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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 16, No. 17. September 11, 1952

Hamlet Resurrected

Hamlet Resurrected

Frank Curtin commenced his case with, "The spectre of Red Imperialism has haunted the ramparts of American foreign policy like Hamlet's father's ghost—and like Hamlet America doesn't know its own mind." It had changed its policy many times and was trying to convince the other nations that only two things could save the world—an act of God, and/ or an act of U.S.A. He noted instances of the crippling economic effect of U.S.A. policy, and the deleterious effect on Russia of the rearmament of Western Germany.

Having each spoken, the speakers were allowed five minutes to answer and attack specifically the other speakers' debates. Milburn in a devastating well-documented reply really put the result out of doubt. He finished by leaving the audience with these words spoken by Admiral Matthews, Secretary of the U.S. Navy in 1950—"We should institute a war to ensure co-operation for peace." Hunter in reply said that the negative were mistaken if they thought that thousands of American soldiers were dying in Korea just to please the Kuomintang lobby. To that, Curtin replied that even if America did not want a war—and the negative maintained that they did—nevertheless, the American foreign policy was leading to it. "Even today we do not know whether Hamlet was made or pretending to be mad, but the result was just the same." Kiker replied by reiterating many of the affirmative's arguments and did not affect the result which was by this time well and truly inevitable. A change of opinion poll was held which resulted in 36 points for the Americans and 61 for the New Zealanders. A straight vote resutled in 61 votes for the Americans and 149 for the New Zealanders.

J. D. Milburn

J. D. Milburn

F. L. Curtin

F. L. Curtin

Evening Post Photo