UNIVERSITY ORATORS TIE WITH WESTERN RESERVE

In a debate held in Holden Chapel last night J. K. Hurd '30 and H. A. Wolff '29 together with George Peck of Western, Reserve University, who were supporting the negative side of the proposition: "Resolved, That the principle of complete freedom of speech on political and economic grounds is sound" won a judge's decision, rendered by W. J. Butler 2L, over Alan Green and Arthur Fiske of the Cleveland institution, who had as their colleague A. L. Raffa ocC. The audience, however, favored the affirmative orators by a 4 to 2 score.

The affirmative speakers maintained that any sort of repression of freedom of speech would ultimately lead to rebellion, for it would drive agitators to use secret and unlawful means for the propagation of their ideas.

The negative orators granted that a limited freedom of speech is desirable in time of peace but that complete liberty in this field would be impracticable in war time and, furthermore, would be inconsistent with the present theory of nationalism.

The contest was conducted under a combination of the Oregon and Oxford plans of debate. The first plan provides for two speakers on each team, one of whom devotes his time on the rostrum to a cross-examination of the man on the opposing team who presents the constructive argument. The Oxford plan provides for three speakers on each side and for an exchange of speakers by the opposing institutions.