Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
174679818
label
Newspaper Article by David Lawrence, One Term Can Be Too Long
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
174679818
contentType
document
title
Newspaper Article by David Lawrence, One Term Can Be Too Long
citationUrl
collections
Records of the National Committee Against Limiting the Presidency
Subject Files
thumbnailUrl
largeImageUrl
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
174679818
levelOfDescription
item
productionDates
day
9
logicalDate
1951-03-09
month
3
year
1951
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
269ea37da5c6b9d5
ocrText
(This page presents the opinion of the Editor, The news pages are written by other staff members independently of these editorial views.)
ONE TERM CAN BE TOO LONG
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(From the United States News of November 7, 1938:)
Houses concur. This is legislative rigidity with a venge-
ance
N
OW THAT the 1938 election campaign is over, the na-
To me, therefore, this question of three terms
tion looks toward 1940. The issue is not, as so many
comes up for discussion at an opportune time when the
people suppose, whether Franklin Roosevelt should
country may well consider seriously a constitutional
have a third term but whether any President should
amendment which should by no means be aimed at
serve the people for 12 years or even more
Mr. Roosevelt's ambition to serve a third term but
Viewed impersonally, why should we object to a term
should permit him or anybody else to be elected if the
of 12 years for a President when we applaud the man
people want him, subject only to recall at any time
who can serve four or even five terms as the Governor
after two years of tenure.
of a large State?
It will be suggested at once that, if the President can
Why do we speak so approvingly of a United States
control the elections by use of federal funds, he can
Senator who is elected and re-elected to serve five
perpetuate himself in power and thus dictatorship can
terms, or 30 years?
be legalized by constitutional method. But in any con-
It certainly cannot be that we object to a particular
stitutional amendment permitting indefinite tenure and
period of years. Rather do our objections go directly to
providing for recall, the power of the Congress would
the powers of the Presidency. For my part, I am as
be supreme. A President who refused to accede on
strongly opposed to the autocratic powers in a single
an important measure or policy to the wishes of a 60
term of four years as I am to the exercise of those
per cent majority of each House would have the choice
powers for an 8-year or 12-year term.
of forcing a general election or else retiring from office
Once you strike at the root of the problem and cor-
whilst a successor is chosen by a 60 per cent vote of
rect the weakness in our system of executive domina-
both Houses from among the members of the majority
tion, that moment you readily settle the question of
of Congress. The Cabinet, moreover, should be chosen
presidential tenure.
from Congress, thus assuring cooperation for the ma-
To put it another way, there can be little objection
jority in both branches as well as direct responsibility
to any man serving the American people as Chief
to the people
Executive for 12 years or even 16 years, provided the
American people can recall such a President at any
If our destiny lies in the direction of central-
time that he ceases to serve the interests of the people
ization, if an enlarged nationalism is to be our method
as expressed by a majority. Woodrow Wilson aptly
of dealing with perplexing social and economic prob-
said: "Four years is too long a term for a President
lems of the nation and the world, if the Federal Gov-
who is not the true spokesman of the people, who is
ernment must needs control the many operations of
imposed upon and does not lead."
American business and agriculture so as to attain
cohesion and national unity, then the right way to
We say that every two years the entire House
preserve democracy in the United States is to remove
of Representatives changes if the people so desire. But
the rigidities of presidential tenure altogether.
only one-third of the Senate is up for election. What,
We must, therefore, provide by constitutional amend-
then, is the power of the President in the interim?
ment a system of recall which will permit us to get rid
During his four-year term he is stronger than two-
of an incompetent or misguided President at any time
thirds of the House of Representatives and stronger
after two years and yet enable us to retain a President
than the Senate up to the point that he commands
whom the people want for as long as 12 years or more
one less vote than the necessary two-thirds to override
President who continuously represents the desires
his veto. His appointees to policy-making offices and
of the majority of the people of the United States.
presidentially-controlled commissions and boards are
This is progressive government, fitted to the needs of
not subject to recall for four years.
the hour and stripped of all questions of personality.
So if a President can persuade by one means or
Such an amendment as here proposed will be accepted
another a simple majority of Congress to pass a law,
in good faith only if it makes the present incumbent of
his veto can prevent repeal or any modification what-
the White House subject to its penalties or eligible to
soever by amendment unless fully two-thirds of both
its benefits.
MARCH 9, 1951