Evening star., 1938-07-19
How Many yes, Butts?

IoCNlNdl VI lllC 1NOOoCFClp lllllo lCl IA
talk makes necessary a further and
more comprehensive review of the
strength of the Yes, butts" The New
Dealers who make the reyieW-if they
do-are likely to find many, many voters
who enthusiastically supported Frank
lin D. Roosevelt for second tern have
a very big but not for third term in
the back of their heads.
Opposition to third consecutive term
for Mr.. Roosevelt-or any other Presi-
dent-is inbred in this constitutional
democracy. perpetual President is as
foreign to the American idea of govern
ment as king or dictator. George
Washington recognized this fact when
he declined to be a candidate to sue
ceed himself after two terms as Presi-
dent. He set a wise precedent. He
knew just what he was about when he
set the precedent. If man is to have
twelve years in the White House, why
should he not have twentyfour or
thirty-six?
The Constitution of the United States
Is silent about the presidential success
sion. Many of the States, however,
have written into their own constitu-
tions the provision that a governor shall
not succeed himself. This provision
goes even further toward compelling
change in the chief executive officers
than does the precedent set by George
Washington. 1t is indicative of the
sentiment among the American people
against the perpetuation of any indi-
vidual in control of government.
In some quarters there is today ex-
pressed fear that President Roosevelt
will undertake to smash the third
term" precedent. Mr.. Roosevelt him.
self has not given encoura cement to the
idea. Indeed, all that he has said
which is not a great deal-has been d.
rected toward dispelling the idea that he
would seek to be renominated and re-
elected President.
A fog of uncertainty, however, re-
mains. The President himself, speak
ing either as head of the Democratic
party" or as President-as he may pre-
fer-might easily dispell this fog. That
he does not speak out more clearly has
led certain Democrats to the opinion that
Mr. Roosevelt is not averse to seeking
third term, or to the opinion that he
would at least not reject nomination if
1t were given him. And some of the ar
dent New Dealers are perSuading them
selves-if not the President-that a
third term is essential.
The proponents of third term will be
compelled in the end to reckon with a
very real anti-third term sentiment in
the country. In the Democratic party
itself, the sentiment easily might reach
the proportions of a revolt and the
nomination of an independent Demo-
cratic ticket, should President Roosevelt
be accorded the nomination of the
regularly called national convention in
1910.
1t may well be that the President
himself is strongly averse to a third
term; that he has made up his mind
under no circumstances to accept re-
nomination two years hence. He has
certain followers, however, who take a
very different view of the matter, and
unless he curbs their activities the for
nation of Roosevelt third term clubs and
what not will be the order of the day.
If and when a President of the
United States-and in this case it would
be Mr.. Roosevelt--obtains a third term,
the country would pass from constitu-
tional government to personal gov
ernment. 1t matters not that the num-
Der of terms man may serve is not
limited by the Constitution. The repe-
tition of terms becomes violation of
the spirit of the Constitution. When
the spirit is gone, the letter means little.