Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-24
Barron Forecasts
Roosevelt Decision
Leave White House
New York Republican
Says Presidency Exoets
Terrific Toll


New York, Republican, predicted last
night that President Roosevelt would
not run for a third term In the
White House
Speaking at the annual banquet of
the United States Potters' Associa-
ton at the Mayflower Hotel, the New
Yorker said:
THE third-term discussion has
arisen repeatedly in our political
history. The of1iceholders, in any
popular administration are naturally
reluctant to leave the pay roll and
the limelight for the uncertainties
and obscurity of private life. But
when it comes right down to making
a decision, no President has been
willing to break the tradition which
has proved its protective wisdom
through the years.
Patriotism, plus the thought of
four more years in the 'cruelist job in
the world have prevailed. I have
no doubt that this will continue to
be the case
Recalls Coolidge Observation.
Mr.. Barton buttressed his COM
ment on the third term riddle-it has
not yet become an issue-by relating
conversation with the late Pres
ident Coolidge, told him by friend.
The conversation, he said, took place
in the fall of 1882, when Mr.. Coolidge
was seemingly in good health.
My friend wrote it down." said
Mr.. Barton. land l have his permis-
sion to quote it, Said Coolidge:
II do not think this Nation will
ever have to be seriously concerned
over the third-term threat. do not
think the man lives who can go
through two terms of that Office and
have anything left. 1t is the cruelest
office in the world. I had only six
years of it, and it has killed me-
Ninety days later he was dead"
Mr.. Barton said that Mr.. Coolidge
"by the mere lifting of his finger"
could have had a nomination for a
third term.
Outguessed Physician.
"Mr Coolidge's administration was
peaceful, prosperous and reasonably
free from worry" Mr.. Barton point
ed out. When he left the White
House he had all the appearance of
q man who could look forward to 20
years of peaceful life. Even his own
physician did not suspect anything
fatally wrong. But the ex-President
had an inner knowledge more trust
worthy than the stethescope.
Il suggest no comparison. The
present occupant of the White
House enjoys magnificent health.
His energy is so Astounding as to
seem we'll nigh limitless. 1t is en-
tirely possible that he might achieve
what Coolidge thought was beyond
human capacity; he might complete
q third term. But even he, in his
quiet moments alone. must be con-
scious of what terrific hidden toll
the presidency exacts. He, too.
knows that, as Coolidge said, it is
the cruelest job In the world
Its physical exactions are not its
only danger. There Is spiritual
peril as we'll The human mind and
spirit, however sane and well bal
snced. are simply not constituted to
withstand the insidious atmosphere
of the White House for more than
eight years. History shows that
there is something poisonous in the
too-long exercise of enormous power.
All of us have seen men at the top
of corporations grow autocratic, i'm
patient of criticism. and oversus-
ceptible to f1attery. Many thriving
business concern has been ruined by
q man who stayed too long at the
top under the very human delusion
that he was indispensable"
Ray Succeeds Pass.
At one of the closing sessions OF
its three-day convention, the asso-
citation today elected new officers on'
platform opposing re-enactment
Of the Reciprocal Trade Agreements
Act and advocating "buy Amer
ican' program as a cure for the
country's economic ills.
The association named Charles
RAY ~ Paden, w. Va, as president
to succeed Richard Pass Of Syracuse,
N. Y. Ben Hardesty of Beaver Falls,
Pa. was named first vice president.
and r. T. Hall, jr. of East Liverpool,
Nhio sAcord vice PRESIDENT