Evening star., 1939-10-28
The Political Mill
Advocates of Roosevelt Third Term
Chory Of Open Candidacy at This Time

partment of Commerce, presided
over by Harry Hopkins, who was
at one time suggested as a possible
successor to President Roosevelt. The
trial balloon for Mr.. Hopkins did
not get very far. Mr.. Roosevelt has
no greater admirer than Mr.. Hop
kins. The Secretary of Commerce
has been absent from his duties for
long time on account of illness.
In his absence, however, the plans
for the census set-up progressed.
Gillette on War Path.
1t is no secret that neither Sena-
tor Herring nor Senator Gillette,
both Iowa Democrats, have favored
third term nomination for the
President. Knowing that the census
set-up was to be organized. Mr.. Her.
ring recommended to the Census
Bureau a gentlemen whom he con-
sidered qualified for one of the main
posts in his area, and suggested that
Senator Gillette should do the same.
When Mr.. Herring returned to
Washington for the special session
of Congress this fall, he made in
Quiry and found that not his man,
but another, had been selected, on
the theory that the other man was
better qualified" Mr.. Gillette looked
into the matter and Immediately
declared war.
He found that Democratic Sena-
tors in other States were being ig-
nored and it looked as though a
more personal organization was be-
ing constructed for the census TAX
ing-when the enumerators are to
contact every voter in the land in
the national election year. So the
Iowa Senator took the matter up
with the Democratic leader of the
Senate, Mr.. Barkley of Kentucky.
He announced that on the follow
ing Monday he would introduce a
resolution withdrawing the appro-
priation made by Congress for TAX
ing the 1910 census and its re-
turn to the Treasury.
Drive Well Under Way.
The country, Mr.. Herring sug-
gested. could get along next year
without census enumeration, and
the money could be saved to good
purpose or spent for more adequate
national defense. Other Democratic
Senator'S Immediately declared they
would second his efforts The up
shot of the matter was that Senator
Barkley made swift trip to the
White House. The matter was laid
before the President, who knew
nothing about what had been 60
ing on. The activities of the third
termers were checked in this direc-
ton. The Senators were urged to
make their recommendations
they went through.
Next to the A. A. A. the census,
with its thousands of officers and
enumerators, is an ideal set-up for
any group desiring to bring political
propaganda and influence to bear.
The third term drive, notwith-
standing the checks it has had here
and there, as in the case of the cens
sus appointments, is we'll under way.
Democratic Senators and Represen-
tatives who are strongly opposed to
denomination Of the President
frankly admit that the war has
played directly into the hands of
the third termers. They say that
only the President himself can put
an end to the third term movement
and they don't see him doing it.
They point out that while Mr. Wal
lace was raped over the knuckles
for his California statement, there
was no fiat denial on the part of the
White House that the President
would become candidate for the
presidential nomination.
This does not mean that some of
these Democrats will cease their
opposition to the third term, or that
some of them, if Mr. Roosevelt is re-
nominated, will actively oppose his
reelection. But they have not much
hope of preventing q denomination.