Evening star., 1937-09-10
BY MILO THOMPSON,
Associated Press Staff Writer.


Third-term talk is now intriguing
Washington politicians, commenta-
tors and students of government, who
think it extraordinary this talk should
appear during the first year of a
Presidents second term.
Some of them explain this is be-
cause no President heretofore has
had so overwhelming representa-
ton of his party in Congress. so great
concentra ton of power in his hands.
so many innovations in governmental
procedure and so much popular sup
port on a personal-rather-t than party
basis.
They infer it is high time to con-
slider what shall happen to this in
heritance of power and prestige.
But there are others who assert all
this is fallacy added to fallacy.
History Supports Them.
In the first place, say these people,
the third-term talk is not appearing
prematurely. They tell you it is nat
ural. once President is inaugurated
for q second term, for speculation to
begin promptly concerning his sue
cessor.
History seems to bear them out.
Grant. for instance, was not through
with his first term when such talk
led to the adoption of a Democratic
platform plank favoring not merely
two-term limit, but a one-term
limit.
Mckinley. who had scarcely begun
his second term before his assassina-
ton, had already had occasion to
still wagging tongues by saying fatty
he would not be a candidate for a
third term.
Theodore Roosevelt, who finished
out the Mckinley second term, met
the issue Immediately after his first
election to the presidency by saying
= ION the 4th of March next | shall
have served three and a half years.
and this three and half years con-
stitute my first term. The wise Gus
tom which limits President to two
terms regards the substance and not |
the form. Under no circumstances
will be a candidate for or accept |
another nomination"
Coolidge Recent Case.
Calvin Coolidge's more recent case
k the only one which lends support
10 those who assume it is too early |
for Roosevelt third-term talk. He had |
. first term of only 1S months in |
completing Harding's term. His sec |
ond" term was about half gone be-
fore he considered the third-term
talk sufficiently demanding to put out
that II do not choose to run" state
ment.
The more practical politicians here
about are not amazed at the earli-
ness Of third-term talk. They say
they expect persons interested in |
launching candidates. to start the |
talk early. They add, too. that per-
eors opposed to President twice |
elected lose no time moving obstacles |
into the path of his third election.
At the same time, being practical |
politicians, they say they do not ex-
pect Mr.. Roosevelt to make an early /
declaration. They put it this way: A
President endeavors to hold his sd- |
ministrative strength and his party
leadership to the last ditch: he wants I
no lame duck stigma; he is unwilling |
to be read out of Office before his term
has run; he knows he will be handi- |
capped If hackers, co-workers and !
subordinates start giving more than |
one eye 10 his probable successor
while he is trying to work with them
What can he do, they ask, but avoid |
commitment?
Burke's Plan Coincidence.
The incidents which have lately
added fuel to third-term argumenta-
Nve fires appear to these practical
gentlemen to be exaggerated. Sena-
tor Burke's proposed constitutional
amendment, which would provide
six-year term and ineligibility for re-
election, is similar TO one jefferson
hoped would be made eventually. It
might have come TO any Congress as
well as to this one.
Roosevelts talk at the March
victory dinner about things he'd like
70 turn over to his successor did not.
to them, preclude his being his own
successor. Pennsylvania Gov. Earles
efforts to launch third-term boom
for Roosevelt they explain away in
the light of too much and too early
mention Of Earle himself as presi-
Dental timber
And the trotting out of various 9TH
sr horses, dark and otherwise. for
inspection they take as a matter of
course. They say they believe, with
or without these things, there would
be third-term talk now.