Evening star., 1938-07-24
Argument on Third>Term Ban
Whetted as 1910 Approaches
Absence of Fortnight Stand by Roosevelt Revives
Question-Previous Debate Sharpens
Fine Points of ISSUE

proposal that President ineligible for
reelection would have no incentive to
keep in touch with or respond to public
sentiment. But whatever merit there NAV
be in this contention applies mainly to a
Presidents first four years, because, despite
the absence of any law limiting the length
Of tenancy in the White House to two
terms, no Executive has successfully sought
a third term
Sentiment Too Much for Grant.
In 1880 the supporters of the Civil War
hero, Gen. Grant, tried to have him nomi-
mated again four years after he had served
two terms, but the sentiment against a
third term was too great to overcome.
The six-year. single-term amendment
would deprive the people of freedom OF
choice in selecting the head of the Nation,
an opponent AYERS.
The Constitution already restricts the
peoples choice by fixing a 35-year mini
mum age limit, and requiring that aspirants
for the White House must be native-born
citizens. One more restriction, on length
OF service, would not be. therefore without
piCScuClit, IIiC SuppOIGtlS dllSWeT.
The length of the presidential term was
one of the last important questions settled
by the trainers of the Constitution, and
the four-year tenure with eligibility for
reelection finally adopted is regarded by
some authorities as a compromise. after a
wide range of suggestions had been put
forward
Former Senator Works of California, who
sponsored the six-year single term amend
ment in 1918. told the Senate at that time
that the proceedings in the Constitutional
Convention show that at one point a ma
jority of the States voted for the same
principle. except with a seven-year limit
instead of six.
BOrah Answers Argument
Senator Borah contended. however, that
the preliminary vote in favor of the propo-
sition came while the convention was still
considering the election of the President
by Congress- The Idahoan argued that
the ineligbility feature did not retain
any considerable degree of support after
the electoral vote was substituted for elec.
tion by Congress.
In any event, the decision Of President
Washington to retire at the end Of two
terms coming while the new Nation was
in its infancy, became so strong precedent
as the years went by that it has thus far
had the practical effect of making eight
years the accepted length of service. Never
theless. many proposals to prescribe by
law the length of White House service have
been advanced from time to time during
the intervening century and half.
The wide range Of Federal aid now be-
ing distributed to the States for many
purposes would be cited as new argu-
ment for prescribing the length of White
House service If the proposition should be
revived again. When the question was up,
IS years ago, Federal aid was an insignif-
cant factor. The land-grant school and
college program and few other forms Of
Federal aid were in operation. Starting
with the Federal-aid highway system in
1916 however, the scope of national all
lotments to the States has widened steadily.
Whatever may be in the Presidents mind
regarding 1910. there can be no doubt
that many of the rank-and-file supporters
Of the New Deal. remembering that he
carried 46 States in 1886, cherish a hope
that he will consent to lead them again.