Evening star., 1940-09-18

Z n
start. The fact E@
that whole
month was al
lowed to elapSe between the ac-
ceptance speech at ElWood and
the first major speech at Cof-
feyville, Kans., is not to the Re-
publican nominees advantage In
times like these when the Demo-
cratic nominee is able to use the
power OF publicity given to Pres
ident in office, especially as events
Of extraordinary Importance are
transpiring in the news.
The so-called dip in Willkie
strength revealed in some States
by the Gallup poll can be attributed
to the fact that Willkie has harder
time getting into the minds of the
voters when he remains silent be-
cause. unlike Mr.. Roosevelt he has
not been before the American
people for seven years as a public
figure.
The Coffeyville speech, however,
Is the kind of campaigning which
is bound to intensity the contest
itself. 1t is hardly to be expected
that the President will remain si
lent in the face Of definite accusa-
tions such as are being made by
the Republican nominee. This is
the kind of a presidential election,
moreover, in which fluctuations in
the Gallup poll between now and
November 5 may be anticipated.
For, at the moment. the bid of the
President for third term is based
on the idea that he alone can carry
the Nation through the world situ-
alton. It assumes that Cordel Hull,
eminent Secretary of State and the
man who really has made our for
eign policy for nearly eight years,
would not have made a good nom
inee for the Democratic party; that
Paul McNutt would not have been
satisfactory and that the party
could not have furnished anyone
else to carry on after the RooSe-
welt two terms.
InlEQ- ERIN Issue.
The Importance of the third-term
Issue has not yet been emphasized
In the Willkie speeches or state
ments. His present approach is that
in normal times a third term might
be considered by the people but
that when democracy is at stake in
the world, the breaking of our
democratic traditions is unthinkable.
His point of view apparently is that
were there no relationships in the
world, the American people might
give thought to the question of
whether a third term Is or Is not
desirable for an incumbent, but that
in this year, of all years, the ques-
ton has to be decided in the mega
tive.
The third-term issue, however
needs clari1cation. Lots OF people
feel that if the American people
decide to elect man who has had
two terms, they alone can break
the tradition, and so long as it is
accomplished in a democratic man
ner, there can be no objection to
the breaking of the tradition itself.
This is in reality the New Deal view
and is one of the points which
prompted the President himself to
consider the acceptance of third
term nomination.
The third-term issue. on the other
hand, as it is seen by other OBJ
servers is entirely different. They
ask whether any President should
be permitted to succeed himself
either for a second or a third term
If he allows his nomination to be
brought about by what Woodrow
Wilson once termed illicit MEANS -
namely, the use of presidential
power to influence delegates.
Certainly the President not only
brought about his own nomination
for a third term through the means
Of office holders and other obligated
to him, but he dictated the nomi-
nation of the vice presidential can
didate. Henry Wallace. Shall Ameri-
can Presidents be allowed by the
eleClOIdUe W uSt lIlcu OluCCo W
continue themselves or their own
choices in power? This is more than
the third-term issue. 1t is ques-
ton of truly democratic and repre-
sentative government.
The theory heretofore has been
that the decision of the people alone
should count, but when possession of
the voting machinery of major
party is accomplished by the office
holders. it may we'll happen that
those receiving benefits from the
administration can hold the balance
of power and perpetuate themselves
In authority.
Washington's Views.
It has often been said that George
Washington never commented really
on the third-term idea and that he
retired from office after two terms
for personal reasons, but said moth
ing against the idea of a third term
The truth is, George Washington
did think there was no need OF put
hn