Evening star., 1940-01-27
Is 'Chuos' Desirable?

Is 'Choos' Desirable? .
Senator Wheeler, Montana Demo-
crat, who has come more and more
into the limelight as a potential
winner in the race for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination, be-
lieves that President Roosevelt
should say, without further delay,
whether he wants a third-term
nomination. If the riddle is not
answered before the time of the Dem
ocratic National Convention, confu-
sion, chaos and disaster-for the
DemocratS-will be the result, he
said in an interview at Columbus,
Ohio, yesterday.
Mr.. Wheeler is by no means alone
In his plea that the President speak
out. Nearly every other presidential
possibility" whether Democrat or
Republican, wants to know what the
President is going to do. The Presi-
dent, however, is saying nothing-he
said 1t again at his press conference
yesterday. Whether he is following
his own inclination in keeping silence
or the advice of Attorney General
Robert H. Jackson matters not. In
arguing against Mr.. Roosevelt's max
ing any statement about a third-term
nomination at this time Mr.. Jackson
declared: 1--WE don't want the greatest
asset Of the Democratic party put
in hock"
The Montana Senator, like other
aspirants for the presidential nomi-
nation, frankly admits that the Pres
ident can have denomination If he
wants one. He gave as his reasons for
so believing the tremendous power of
patronage which a President con-
trolls and the huge size of the Federal
Government today, with its thou
sands of officeholders. Not even the
sentiment against a third term for
any President could halt Mr.. Roose-
welt, in the opinion of Senator
Wheeler and the others.
Now the Senator, like other candi-
dates, processes to believe that the
President does not wish to run again.
If that be so, they argue, the
President should clear the tracks for
some one else. To leave the matter
in doubt-up to the very hour of the
convention meeting-will bring about
a chaotic condition, they say.
Whether that is the case or not, the
failure of the President to say mo"
can easily lead to attempts to stam-
pede the convention into renomi-
nation OF Mr.. Roosevelt. That seems
to be the desire of Attorney General
Jackson and other members of the
third-term brigade.
Seemingly the President is thor
oughly enjoying the situation which
his silence is creating. He may have
determined when and where he will
make a pronouncement regarding
a third-term nomination. Or he
may have decided to let nature take
it's course-even if it means a stam-
peded convention and a draft" of
himself.
In the meantime, the Democratic
aspirants for the presidential noni-
nation will just have to worry along
as best they can. That, after all, is
their lookout. But it is quite certain
that as long as the shadow of Mr..
Roosevelt hangs over the presiden-
tial scene, none of the other candi-
dates is likely to loom large on the
horizon. It is very difficult for any
one of them to be built up to major
proportions under such conditions.
Mr.. Wheeler's contention is that
if the riddle continues unanswered,
the Democratic party will get itself
into a situation where it cannot win
the election next November For the
sake of the party, Mr.. Roosevelt
should speak out. But the New Deal
ers, of whom Attorney General jack
son is a prominent member, fear that
If the President removes himself
from the race for the nomination, it
may endanger the whole New Deal
program and control of the Demo-
cratic party by the New Dealers.
They prefer the present chaos to
such development. And they wish,
above all, to have Mr.. Roosevelt re-
nominated and reelected.