Evening star., 1946-04-13
Six-Yeur Presidential
Term Weighed by COP
Republican Leadership in House
Revives Debated Proposal
By Berfram Benedict


The Republican leadership In the
House has filed petition to discharge
the Election Committee from the Dom
dero, Republican, of Michigan, resolu-
ton. submitting to the States for rati-
fication. a constitutional amendment
to limit President to single six-year
term. This would seem to be a good
time for such resolution, because most
OF the State Legislatures will be In ses-
sion next year. The amendment would
apply only to future Presidents, so it
could not be held to be aimed at Mr..
Truman.
There Is some surprise in Washington
that the Republican leadership is NOV
Ing for single .six-year term instead
OF for two four-year terms The Re-
publican platform of 1914 favored an
amendment providing that no person
shall be President of the United States
Tor more than two terms of four years
EACH The 1910 Republican platform
called for two-term amendment with
out specifying the length of the terms.
Some Republicans might shy away
from single six-year term proposal,
arguing that they were bound by the
platform to two four-year terms. And
some Democrats may oppose the former
proposal while supporting the latter.
Perhaps the answer is that the Repub-
hcan House leaders will act to amend
the resolution, If it comes to the floor
via the petition route, to provide for
a limitation of two terms of four years
each.
Problem an Old One.
oil fka
the Constitutional Convention of 1887,
only the respective strength of the
large and the small States in Congress
created more discussion than the Sc
lection and the tenure of Office of the
president. First the Convention voted
Tor a 7-year term, renewable. Then the
term was changed to six years Then
the convention agreed to limit a Presi-
dent to single term, although reach
Ing no agreement on how long that
single term should be. The delegates
seemed to favor a limitation on tenure
II the President were to be elected by
the Congress. Sentiment for a limita-
ton weakened after the convention
came around to the electoral College
method of choosing the President.
The absence of tenure limit was
one Of the strongest objections raised
against the Constitution in the State
convention ratifying the document.
However, when the presidential election
system was changed in 1904, by the
Twelfth Amendment, no limit was placed
on re-eligibility for the presidency.
Wilson Was Opposed.
Over a century and a half more than
iNfe t.,
Congress for limiting the presidential
tenure of office. Most of these proposals
have called for single six-year term
Among the advocates of single-term
limitation, of either four or six years,
were Presidents Jackson, w. H. Harri-
son. johnson, Hayes, Cleveland.
The Democratic platform OF 1912
favored "a single presidential term" and
it pledged the candidate of this con-
vention to this principle" However, the
nominee. Woodrow Wilson, declared
that he had not been consulted about
the plank and did not feel bound by it.
In February, 1918, one month before
Wilson was inaugurated, the Senate
voted by the necessary two-thirds ma.
Jority to submit to the States an amend.
ment for single six-year term. The
President-elect then stated objections
to the proposal, and the House refrained
from acting on it, Wilson did not op-
pose limitation of two terms of four
years each IF you do not trust the
people to take care of themselves"
but argued that the voters ought to
have the right of passing on President
more often than once every six years,
and that a chief executive who was
the real spokesman of the people"
ought to have the right of going to
them for Endorsement after one term.