Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-08
TH|RD-TERM FOES
MAY CHANGE RULE.
New Fight to Revive Old
Two.Thirds Plan Seen
in Democratic Row.

BY the Associated Press.
A proposal to restore the two-thlrds
rule in the 1910 Democratic convention
may become rallying point Tor anu
administration Democrats II President
Roosevelt stands for third term.
A group of Southern politicians is
already calculating the chances OF
winning enough Northern support IN
1910 to restore the rule, which once
gave the solid South" an effective
veto power in party councils.
This same group formed bloc In
the last Congress against some of the
Presidents key legislative proposals.
Under the two-thirds rule, strapped
In 1882 when Mr.. Roosevelt was nomi-
mated, no candidate could win the
Democratic presidential nomination
without a two-thirds convention vote.
The South had more than a third OF
the delegates and thus could withhold
the nomination from anyone 1t OPP
posed. Without the rule, which often
threw Democratic conventions into
deadlock for weeks at time, simple
majority has the power to choose the
party's candidate.
Third Could Block President.
II anti Roosevelt forces could muster
a majority in favor Of the two-thirds
regulation in 1910, they would cap
ture potent weapon with which to
fight any third-term drive. The rule
would enable third Of the convention
to prevent denomination Of the Presl-
dent.
Some Of the politicians considering
Anti-third-tern tactics said today that
it might be possible to obtain ma
jority for the rule even though ma
iority Of the convention would vote to
renominate the President.
The rule would appeal. they pre-
dicted. to the South. to delegations
supporting "favorite son" candidates
and to delegates who would like to
oppose the President without voting
directly against him.
These politicians declined to be
quoted by name until. they said, the
President had disclosed his intentions
definitely
Roosevelt's Statement.
Mr.. Roosevelt's best-known state
ment on the question thus far was
made at a Democratic banquet on
March 4, 1887, when he said:
My great ambition on January
20, l94l, is to turn over this desk and
chair in the White House to my sue
cessor whoever he may be, with the
assurance that I am at the same time
turning over to him as President
Nation intact"
Speculation over the Presidents in
tentions has provided lor conversa-
tional fare for politicians here this
summer
Charles Nicholson. the Democratic
party's publicity director. has Joined
the discussion, saying in his weekly
column
MY guess Is that Franklin D. Eoose-
welt would take case OF the hives
rather than four years more Of the
headache that being President means"
vandenberg Speaks.
He was replying to Senator vanden-
berg. Republican. of Michigan, who
had said he expected the President to
try for third term-and fail to get it.
Views expressed by members Of
Congress and others indicate that the
third-term issue will be debated hotly
in the National Legislature next year.
Here are some of the opinions:
Senate Majority Leader Barley: Il
keynoted the President into the White
House twice and might possibly do
1t again in 1910"
Senator Burke, Democrat, of Ne
braska: 1T "a third-term bid would
split the Democratic party into
thousand pieces"
Interior Secretary Ickes: IF the
reactionaries in the Democratic party
want a real test of President Roose-
velt's strength with the people, I
suggest that they continue to work for
situation that will result in the
people being given an opportunity to
vote directly on the proposition Of
whether or not they are for President
Roosevelt and his policies"
w. p. A. Men Favor President.
w. P. A. Administrator Harry Hop
Ens: Ninety per cent Of the people
on w. P. A. favor the Roosevelt
administration
Senator Lewis. Democrat, of Illinois:
A third-term effort would destroy
the Democratic party" but the Pres
ident is mot such man as to present
himself for a continuous third term"
Senator smathers. Democrat, of New
Jersey: There is no one big enough
or strong enough to carry on for him"
Senator Holt. Democrat, of West
Virginia: Il am sure that those who
supported the La Toilette anti-third
term resolution (in the Senate) during
the Coolidge administration will be