CANDIDATES FOR DEBATING TEAMS.

The call is issued this morning for candidates for the University debating teams. The importance of this competition cannot be over-estimated. Last year a new ruling by the University Debating Council went into effect and was designed to open more places on the teams to undergraduates by restricting the number open to members of the graduate schools. The effect of this provision was of course to discourage competition from graduate students, but on the other hand it did not stimulate undergraduate interest. As a result the debating teams fared badly and failed against their opponents, Princeton and Yale.

It is almost unnecessary to dwell on the importance of intercollegiate debating. It is about the only form of intellectual competition in which members of different universities meet. To excel in this form of intellectual competition has always been Harvard's aim and accomplishment, and so the double defeat last year when the new plan to make debating more of an undergraduate activity was first put into effect was exceedingly disappointing. Good debating teams can be produced only after severe competition to determine the best material and prolonged drilling to train that material. Therefore, if Harvard is to be successful this year in this form of intercollegiate activity, it behooves all men in the University, and particularly in the College, who are interested and at all proficient in debating, to support the teams by competing for positions.