Third Termites

All last week Third Termites bored busily in the solid wooden pillars of U. S. politics. Scripps-Howard's cartoonist, Harold Talburt, caught the spirit of it in a drawing of Harry Hopkins and Harold Ickes, two urchins standing on the magic table of Franklin the Great, hoisting a third-term rabbit out of the absent wizard's hat (see cut).

P: Senator Barkley of Kentucky: "I key-noted Roosevelt into the White House in 1932 and 1936, and I might possibly do it again in 1940."

P: Secretary of the Interior Ickes: "If the reactionaries in the Democratic Party want a real test of President Roosevelt's strength with the people, I suggest that they continue to work for a situation which will result in the people being given opportunity to vote directly on ... President Roosevelt and his policies. There can hardly be any doubt what the answer of the people would be."/- P: Senator Pittman of Nevada: "I have inherent prejudices against a third term, but between Ickes and a third term, I'll take a third term."

P: Senator Pepper of Florida: "The third-term question is being used as a red herring by some of the New Deal opponents." P: Senator Vandenberg of Michigan: "I do not see where he can find his 'Charlie McCarthy' with personal power enough to stand any show of perpetuating the dynasty. So, as a jovial precedent-breaker, I expect him to try himself." P: Senator Holt of West Virginia: "I am sure that those who supported the La Follette anti-third-term resolution during the Coolidge Administration will be very glad to support a similar resolution now." P: Cartoonist Norman (William Norman Ritchie) of the Boston Post, more blunt, drew a chortling Franklin Roosevelt unctuously declining a third-term cup of cocoa in the New Deal cafe (see cut). P: Recovering with a bounce from his primary defeat, Representative Maury Maverick of Texas wrote a piece for the Philadelphia Record. Excerpt: "Calling all progressives! Calling all liberals! Stop your telegrams telling me how sad it was that I got beat. . . . The job we have ahead of us now is not to let any more get beat. Let me be a lesson to you." P: After 35 years of married life, Linda Gaddy Bilbo of Poplarville, Miss, last fortnight was divorced by Senator Theodore Gilmore ("The Man") Bilbo. Grounds: Cruel and inhuman treatment of the Senator (TIME, Aug. 1). Last week she announced that she might run against him for the nomination in 1940. Said she: "I've been in politics as long as the Senator and it's time I received some benefits for my work."

P: Lawrence Wood ("Chip") Robert Jr., secretary-treasurer of the National Democratic Executive Committee, commented on the nomination of W. Lee ("Pass the Biscuits") O'Daniel, radio flour salesman, for Governor of Texas: "He is a real man and he knows what he is doing. . . . He is my kind of a Democrat."

*Queried by newshawks about the authority for his hint, Air. Ickes replied, "I thought it all up myself. I didn't ask Papa."

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