Harvard, Against, Vanquishes Yale in Impeachment Debate

Taking the negative position and arguing that President Nixon should resign, the Harvard debate team last night defeated Yale in a match that centered on impeachment.

Yale called for immediate impeachment as Harvard advocated resignation within 30 days.

The Yale affirmative contended that Richard Nixon is a felon, having committed three impeachable offenses: obstruction of justice, invasion of privacy and failure to report a felony.

Two-Plank Plan

The Harvard debaters responded by proposing a two-plank counterplan in their first speech--that Richard Nixon shall resign within thirty days, and that a three-person self-perpetuation board consisting of themselves be formed to administer the presidency.

Yale refuted the counterplan with an affirmative argument that impeachment is necessary in order to preserve the balance of power.

The Harvard negative rested its case on the stand that impeachment without conviction would result in more harm than the negative counterplan.

The meet was part of the annual triangle debate, the oldest intercollegiate forensic event in the country.

Harvard, Yale, and Princeton compete in the triangle debate, each sending an affirmative team to one of the other schools and keeping its negative team at home.

Harvard sent its affirmative team to Princeton this year.

The team that wins both the affirmative and negative contests captures the Greenman trophy. If the result is a draw, the team that won it the last year keeps the trophy. Harvard has retained the Greenman trophy since 1971.

David M. Schiffman '74, Charles E. Garvin '74, and Greg A. Rosenbaum '74, debated the negative side of the question "resolved--that Richard Nixon should be impeached as president of the United States." Paul S. Turner '75, Richard W. Shepro '75, and David M. Dobson '77 argued the affirmative side of the question at Princeton.

Harvard was defeated in the round held at Princeton.

No Nixon Defense

"It was an interesting debate in that both teams agreed upon the basis of the discussion: neither team was willing to defend Nixon against the specific charges of wrongdoing," Rosenbaum said.