Crimson Debaters Win From Vassar In Radio Debate

By a two to one decision the Debating Council defeated Vassar in a debate yesterday afternoon, broadcast over Station WAAB on the subject, Resolved: That women should declare their independence from fashion.

Harvard, supporting the negative, was represented by F. Welch Peel '39 and Ward M. Hussey '40. Vassar was represented by the Misses Gerry Gewirtz and Jean Symmes, while the judges were: Miss Eicanor S. Davies, Miss Kathleen Deady, president of the senior class at Radcliffe, and Mr. C. E. Allen, dean of the River School.

The principal arguments of the affirmative were that women would be able to express their personalities more freely if freed from the dictates of fashion. Then clothes would be better made and last longer; whereas the time now spent in shopping would be devoted to more constructive activity. Mass production of dresses would be displaced by the couturier system as in Paris, with resulting better fitting clothes.

The negative argued that far from suffering under the yoke of the fashion setters, the women actually enjoy it, since fashion was a way for women to express their independence of the world of men and work.