Evening star., 1940-04-13
Roosevelt loose Expected
To Keep Silent Until
6. 0. P. Nominafes
Lee Declares President
Must Remuin Available
Because Of War Situotior
1y the Associated Press

~ the Associated Press.
Usually reliable sources predicted
today that President Roosevelt would
withhold any statement regarding q
third term until after the Republi-
can convention June "a.
Two administration Senators, who
declined to be quoted by name, said
they had heard from presidential
advisors that Mr.. Roosevelt wanted
to study the Republican nominees
and platform before announcing his
own intentions.
These Senators observed that the
Democratic convention had been de-
layed until after the Republican
meeting at Philadelphia in order to
give the Democrats any strategic
advantage which might be gained
from keeping the opposition guess
ing. This strategy, they added, vir-
tually would be destroyed if Mr..
Roosevelt made any third term dec
laration before the Republicans met.
Silence Helps, Says Lee.
Meanwhile, Senator Lee, Demo-
crat, of Oklahoma, a third term ad-
vocate, told reporters the President
was making himself available for
the nomination by his silence.
The tradition against a third
term would make it awkward for
him to announce as q candidate" j"
Senator Lee said. THE nomination
must come from the rank and file
Of the Democrats"
Senator Lee contended that in
view of the war situation abroad
the President certainly can't take
himself out of the race"
He added:
If he did announce against a
third term, the Democratic factions
would scatter like flushed covey of
-quail. He has too much regard for
the Democratic party to withdraw
because If he did it would make it
awfully difficult for us to elect a
President"
Senator Lee expressed the view
that MIR. Roosevelt would have Moth
Ing to say about third term until
and unless, he is nominated by the
Democratic National Convention.
which meets July Is at Chicago.
South May Regain "veto."
Incidentally, the way was paved
yesterday for possible restoration to
Southern democracy of veto power"
which they held in party conven-
tlons prior to abrogation of the two
thirds rule.
Pursuant to instructions of the
1886 convention, Democratic Ma
tlonal Chairman James A. Farley
Yesterday appointed a subcommittee
to study and report on a plan for
improving the system by which
delegates and alternates to national
conventions are apportioned."
ne named to the subcommittee
senator Green of Rhode Island
chairman; James A. Marsh of Colo
fado, Ramsay M. Walker of Idaho
Louis M. Jiggitts of Mississippi and
representative Folger of North
Carolina.
South and West Linked.
While only two Southerners were
appointed to the subcommittee, pol
iticians noted that two Westerners
were named, and recalled that in
the past the West and South often
have found common ground in con-
vention questions.
The 1896 convention was the first
IN l04 years to nominate a candi-
date under a majority instead of
q two-thirds rule. Action in Or
derlng q. study of the system of
delegation apportioning, therefore,
was something of a policy of ap-
peasement toward the solid South.
Under the old two thirds rule the
South often found itself in a posi-
ton to veto a proposed nomination,
even though it might lack the power
to nominate man of its own
choosing.