Evening star., 1948-02-17
The Memoirs of CordeII Hull
Brtoin's Lone Stand After Hitler Conquest
|Of France Led Roosevelt to Seek Third Term

might not in the slightest interfere
with presidential talk about you, I've
often made public statements to the
effect that have no desire or inten-
ton to get into presidential pol
itics."
Disclaimer Is Repeated.
The President went ahead, how
ever, to point out my weaknesses, O.
he saw them, after saying generally
that my Standing throughout the
Nation was good. He mentioned
only one item of weakness, however
the propaganda against the trade
agreements in the farm belt. He
then added that ? could probably
take Wallace or some person in the
farm belt as Vice President and
win.
l repeated my disclaimer Of any
intention to run for the nomination.
said I had not only kept myself
carefully and entirely out OF his po-
litical picture and range, but I had
also seen to it that he had credit
for everything We had done and
were doing at the State Depart
ment. He cheerfully agreed that
this was the truth.
The Presidents whole tone and
language during our conversation
was q complete reversal Of what 1t
had been 10 days before, when he
was still advocating my candidacy.
The President at this time must
have made up his mind to accept =
third term. Certainly huge move
nent was already in motion to urge
him to do so. This movement grad
ually gained momentum until MEM
bers of the Democratic National
Committee and Federal ofilcials and
other friendly elements fell into
line. The matter was now settled.
Almost Immediately the President
began urging me to run with him ~
Vice President. He called me to the
White House and pleaded with ma
for some 2 hours and 40 minutes. I
declined and stood firm In my
declination.
To me, being Vice President meant
that q man would permit himself
to sit as presiding ofncer Of the SEN
ate with no authority to participate
in the proceedings or even to vote
except in the case Of o tie.
Not interested I'm Soft Spot.
Comparing this situation with my
present position, was quick and
strong in saying to the President
that ! could render far more valu-
able service in the troublous days
ahead by staying at the State De-
partment.
I was not interested in an easy.
soft place with the highest honor
next to the presidency.
One or two days later the Presi-
dent called me back to the White
House and again pressed his pro-
posal on me most earnestly. stood
firm in my original attitude.
A night or so later the President
me at my apartment. He
again pressed his offer with much
emphasis. Again refused.
He then said, Let me talk to
Frances. I'll convince her, and she
can convince you"
Mrs. Hull, who was right beside
me, kept shaking her head. She
did not want to be drawn into the
discussion.
I said to the President, Mrs. Hull
has gone to bed. can't call her to
the phone"
He then said, "If you don't take
1t, I'll have to get Henry Wallace to
rum"
I continued to refuse. That's all
right with me-" I said.
This remark does not mean sup
ported Wallace for the Vice Presi-
dency.
The convention on July IS nomi-
mated President Roosevelt for third
term. l went to the White House
that day and congratulated him.
I myself was strongly opposed to
the third-term idea. I feared lest
it set a precedent for some future
President to abuse the power en-
trusted to him. felt 1t had only
one justification. This was that we
were then in the midst Of terrible
crisis.
I felt that no foreign government
would have any respect for an ad-
that had been re-
pudiated, and there was no telling
what action the Axis countries might
take and what results might have
ensued during what would have
amounted to an interregnum. What
I had In mind was something like
Pearl Harbor occurring during that
period.
Copyright, 1e4S, by North American News
paper Alliance, Inc)