Evening star., 1940-02-21

that no Presi-
dent shall serve David Lawrence.
third term is not written in the
Constitution. but If it is broken in
1910 it would seem a foregone con-
clusion that no such limitation ever
will be written into the Constitu-
ton because Of the power of the
Executive in Office hereafter to
prevent through his control of Con-
gress any such resolution from be-
ing submitted by two-thirds vote
OF the Senate and House.
What the American people are
being asked by few selfish men
to indorse is the idea that any
President-not just Mr.. Roosevelt
shall hereafter consider himself ELI
gible for third or even a fourth
term. The job-holders who want
to keep their jobs are behind the
third-term movement.
Would Maintain Reactionaries.
In few instances, there are rad
icals like Senator Norris of Nebraska
who want Mr.. Roosevelt reelected
because they want certain policies
maintained. They feel the third
term precedent is less important or
valuable than the maintenance of
certain so-called liberal" policies.
But these same liberals are really
sanctioning a precedent which can
keep reactionary Presidents in
power some day just as readily as
liberal Presidents.
What is most surprising is that
the liberals who sponsored the anti
third-term resolution in the Senate
IN 1924 and who always have fought
against any step that might re-
motely imply an interference with
the rule of the people are new will
ing to let the third-term precedent
60 by the boards.
This correspondent stated several
months ago that if the Democratic
party Of its own accord wished to
renominate the President, and if
the country wished to re-elect him.
there could be no complaint that
democratic processes had not been
preserved because Mr.. Roosevelt
was so much the main factor in the
record of the New Deal that it was
logical from a party standpoint to
consider whether he should be the
standard bearer again.
But 1t was also stated then that
true liberalism had always fought
against the illicit use of the presi-
dental power to gain a nomination.
This was the main reason for the
Bull Moose split-on from the Re-
publican party in 1912 when Senator
Hiram johnson and Harold Ickes
and other liberals denounced the
use Of the presidential power to gain
. nomination.
Evidence Of Movement.
There is evidence that in many
States the off1ceholders are engaging
In an indirect attempt to bring about
the sending of delegates to the
Democratic National Convention
who will be favorable to third
term for Mr.. Roosevelt. In the case
Of Virginia, Tom Corcoran. one of
the Presidents intimates, denies in
q letter that he had participated
In any way in such a movement
and Martin A. Hutchinson, former
secretary of the Democratic Gen.
tral Committee, who is supposed to
have conferred with Mr.. .Corcoran,
denies that he did so. These denials
must be accepted as fact in the
absence Of any proof to the con-
trary. but it is also significant that
Mr.. Hutchinson in his letters re-
veals the existence Of third-term
sentiment in Virginia which is, of
course, not surprising because OF the
public speeches Of prominent New
Dealers.
The same thing is revealed in
other States where Mr.. Corcoran's
name is mentioned, too, as in Iowa,
for instance, but even if Mr.. Cor
coran is not heading up the third
term activity everywhere, there can
be no doubt that cabinet officers
by their public addresses are lend
ing encouragement to it and that
Democratic State Central Commit
tees here and there are springing
up to arrange for the selection of
delegates favorable to a third term.
These political committees evi-
IDENTIFY feel no responsibility for the
precedent they are creating. They
apparently take the position that it
Is more important to put a good
vote-getter on the ticket than it
Is to prevent Presidents hereafter
from scheming constantly in their
second terms to try to get a third.
Beneficiaries' Roles the Issue.
To what extent are Federal ofiice-
holders and persons who are the
beneficiaries of Federal funds and
favors participating in the third
term movement and trying to block
the candidates. of Vice President
Garner and others? This Is the
real issue involved in the third term.
II the presidency can be attained
by the use of governmental ma
ehinery, and If conventions can be
- ISNVH~~ n - OU.D AA