter died a year after his
| election, and who later was elected and
| filled a four-year term, doubtless could
| have had another nomination If he had
not issued his II do not choose to run"
statement.
As have said. the President has
| given no indication that he plans to
seek a third term, nor have any OF his
friends put forward such an idea. That
| Is a matter which he and his friends
| NAV have to consider, but not now. II
| not Roosevelt for 1910, who then? The
Democratic National Convention just
closed has had an opportunity to look
| over several probable entrants in the
next race for their partys presidential
nomination. They have not only seen
these gentlemen. they have heard them.
Some of them took their part in the 81
varieties of seconding speeches which
were uttered from the platform when
! President Roosevelt's name was pre-
sented for the presidential nomination.
For example, there was Gov. Paul V.
McNutt of Indiana, handsome, former
national commander of the American
Legion. and Happy" Chandler, Cover
nor of Kentucky, who carried the ad-
ministration banner in the race for the
| gubernatorial nomination Of his State
| against the hostile former Gov. Ruby
Laffoon. There are Gov. George Earle
of Pennsylvania and Senator Bennett
Clark of Missouri, also, both of whom
| talked to the delegates. Earle delivered
an address of welcome when the con-
vention began and got away with 1t
very well. Clark led the fight to abro-
gate the twO-thirds rule and was en-
tirely successful. In addition. Clark
made q speech to the convention sec
onding the nomination Of Vice President
| Garner.
Earle and Clark, McNutt and Chand-
ler are of the newer comers who have
made their mark in the Democratic
| politics. McNutt has built himself a
strong organization in the Hoosier State.
He is going out of office, for he is not a
| candidate for reelection. He has. how
ever, succeeded in having the Demo-
| Gratis nominate his choice as his sue
ceSsor. He will remain the power behind
| the throne and continue to control the
organization it is said. Indiana may
| figure that 1t is her turn to have a
| Democratic presidential candidate four
years hence. Earles chances may very
well depend upon whether PennSyl-
vania this year sticks to its newly found
| inclination toward the Democratic party.
| II Pennsylvania goes for Roosevelt next
November, Earles chances for the presi-
Dental nomination may be enhanced.
II Pennsylvania returns to its old Re-
publican moorings Earle will not have
so good q chance, unless indeed, he
should be renominated and reelected
Governor in 1888, when he would come
up for reelection.
The abrogation Of the two-thirds rule
by the Democratic National Convention
probably will stick for future conven-
tions. Having cast of that incubus,
| the Democrats are scarcely likely to 60
back to it. Certainly it would seem in
credible that any future candidate and
his friends should insist upon having a
two-thirds rule applied to him and his
chances in the convention. It is far
easier to obtain q majority vote than q
two-thirds vote, If there is anything in
political arithmetic. Incidentally, it
might be easier for President to win a
third-term nomination under a ma
jority rule than q two-thirds rule. But
here again, there is no reason to believe
that President Roosevelt had any such
purpose in mind when he backed the
abrogation of the two-thirds rule, and
the administration forces got back Of the
movement in the convention last week.
The Democrats. certainly of the New
Deal variety. are too satisfied with their
newly nominated presidential candidate
to be paying much attention, serious at
tention, to what may happen in 1910.
They believe that the reaction of the
country to President Roosevelt's accept
ance speech will be such that his chances
will be greatly increased. Some of them
are likening Roosevelt's address in
Philadelphia to Lincoln's address at
Gettysburg; say that it will 60 down in
history alongside of Washington's fare
we'll address and other great utterances
by great Americans. 1t is too early to
say yet what the reaction throughout
the country will be; what will be said in
California and Maine remains still
conundrum. To those who were close
to the picture it seemed that the speech
must be effective and will have its ap-
peal to a great many people.
| *
The President stated the issue of the
coming campaign in words more plain
than any he has hitherto used, al
though both in annual message on the