Evening star., 1938-07-24
BY ]. A. OLEARY.

1NdE lS4U pIfSlQenIlal campaign may
bring to life an issue as old as the
Nation itself-whether the length Of
White House service should be lin
tied by law.
The question is almost certain to be
raised If President Franklin Roosevelt defies
tradition by trying for a third term, and it
may become live topic during the inter-
vening two years merely as the result of
speculation over whether Mr. Roosevelt
would permit his party to renominate him.
OF course. failure of the Chief Executive
to eliminate himself definitely and un-
equivocally so far ahead of time by no
means indicates he plans to run again.
Such an announcement this early would
serve only to intensity the scramble in New
Deal ranks among the volunteers who are
ready at moments notice to step forward
bravely and shoulder the Chiefs RESPONSE
bilities in the White House after 1910.
Some ardent administration supporters
are confident Mr.. Roosevelt has no inten-
tion of permitting himself to be renomi-
mated. For instance. Senator Logan of
Kentucky, a loyal New Dealer, said re-
Gently he Is opposed to a third term and
feels sure the President is not thinking of
one. Nevertheless, when friends discuss poll
tics nowadays, sooner or later up bobs the
question: DO you think the President is
planning to run again?"
Garner Prompts Question.
1t was brought into the public eye re-
Gently by published reports that Vice Presi-
dent Garner let Senate associates know
before leaving for Texas last month that
he does not want third term in the vice
presidency. The rugged Texan, who hardly
ever denies or confirms reports of his atti-
tude on public questions, has been quietly
fishing and hunting in his native haunts
since Congress adjourned
Debate over the advisability of restricting
the tenure OF White House service began
In the Constitutional Convention and has
been going on at intervals ever since
Numerous specific proposals have been
suggested from time to time. but the one
most generally discussed has been a 6-year
term with the incumbent ineligible to sue
coed himself.
In 1913. few months after the three
cornered presidential race of Theodore
Roosevelt. Taft and Wilson, the Swear,
single-term proposal actually passed the
Senate, but it slumbered in a House COM
mittee until the end Of that Congress and
has been dormant during the intervening
IS years.
Wilson Unsympathetic.
At the outset Of the 1912 campaign the
Democrats made one term a plank in their
Baltimore platform. but their candidate
Woodrow Wilson. who was elected, was not
in sympathy with the proposition. He said
on one occasion that efficiency is the only
just foundation for confidence in a public
ofncial, and that short terms cut off the
eficient as surely as the inefficient.
A few of the men who participated il,
debate on the single term of six years dur
ing January of 1913 are still in the Senate
including the veteran, William E. Borah
Of Idaho. who threw the weight of his elo-
quent oratory against the restriction on
the eligibility of a President to succeed
himself
When the roll was called on February
OF that year. however the proposal carried
by vote Of Al to 23 This vote showed
a decisive ma jority for the change but Il
was actually a close margin. considering
the fact that. being a proposed constitu.
tional amendment, two-thirds were -e-
quired to pass it.
One OF the chief arguments in support
Of the amendment has been that eligibility
for reelection offers the opportunity to USE
patronage to improve an incumbent:
chances for reelection. Such appointees
to ofice during a Presidents first tern
are inclined to work for the denomination
Of the man who appointed them. The ad.
vocates of a change argued in 1918 tina
ineligibility Of President to succeed him.
self would remove these possibilities ane
improve the public service.
Four Years Held Too Short.
The point also is made that four year!
is too short a time to enable a Presiden
to carry out the policies to which HI
pledged himself when he asked the voter,
to support him, especially If he is to seel
second term, for then he must begin t.
think Of the problems of denomination
when the first term Is little more thar
half over
If man knew he had six years in wficl
to shape his program Of government, ant
that he could not seek reelection, HI
could weigh and act on public question,
without considering the effect of his de.
cisions on his own political future. say tn.
advocates Of the limitation
Opponents of the proposition in the pas
have come back with the claim that one
six-year term would be an ineffective rem.
edy for the evils of patronage; that re-
firing President could WELD as much in.
duence to pick his successor and thereb.
prolong his own policies as though he wert
seeking his own denomination. They hav'
said also that six years would be too lont
for q President out of step with public
opinion, and too short term for q goot
Chief Executive That latter argument wa
stressed in the Senate by Mr.. Borah /,
the 1918 debate.
It has been argued also against tn