Evening star., 1947-02-06
Presidential I Tenure
Vote Held Surprising
Opposition BY Six Democrats
Declared Short.Sighted
Rr David Laprence

Declared Short-Sighted
By David Laurence
Although the House Judiciary Com
mittee voted by 20 to to recommend
to the House the adoption Of a pro-
posed amendment tosthe Constitution.
to be submitted to the several States,
whereby a President would be limited
to two terms of four years each, the
nature of the opposition is q surprise.
All the votes against the proposal came
from Democrats.
Before 1910, ip fact, throughout Amer
ican history, the two-term tradition
was so widely approved that no consti-
tutional amendment was really deemed
necessary, though from time to time
scattered proposals were made for
single term Of six years.
It would be most unfortunate II the
Democratic Party, which has tradition
ally opposed more than two terms,
should now become short-sighted and
think of the new proposal as a refiec-
ton on what Franklin Roosevelt did IN
breaking the two-term tradition and
accepting four terms.
The theory that the United States
may need particular man in an emer-
gency presupposes that wisdom or ad-
ministrative capacity is rare and that
emergencies" are infrequent. Actually,
there is an emergency" every four
years when the party in power, its
henchmen and lieutenants and hangers
on, fear that they may be turned out of
Office. No emergency" is greater to
some individuals than the prospect OF
a loss of the power that goes with public
Office. 4
Abuses of Power Motive.
Some church philosophers and the
orists may talk of the profit motive"
as bad, but they are babes in the woods
when they overlook the evils and wick
edness of the power motive" in Gov
ernment. The profit motive has its bad
points and abuses should be condemned.
But the abuse of the power motive at
its worst affects all the people in all
walks of life and can destroy human
liberty.
Any scheme which tends to perpetuate
a party or class in possession OF gov
ernmental powers is dangerous. To ma
the Democratic Party-which, IN It's
national convention in 1912 under the
leadership of that great liberal, William
Jennings Bryan, adopted a single term
plank-now arguing for four or more
terms for President is to observe what
a reactionary party the Democratic
Party really has become under New
Dealism.
Even President-elect Woodrow wilson,
who objected in February, 1913, to the
single-term proposal, said in his famous
letter to House Leader Palmer that the
two-term tradition was widely accepted
and that, if it was necessary to amend
the Constitution, the amendment should
be for the customary two terms OF four
wears each. Mr.. Wilson nevertheless
wrote. as many students of Government
see today, that rigid tenure is not the
answer. He favored something akin to
the Canadian parliamentary system.
Better Check Imperative.
If representative government Is to
succeed in the United States and If CEN
tralized control by a Federal establish
ment is accepted-as it has been ever
since the New Deal Supreme Court re-
wrote the commerce clause" OF the
Constitution by saying that virtually all
businesses are engaged in interstate
commerce"-then better check on the
executive and legislative branches OF the
government by the people is imperative.
The Democratic Party position ought
to be the Wilson position, which was
that the executive should be made re-
sponsible to the people more frequently.
His point was that four years Is some
times too long to keep President who
is flop, whereas six years might not
be long enough for a good man.
Just across the border in Canada,
Prime Minister Mackenzie King has
served more than 20 years with short
Interruptions. But he can be turned out
of Office overnight by change in cab
met control or by general election.
The mere fact that chief executive
can be turned out Of office makes him
responsive to public opinion and ready
to campaign for his convictions. 1t does
not actually result in too frequent elec-
tions, but the mere threat Is salutary.
The proposed constitutional amend
ment would be better If it confined the
presidential term to two years and per-
mitted reelection, or if it required that
the executive stand for reelection or
resign whenever a two-thirds vote In
the legislative body indicates that the
President has lost the confidence Of
Congress- With this would naturally go
a provision to choose new Congress
if the President declined to resign, so
that the people could approve or dis
approve the incumbent President and
either assure continuance In power or
the selection by Congress of new
President.
The need for reform lies in the direc-
tion of f1exibility of tenure rather than
rigidity. 1t isn't important whether a
man serves two years or twenty years
If the people retain the power and un-
fettered opportunity really to vote their
choice in or out at any moment.
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