Evening star., 1940-03-04
President Remains
Third-Term Enigma
On Anniversary
Silent on Intentions
. As He Begins Eighth
Year in White House
~ the Associated Press.

Year in White House
~ the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt reached the
seventh anniversary OF his prece-
dent-breaking New Deal regime to-
day in an atmosphere teeming with
speculation over whether he would
continue to challenge tradition and
seek a third term.
The Chief Executive told reporters
on Saturday, however, that he
would not utilize the occasion to
disclose his intentions.
Third term or not, the graying
President at So still gets kick out
of his job. his associates say, despite
reports that he is tiring of it.
Rumors continue to float around
the Capitol corridors that he will
favor Secretary of State Hull or At
torney General Jackson as his sue
cessor If he takes himself out of the
picture. But no one apparently is
ready to state with any definiteness
what his position might be when the
Democratic convention meets on
July Is.
Welles Report Seen As Factor.
Many politicians believe the con-
fidential report on peace prospects
which Undersecretary Welles will
bring back from Europe may help
the President chart his political
course.
Always the performer of the dra-
matte and the unexpected, the
President attained the seventh mile
stone of his administration by en-
hrging on one of his many "firsts."
His Panama cruise added more than
1000 miles to the presidential travel
record which he set year ago. His
total now is about 10000 miles.
Even before Mr.. Roosevelt an
nounced in his 1888 inaugural ad-
dress that he would do first things
first" he had indicated his disre-
gard for time-honored practice by
flying to Chicago in 1882 to accept
his nomination. He has mot flown
since.
Faced Trying Period.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first
100 days in the White House were
his busiest. 1t was a gloomy March
4 seven years ago, when he stood
on the Capitol steps and promised
action to a people who had seen
their world twisted awry by an eco
nomic tempest.
Even as he touched damp hand
on his old family Bible and pledged
himself to support the Constitution,
the banking structure of his coun-
try crumbled.
Searching through 15-year-old
wartime laws, Mr.. Roosevelt found
the authority under which he pro-
claimed four-day bank holiday,
an embargo on the withdrawal of
gold or silver, and heavy penalties
for violators of his numerous emer-
gency proclamations.
ct was from these same laws
that he drew the authority for
his limited national emergency
proclamation when the European
war started last September0
Then he went to the radio and
told the Nation in simple language
what he had done. 1t was the first
White House "f1reside chat"
Calls Special Session.
Five days after his Inauguration
he called Congress into special ses-
sion. He had an emergency bank
ing bill ready. It passed the House
in 38 minutes without dissenting
voice. Three hours later the Senate
passed it 70 to Z.
Mr.. Roosevelt then began send
ing to the Capitol ready-made bills
in rapid-f1re order, some designed
to meet emergency conditions, some
looking Into the future, but all re-
fecting new philosophy of gov
ernment. So ready was Congress
to accept his proposals that it later
became known as the White House
rubber stamp" /
In those early days of the New
Deal there were the familiar A. A. A.
0Alu ~. w. "A. xASVo-WAIlSAI 4dVC1 WCAC
invalidated by the Supreme Court
the G. c. c., the T. v. A., program
for job-giving public works, renun-
citation of the gold standard, de-
valuing the dollar and many Others
AS time marched on. much criti-
cism was heaped on the laws that
came out Of the special session.
Broad powers vested in the Chief
Executive were the main targetA and
the Supreme Court knocked out
keystones of the New Deal program.
Begins Second Administration.
Democratic leaders, however, be-
lieved their "Chief had about fin
ished with new legislative ideas when
he began his second administration
after winning As States in the 1896
election.
But on February S, 1887, he sent
his memorable message to Congress
proposing a reorganization of the
Supreme Court. This plan split the
Democratic party into bitterly-op-
posing factions and finally was put
to death by the Senate after another