Evening star., 1940-10-24
Rs the Associated Press.

iro is the prepared teri OF Wen
dell Willkies speech last night
at the NetD York Herald Tribune
Forum:
Mrs. Reid, ladies and gentlemen,
I'm delighted to be here as the
guest of Mr.. and Mrs. Ogden Reid.
think the creation Of this forum
end the way it has functioned, and
its original establishment, is one Of
, the greatest contributions to free
end open discussion Of public ques-
tons in America.
You know. I believe in public
discussion. even in face-to-face dis
cussion. AS matter of fact. when
ever 1t becomes my duty to say OF
another man that he has falsified
the record I like to look him face
to face and say so.
AS I told Mrs. Reid just before
she introduced me, I expect to make
= political speech tonight. I make
no pretense OF making, any other
kind these days.
I just listened over the radio to
the third-term candidate. As I
listened to his speech of the evening
felt we were in the campaign OF
1882 because he discussed no other
issues, nothing about the great
questions before the American
people in 1910.
Listened Over Radio
To Third Term Candidate.
I want to talk to you this evening
s'out what to me is a very serious
subject. That's first the problem of
the third term.
You know I voted for the Demo-
cratic platform of 1882 and was for
many years-aS a matter of fact, I
still ana devotee of Thomas JET
ferson and Andrew Jackson and
those other early leaders of the
Democratic party, particularly in
their beliefs about the necessity Of
the limitation of the term of Office
of the President Of the United
States.
AS listened over the radio this
evening to the glorious descriptions
made by the third-term candidate
Of the present prosperous condition
of the United States. I wondered
l could not help wondering-how,
under such ideal circumstances,
there could be any indispensable
man.
Today is mo third-term day"
All over our country thoughtful
men and women have joined to-
s,ther to explain and to debate the
great American tradition that for
''ids any man to hold the Office Of
President for more than two terms.
1t is not my purpose tonight to
trace the historical development of
that tradition, or to review the great
hcdy of argument sustaining it.
That argument has been made
throughout $50 years by the most
distinguished men in both political
parties 1t is difficult, if not i'm
possible, to find single leader in
American political life. since the
first Inauguration. who has favored
the position now held by the third
term candidate.
But tonight I want to 60 behind
that tradition. I want to bring you
face to face with the great issue
that confronts us; the issue be-
hind the third-term issue; the most
critical issue to be brought before
the American people since the days
Of the Civil War. That Is the issue
of the concentration of power.
Limitation Of Government
Powers the Essence Of Democracy.
The men who established our
Government had foremost In their
thoughts the preservation OF the
rights Of the individual. To safe
guard those rights, they provided
system of checks and balances.
They clearly saw that if Govern
ment obtained too much power its
power would ultimately be used,
not to serve the people, but to sub
iugate them. Limitation OF the
powers of Government Is the es-
sence of democracy.
In recent years we have seen this
democratic concept ruthlessly vlo-
lated throughout much of the world.
In Europe it has been largely re-
nlaced by the doctrine of an all
-,owerful state, dominated by a SELF
~.vled elite class and subject to the
I'LL of one indispensable man.
These European dictators have
ro'lowed a familiar pattern. They
-,und their opportunity in economic
distress and WIDESPREAD unemploy-
n.nt-conditions which have always
followed excessive government
epending. To meet those conditions
they demanded emergency powers.
-Iaying secured those powers, they
suspended all constitutional rights,
,.duced the legislature to . RUBBER
lamp, packed the judiciary and won
or themselves and their followers
perpetual term of ofiice.
We have always thought OF our
ives as a lucky people. The threat
of tyranny within our borders has
never heretofore extended beyond
the range Of a city boss. or at the
most of a State politician. Our ma
t:onal leaders. no matter how incom-
r,tent. have always bowed IN rev.
c~ence to our right Of free election
md to the principle Of the limita-
ton of power We are consequently
e,,azed that the people OF Europe
,>auld have permitted themselves
-, be so misled and to be so be-
treyed. ,.,
-:.re fail to see that the identical
nrocess which wrecked the liberties
of Europe has been going on here
in America right before our eyes.
We fail to recognize the stealthy
concentration of power that has
characterized the progress OF the
Few Deal. We do not recognize 1t
TO- what it is: A trend, partly ac-
ci6ental. partly deliberate. toward
to establishment of State domina-
ten OYER our lives.
Cc~crnmcnt Power Continues
To Increase Month by Month.
Although it may not be immedi-
te