Evening star., 1940-09-21

Eadarol Govern G. Gould Lincoln.
ment. The voters are beginning to
wonder if, after all. third term is
not to be forerunner OF a fourth
term-and whether a third term will
not so firmly establish the admins
tration in control that 1t will Vlr-
tually amount to dictatorship.
Supporters of President Roosevelt
pooh-pooh the idea that the Presi-
dents continued tenure Of offlce is
undemocratic. 1t is, however. GER
tainly un-American in view OF the
traditions of $50 years-the whole
life of the Nation. The New Dealers
urge that there is no'law against a
third term, no constitutional prohi-
bition. That is quite true. The anti
third term tradition however, has
had virtually the effect of law. And
this unwritten law is to be set aside,
if the President and his followers
have their way.
Two former Democratic presiden-
tial candidates, John w. Davis and
Alfred E. Smith have opposed a
third term for Mr.. Roosevelt or any
other man. That is not all. In the
days OF Calvin Coolidge, when he
was urged to make the race for an
other term, a resolution opposing a
third term was adopted by the
Senate, with Senator Barkley Of
Kentucky, the administration leader
in the Upper House; Senator Norris
of Nebraska, Independent, and many
Democrats now in the Senate voting
and speaking against third term
on principle-for Mr.. Coolidge never
became candidate for third term.
They suavely say today that a man
has a right to change his mind.
Charge by Republicans.
Republicans charge that these
gentlemen who opposed third term
for Mr.. Coolidge and now demand
one for Mr.. Roosevelt have shown
that it is possible to rise above
principle" when the urge comes TO
hold on to public Office and the
personal benefits that may come
from havingsthe New Deal Presi-
dent continued in Office for another
four years.
John w. Davis. who ran against
Calvin Coolidge in the presidential
race in 1924, appearing before the
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee
holding hearings on proposals to
amend the Constitution so that
a President of the United States
shall be limited to one siX-year
term or to two four-year terms,
stated the case clearly. He said:
Those who have relied upon
tradition to govern the length of
the presidential term have left one
dominating factor out of view-that
is the factor of human nature. 1t
is the nature of the human animal,
most human animals, to love place
and power. Some love it so
much that the power they have
is never gladly or voluntarily sur
rendered The appetite, growing by
what it feeds on, becomes the
master passion of their lives.
Moreover. there are never lacking
around the throne those who in
fame this deep-seated passion to
hold on. The friends and sycho-
plants Of the incumbent, whose po-
litical lives are linkeed with his.
constantly assure their chief that
the public good demands that he
should not desert the people"
Richie Was Defeated.
The last sentence quoted from
Mr.. Davis recalls the fact that
friends of one of the ablest and
most popular Governors Of near
by State, Maryland, made similar
arguments to persuade the late
Gov. Albert Ritchie to make race
for fifth term. And Mr.. Ritchie
was defeated.
Mr.. Willkie recently spoke par
ticularly to voters of the South,
urging that they not relinquish the
tradition (which has been theirs as
we'll as Of the rest of the coun-
try-the tradition against a third
presidential term. Yesterday Jeffer-
son Hayes Davis, grandson of Jeffer-
SOIi LAWS, GlCSlOcllG VI Cilc SOll.
federate States of America. ap-
peared before the same committee
to declare himself against a third
presidential term and to speak in
favor of a constitutional limitation
on the presidential tenure of Office
He discussed particularly that pro-
vision of the Confederate States
Constitution, which raed:
THE executive power shall be
vested in President of the Con-
| federate States of America. He and
the Vice President shall hold their
Offices for the term of six years
but the President shall not be re-
eligible"
Feared Democracy's Overthrow.
The son of the President of the
Confederacy gave 1t as his opinion
that the provision written into the
Constitution of the Confederate
States had grown out of a fear on
the part Of the people of the South
EDUCATIONAL.