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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 2, No. 4 March 29, 1939

Judgement

Judgement

Professor Lipson staggered what seemed to us an unusually orderly audience at the debate last Friday, with a totally unexpected eulogy on the sparkling and vivid part they played in the proceedings. In all his experience of University debates, both in Oxford and in the United States, he had never met a higher standard! In fact, he would like to give them Aral marks in his list of placing; If all the remarks made from the back, the middle, and the front of the hall had been pieced together, the result would have been an exceedingly witty speech.

Particularly arresting were the Judge's remarks in considering the arguments used by speakers. The fundamental point in estimating the worth of Mr. Chamberlain's policy was he thought, have we peace in the world today! Have the people of Czechoslovakia of Lithuania. Austria. Spain, and Chinn, peace? (Applause.) Personally, the speaker considered Mr. Chamberlain to be sincere but misguided—a fool, but no knave—making concessions to Hitler on the premise of the litter's good faith, and believing he had certain rights denied him by the Treaty of Versailles. But continually to give in to Hitler was to encourage him. Now that we had let him go so far and given him such strength, we could only put our foot down at the cost of a ghastly war.

Professor Lipson's clearly enunciated views served as an object lesson in themselves to speakers; he has a happy knack of gaining the sympathy of his audience, and students will look forward with keen anticipation to further opportunities of seeing him at debates.

—A.G.