Evening star., 1937-09-11

BY MILO THOMPSON.

Those who, in this center of po-
litical discussion, already are arguing
the possibility and desirability of q
third term for President Roosevelt
have frequent recourse to the po-
litical classics.
They go especially to jefferson
This is not merely because the party
in power wears a Jeffersonian label.
1t is primarily because jefferson was
the first President to emphasize
Washingtons two-term precedent.
1t was jefferson who expressed the
hope a limitation on the eligibility of
President for reelection might be
written some day into the Constitu-
ton And it was jefferson who, when
he was urged to run third time for
the Nations highest office, said:
That 1 should lay down my charge
at the proper period is as much a
duty as to have borne it faithfully
If some termination to the service of
the Chief Magistrate be not fixed by
the Constitution, or supplied by prac-
tice, his Office, nominally for four
years, will, in fact, become for life,
and history shows how easily that
degenerates into an inheritance"
jefferson Emphatic Again.
There is another Jefferson quotation
equally pat to the arguments of many
who Join in the third-term talk to-
day. II is:
The example of four Presidents
voluntarily retiring at the end of
their eighth year and the progress
of public opinion that the principle
is salutary have given it in practice
the force of precedent and usage,
in so much that, should a President
consent to be a candidate for third
election I trust he would be rejected
on this demonstration Of ambitious
views"
The inevitable trend of third-t term
talk is toward crystallization of per-
sons into one of two loose groups
q draft-the- President group and a
stop-the-P President group.
Imperfect as is that crystallization
at present, those who are putting out
draft Roosevelt feelers thus early are
saying there can be no danger of
Franklin Roosevelt dynasty, and a
third term would mean only chance
for benevolent President to finish a
good job. They also are saying this
President, because he is different"
and because the situation in which
the Nation finds itself is "extraordi-
nary" could and should surmount the
third-term obstacle.
They are recalling that U. S. Grant,
writing to the chairman of a Penn
sylvanian State Republican conven-
ton which had expressed "unalter-
able opposition" to third term, said
he was not seeking one, but added
the time might come when it would
be unfortunate to make a change Of
Presidents at the end of eight years.
Perhaps, they say, that time will
have come in 1910.
Their opponents in argument
those who are putting out stop
Roosevelt feelers thus early-have an
other bit of Jeffersoniana to answer
that. jefferson said:
IF the principle of rotation be a
sound one, as I conscientiously be-
iieve 1t to be with respect to this
Office. no pretext should ever be per-
mitted to dispense with it. because
there never will be a time when
real difficulties do not exist and fur
nish pretext for dispensation.
The "Reminiscences assert the
words proved prophetic in that every
President thereafter urged TO stand
for third term was urged on the
basis of some unusual situation then
existing. And each set of circum-
stances in its turn seemed such
set as never had occurred before.
They express doubt that the ma
chinery of the Roosevelt administra-
ton is so complex only q Roosevelt
can direct it and doubt that the
problems of today are any bigger in
the eyes of the people of today than
were the problems of yesterday to
yesterdays citizens.
Supporters Fear Taboo.
The fear which appears to grip
the Roosevelt persuaders is the
fear that with differences possible
in the party leadership and with
labor lately expressing half hearted
support whatever the compelling
circumstances Of the moment, even
Roosevelt might not be able to dare
successfully the third-term taboo.
And the fear which grips the stop
Roosevelt persuaders is that it would
be Just like a President who is no
mean strategist possible mistakes
not overlooked and who seems to
enjoy taboo busting to tackle this
handicap and, perhaps, succeed.
PRAISE IS kcc0RnEn