The Debating Society

Russian Opera—Martin Cooper. Gilbert and Sullivan—Arthur Jacobs. Two Cheers for Democracy—E. M. Forster. Poverty and the Welfare State—B. S. Rowntree and G. R. Lavers. Life in a Medieval College—Frederick Harrison. A Natural History of Man in Britain—H. I. Fleure. The Struggle for Europe—Chester Wilmot. The World of Science—F. Sherwood-Taylor. Adventure Lies Ahead. The Story of the Green Howards, 1939-1945—Synge.

This term's debating started off in a somewhat disappointing fashion. Attendances were not good and the standard of speaking was below our normal level. An attempt to analyse the trouble led to no very important findings, though it is to be remarked that the Society depends largely on a knot of enthusiastic senior members, and a large number of keen junior members. The Committee came in for some criticism, and a change of constitution was ordained : in future the Committee will consist of five members elected by the Society, and one representative of each House. It is hoped that in this way it will become a more active body.

At the first of the term's five meetings Mr. Burgess and Everitt proposed that "This House views the prospect of universal television with misgiving". They feared the stamp of uniformity on our way of life, the dulling of our senses, the effect on home life, and eye-strain. Oldroyd and Pegg, who opposed, both made their maiden speeches from the platform. They urged that television brought beneficial relaxation, with joy and amusement into many homes, that the effect on home life would be beneficial, that our senses would be stimulated, and so on. There were many speeches from the floor of the House, some of . them repetitive and a number of them relevant. No doubt everybody was quite right, but the House has consistently refused to be worried about the future and voted true to form, rejecting the motion by 82 votes to 43.

At the second meeting it had been decided to try once again two short debates. First, Lochore proposed "That Great Britain should become the 49th State". He foresaw financial, military and international gains from this arrangement. Wheatley, who opposed, claimed that British social and cultural life would be submerged by American influences, and he feared American interference in British internal affairs. Then, unfortunately, he mentioned chewing gum, 24

and this subject dominated the speeches from the floor. The defeat of the motion by 24 votes to 6 reflects the House's views on the chewing-gum habit, though there was a strong "Abstentionist Party" led by Hilton, whose impartial and highly critical remarks about the motion and everything said by everybody livened an otherwise dull discussion. This party was also vocal during the second debate : "That no man who reads his daily paper can remain an optimist". The proposer was Meredith, who drew a dark picture of world affairs, and the opposer was Robinson, who denounced the proposal as cowardly and pessimistic. Robinson is an experienced debater and estimated his audience correctly, for he who can convince the St. Peter's School Debating Society that the other side lacks optimism is sure to carry the day. Accordingly, after some discussion about ostriches and sand, the House rejected the motion by 24 votes to 10, with 21 abstentions by those anxious to try a new experience— abstaining has not been a practice in the past.

The third meeting proved one of the most successful and enjoyable of the session. The Society heard Staines and Gardner proposing "That the pen is mightier than the sword". They claimed that the pen was the more subtle and so the more damaging, and stressed the power of propaganda and the press. Mr. Cummin and Shaw opposed the motion, basing their case on the argument that ultimate power lay with the sword—a fact recognised by the figure of Justice. Who could imagine that good lady presiding over the Old Bailey with scales in one hand, and no sword in the other? The House discussed censorship and imprisonment in dictator states, Marxism, Munich, the days of 1940, the history of Christianity, Korea (as usual) and other topics, all of them throwing light on the subject, before rejecting the motion by 18 votes to 17. Many contended that the pen and the sword operate in different spheres and that therefore the motion was not capable of discussion. Thompson, who made this point in a oneminute speech, found a good deal of support, and there were 21 abstentions.

At the fourth meeting the Secretary, Markus, rose to propose that "This House would offer equal pay for equal work". Supported by James, he based his claims on economic, moral, and democratic fundamentals—reward had to go to the deserving regardless of sex. Youll, who was seconded by Driver, had studied the report of the Royal Commission, and was well armed with facts and figures and findings to maintain the opposition. They said, "Woman's place is in the home". The House, when the debate was thrown open, repeated this almost ad nauseam, though several speakers did camouflage the theme with different words. This, like chewing gum on an earlier occasion, became something of an "idee fixe" and carried the day. Motion lost by 50 to 21.