The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-01-25
His ''Place In History"

With one set of writers insisting
that he is sure to be renominated as
the sun is to rise and another set de-
claring that he definitely will elimi-
nate himself before March 4, Mr..
Roosevelt is enjoying himself i'm
mensely. He has not had better time
since he became President.
~
Literally, he loves being a riddle. He
loves muddling and mystifying the
press. He loves the whole third-term
discussion and has done his share to
promote it by encouragement of the
Corcorans, the Ickes and others be-
hind the movement Also there is rea
son to believe that behind his nom
political cloak, he is cooperating with
the third-term engineers. Evidence OF
this is to be found in the recent ap
pointments of Mr. Cromwell and Mr..
Edison, made, it is charged, in the
partisan interests of Mr.. Frank Hague,
the smelly New Jersey boss, who, after
the Department of Justice started its
investigation, came out for third
term.
When all the facts concerning these
selections are considered, including
the known wish of Mr.. Hague to nomi-
nate this year one for Governor, the
ether for Senator, they seem complete
ly indefensible. And there has been
other evidence-for example, the char
acter of the budget the President has
submitted and his obvious effort to
avoid political embarrassments and
controversial questions. Nevertheless,
despite all this, the conviction among
the more clear-headed observers in
Washington remains mistaken that
Mr.. Roosevelt long ago made up his
mind not to run again, has not Wav
cred in his determination-and will
not.
1t is interesting to present their ar
gument. They say that above every
thing else Mr.. Roosevelt is interested
in his place in history. There is little
question about that. Once that is
granted, the reasons for the Roosevelt
decision, it is contended, not to try
for third term become clear. In the
first place, retiring at the end of his
second term, he would go out pretty
close to the top of his prestige and
popularity. His policies are certain to
be indorsed by the Democratic conven-
ton, and his Administration praised.
Regardless of who succeeds him he
would retain a dominant influence in
the Democratic party. Should his sue
cessor be a Republican, the way for
him to acquire the Democratic nomi-
nation in 1914, if he wanted it, would
be clear. In that year, of course, no
consecutive third-term issue could be
made.
Further, it is argued, that after
eight years in the White House, good
time as he undoubtedly has had and
deep as is his enjoyment of power,
the prospect of relief from the strain
cannot help but be attractive. Partic-
Ularly this is true as he must know
that he cannot possibly be nominated
unless he connives in the effort
Clearly, his nomination can be secured
only through the weight of the Fed
eral machine. 1t is bound to create a
split in the Democratic party, present
the Republicans with an issue and be
followed by the bitterest kind of fight.
Every poll shows that the odds would
be against him.
If he won, the Congress surely would
be more hostile and his control less
than now. Every untoward thing that
happened-and many are inevitable
would be laid to the fact that he had
IuICeu ulNlSSlel Oh GHG country IOr a
third term. In the end, he might easily
go out completely discredited and
Gespised President, whose place in
history would be an unenviable one.
And, of course, if he ran and was
beaten, then the whole of his prestige
and popularity vanishes and he goes
into compulsory retirement, an embit-
tered man, bound to brood upon the
blunder which his vanity led him to
make and against which he had been
warned by the Chairman of the Ma
tional Committee, for ten years his
political manager, and the Vice Presi-
dent, twice elected with him.
That is the way detached and ex-
perienced observers here view the sit
uation. That is the way they feel that
any man in Mr.. Roosevelt's position
must view it. That is why thew are