Evening star., 1939-09-23
Roosevelt IS Silent
On landon Request
For 3d-Term Denial
Konson Says Fronk
Statement Would
Help in Crisis
BY the Associated Press.

oy Vic hSSOCldtcu TIcSS.
HYDE PARK, N. Y, Sept. %
President Roosevelt smilingly turned
down today an invitation to reply to
suggestion by former Gov. ALI M.
Landon of Kansas that he announce
to the country that he did not want
third term.
Reporters clustered around him in
hay field, where a new library
soon will rise, showed the President
an excerpt from Landons statement
that the greatest single contribu-
ton" the Chief Executive could
make in the present troubled situa-
ton would be to tell the country
categorically he did not want a
third term and would refuse the
nomination if it were offered.
The President said he had not
seen Mr.. Landon's full statement
and would be unable to comment.
He added that he was sorry, but
that he had to protect himself.
Il wish you would, son." said his
85-year-old mother, who was seated
beside the President in his blue
touring car.
She had asserted on the occasion
of her birthday, Thursday, that
she believed her son had no desire
for third term.
Urges President to Act.
Mr.. Landon was quoted by the
New York World Telegram in q
copyright interview as favoring
adjourning all party politics but
asserting 1t was up to the President
to insure such adjournment by re-
moving himself from the 1910 pic
ture.
The former Kansas Governor
added that 1t was too much to ask
OF either the Democratic or Repub-
lican party that it forget politics
as long as the third-t term issue re-
NAMED in the foreground, with the
national party conventions only a
few months away.
Mr.. Landon, who accepted the
Presidents invitation to attend the
Washington neutrality conference
this week, was represented as not
averse to removal of the arms en-
barge. as recommended by President
Roosevelt's special message to Con-
gress, If it were the best way to keep
the United States out of war.
Times Held Abnormal.
In discussing the third-term ques-
ton, the article said Mr.. Landon
observed:
In normal times it is altogether
natural, politically speaking, that a
President nearing the end of his
term should hesitate to throw away
one of his trump cards and remove
himself from the political picture so
long in advance of the conventions.
But these are not normal times.
Something far more important than
mere party considerations is at stake.
The President himself recognizes this
when he asks the Congress to ad-
journ partisan politics when 1t comes
to consider what our attitude is
to be in the face of the European
war.
Furthermore, I heartily agree
with the President that this should
be done. But I submit that he
himself should make the first move
in that direction by removing the
biggest stumbling block of all in
the path of non-partisan discus
sion, namely, the third term issue.
American Interests Involved.
'The country and the world are
facing one of the greatest crises in
history. Whether we like it or not,
the interests of every American are
involved. Thus, when Congress
comes to deal with the vital prob
lens which the President has placed
before it, it should do so with an
eye single to what is best now
and in the long run for the Amer
ican people.
Accordingly, all the underbrush
should be cleared away. Everything
that could possibly obscure or dis
tort the vision should be removed.
Dispassionate reasoning is dificult
at best in times like these, hence
the President should facilitate the
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-2)