Evening star., 1940-01-14
Keeping Roosevelt
Available Seen
Present Strategy
Administration Is Doino
Nothing to Discourage
'Third-Term Boom
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.

by u. UOULD LINCOLN.
The Roosevelt administration is
doing nothing to discourage the
third-term boom which has taken
on added life since the Jackson Day
dinners last Monday, when Secre-
tary of Agriculture Wallace and
Attorney General-Designate jack
son spoke for the denomination of
the President.
The present effort apparently is
to keep President Roosevelt avail
able without any overt act on his
part which would make him an
avowed candidate at this time
1t is generally accepted by Demo-
cratic political leaders inside and
outside the administration that if
the United States should become
embroiled in the European war-or
any war--or should be on the verge
of being involved the Roosevelt can
didacy would go forward.
In addition to the speeches deliv-
cred on Jackson Day by Messrs.
Wallace and Jackson, several in
cidents during the last week have
added to the distinct impression
that the President is to retain for
some time his Availability
No White House Rebukes.
First, it was stated definitely at
the White House there would be no
rebuke handed out either to Mr.
Wallace or to Mr. Jackson because
of their advocacy in their Jackson
Day dinners of a third-term nomi-
nation.
Second, while the President de-
clined to give assent to those Ohio
Democrats who wish to enter
Roosevelt slate of delegates in the
Ohio primary, 1t Is reported that he
left the impression it was too early
to ask him to commit himself on
the question of a third term nomi-
nation.
Third, the first Roosevelt pledged
delegate candidate-for the Demo-
cratic National Convention-filed the
necessary papers in New Hampshire
Friday for his entrance into the pri-
mary election which is to be held
there March 12-the first of the
primary elections for national con-
Eention delegates.
IoOl vi, VII CllC CtC VI GllC CdSh-
son Day dinners the word was passed
out that the speech which was more
significant than any others would be
that delivered by Mr.. Jackson. In
his speech Mr.. Jackson not only
clearly expressed his own desire for
the denomination of the President,
but laid great stress on the desira-
bility of continued silence on the
part of the President-that he should
not take himself out of the race at
this time.
Question of Keeping Silent.
What the next step will be remains
to be seen. AS the situation now ap-
pears, 1t is not merely question of
the Presidents keeping silent on the
subject of denomination; it is a
question of his aides and intimates
actually campaigning for a third
term nomination.
Senator Rush D. Holt of West Vir-
ginia, antiNew Deal Democrat, is
still holding in allegiance his resolu-
ton expressing the opinion of the
Senate that no man should have a
third term as President of the United
States. He is waiting until it be-
comes more apparent that the Pres
ident is at least receptive candi-
date before launching the resolu-
ton and asking the Senate to vote
on it.
Once it has become clear that the
President is candidate or is going
to be a candidate" said Senator
Holt yesterday ''the less reason there
will be for sidestepping a direct vote
on third-term resolution in the
Senate
He does not wish to have Senators
point out, in the debate which may
arise over his resolution, that there
Is no reason for the Senate to ex-
press an opinion on the third term,
since there is no evidence that Presi-
dent Roosevelt is likely to be can
dldate. Senator Holt, however, said
he does not intend to let the matter
grow cold, even though he may not
press the resolution until some time
in February.
Burke Presses Six-Year Term,
The third-term issue may come
before the Senate in another form
than the Holt anti-third-te term res
olution. Senator Burke, Democrat.
OF Nebraska is author of a resolu-
Ilon calling for a constitutional
amendment providing for a single
term OF six years for President of
the United States. His resolution is
before the Judiciary Committee of
the Senate. Last year the commit
tee was about evenly divided on the
resolution. So Senator Burke was
authorized by the committee to re-
port the resolution and have it
placed on the Senate calendar with
out recommendation"
He has not done so, he said. YES
terday, because he now hopes for
favorable report. He explained that
there have been some changes in
the membership of the Judiciary
Committee. At any rate, he plans
before long to seek action on it in
the committee.
The Ohio primary law provides
that each candidate for delegate
must say who his preference for
nominee for President is-both first
and second choice. Furthermore, it
PROVIDES that presidential candi-
oates so named must give in writing
thelr assent to be entered in the
preferential primary in this way.
IT is clear, therefore, that the Presi-
dent could not be entered in the
Ohio primary without becoming an
open and avowed candidate. On the
other hand, stalking horse candi-
date, ready to turn over the delega-
tion to Mr.. Roosevelt, could be sup
ported by slate of delegate candi-
dates in the Ohio primary.
Door Still Left Open.
Word that Democrats in Ohio
wished to put up a slate of Roose-
velt delegates was carried to the
white House last week by Charles