In these awful days, when the basis of our future life is being decided by exploding steel and battle-racked flesh, the existence of nations depend on their unity and steadfastness of purpose, through whatever hardships total war may bring. This unity has been achieved in at least five nations to-day by a leader's oratory. Churchill, Hitler, Roosevelt, Stalin and Mussolini all grip their peoples' allegiance directly, through the microphone, and with them a new type of oratory has been born.

Radio address places great value on every word spoken. Empty phrases can no longer be sold by showmanship and mass hypnotism. The richness which welled in our mother tongue in Elizabethan times may soon return in a modern form, for a radio speaker must convey his meaning by dignity of expression and aptness of imagery. In this Churchill stands supreme. There is also a tremendous audience to which a radio speaker must appeal directly. The common people must be able to understand him, while at the same time he must plant some of his own ardour in them. Roosevelt has done this in his fireside chats. The people are now reached not by ranting, but by forthright, meaningful phrases, filled with the sentiments they have known. The people treasure their own sentiments, and any condescension or insincerity in playing on them will earn nothing but dislike for a speaker.

All this arises out of the point Scrim made in delivering the Plunket Medal judgment, that in conducting the competition in future the Debating Society should pay some attention to the change the microphone has wrought in public speaking.

He announced Miss Cecil Crompton as the winner.