Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-29

The question of free government
involved IL much more important
than the personalities involved.
II this principle dies, 1t will
be dead forever.
What shall guide us to a right
conclusion on this important
question? One course is to
heed the accumulated wisdom
of men skilled in the art of gov
eminent, with experience in the
Office of President and of whose
sincerity and integrity there can
be no question. s.
When George Washington
came to the end of his second
term, Europe was convulsed by
var. The most powerful nations,
France and England, were at
each others thr oat. Spain, Aus
tria and many German and Ital-
ian states were ultimately en-
broiled. Efforts were being made
by the several belligerents, and
by factions in this country, to
force abandonment of our neu-
trality and to get us into their
wars.
We were young and weak and
not united. Belligerents were on
our borders and were violating
our rights on the high seas.
Those times were as perilous as
these. Washington, by the COM
mon consent of all his country
men, was best qualified to see us
through by taking a third term.
He was qualified not only because
he had had experience as Presi-
dent, but because he had char
acter. But that very character,
that very quality of greatness
which made a third term safe in
his hands, impelled him to re-
nounce it.
He refused a third term in
order deliberately to set An ex-
ample of moderation and pa
triotism to his successors and
until now that example has been
needed.
Jefferson and Jackson
Followed Washington's Example.
Since Washington's time, and
until the appearance Of the New
Deal party, the Democratic party
has been an active advocate Of
this rule. Its first President,
Thomas Jefferson, crystallized
the tradition to make 1t set
tied rule Of our law.
Pressed by the Legislatures OF
States to take a third term, he
refused to disregard the sound
precedent set by Washington.
The great popular hero of that
party, and of the country, An
drew Jackson, reinforced that
rule by obedience to 1t. He
earnestly urged a limit on the
time that Presidents might serve,
a limit shorter than eight years.
At the hundreth anniversary
of Washington's refusal of the
third term, the Democratic party
declared it to be the unwritten
law of this Republic, established
by custom and usage, and sane
toned by the greatest and wisest
of those who founded and have
maintained our Government,
that no man should be eligible
for a third term of the presi-
Dental Office"
This is the common law Of
the United States.
The principle against a third
term Is a good one. That prin-
ciple Is this: That should any
one man become so powerful as
to continue himself in office be-
yond two terms, our democratic
system Is In distress and jeop-
srdy.
Says Roosevelt Has Kept
All Emergency" Powers.
The longer any man remains
in office, the greater grows his
desire for power, the more con-
WINGED he becomes that his ideas
are the only sound ideas, the
less important to him become
constitutional safeguards. We
should fear much more the man
whose original motives have been
pure and good, for he will more
easily convince himself that fur
their increase of power and
greater release from constitu-
tional limitations are required,
that he may do what it seems
to him ought to be done. That,
to some extent, has already hap
pened here. The determined
effort to pack the Supreme Court
is evidence of it. So is the effort
to purge the Congress. So is the
fact that our current President
has never surrendered any Of
the emergency" powers given
to him by Congress.
The third-term candidate has
made the argument that we can
protect ourselves against presi-
Dental self-perpetuation in Office
by our votes at the end of the
third term. Another argument
is that a change of leadership
at this time would be unwise.
Finally, the third-term support
ers say that Mr.. Roosevelt Is the
indispensable and sole man capa-
BILE of taking us through this
period.
In theory, the people can pro-
tect themselves at the polls II
their votes are free and are
counted. But practically, 1t Is
extremely difficult.
The powers of the Office OF