SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1933. Volume 4. Number 4.
66 Votes to 20. Reaffiilation Motion Lost. — Ban on Free Discussions Club
66 Votes to 20. Reaffiilation Motion Lost.
Ban on Free Discussions Club.
That the Executive had accurately gauged the opinions of the majority of the Students of the College in disaffiliating the Free Discussions Club following the publication of the magaine [sic] "Student" after a direction to the contrary was shown at the Annual General Meeting, when Mr. C. G. Watson's motion to rescind the decision or the Executive was decisively lost by 20 votes to 66.
That this was the business of the evening there can be no doubt, for other matters were hurried over, the earlier measures being passed and rejected by the students in a rather summary manner, this showing their anxiety to get down to "real business."
Mr. Watson said that the Free Discussions Club had published two issues of the magazine "Student," when a letter from the Executive was received, stating that before publication of a paper at the College was allowed, the prior permission of the Executive should be obtained. The Club thereupon had humbly apologised for their mistake, and sought such permission, only to have it refused. The Executive had stated that they did not agree with the literary style of the paper, and had said that it was not impartial. It was not necessary for the Executive to agree with the sentiments held by the paper. The issue was whether the paper should be allowed to publish and whether a minority group should be allowed Freedom of Speech.
Miss M. Prideaux-Pridham was the next to speak. She strongly condemned the magazine, quite apart from its literary style and sentiments.
Mr. M. Neal pointed out that the Executive had disaffiliated the Free Discussions Club on the ground that it had refused to obey the Executive. "Student" had purported to be published as a Free Discussions Magazine, and purported to have the weight of opinion of the College. However, "Student's" opinions were not the opinions of the students of the College.
Mr. Larkin said that the Free Discussions Club wished to be likened to the words of Redmond Philip's song: "... as free as the winds, we'd willingly have sinned—Naked and Unashamed." The College was, according to "Student," to have at last a real Free Discussions Club, a militant body with absolute freedom of speech, subject, that is, to the censorship of Mr. Fortune. As an example of this, he quoted an article of Mr. Scott which had been hacked about badly. If the Free Discussions Club was such a militant organisation and had been unjustly suppressed contrary to the general opinion of the students, the Club could have called a Special General Meeting, they could have placed their candidate in the field at the general election. Then we would have seen Comrade Riske standing for Comrade President, Comrade Watson for Comrade Vice-President, and Comrades Fortune and Katz for Comrades Committeemen. Who they'd have got for a Treasurer, he. the speaker, did not know. They had not done this. On the contrary, six out of seven members of the Executive had been elected unopposed. The speaker then proceeded to read a review of "Student" in Canta. a magazine of Canterbury College, in which "Student" described as "reminiscent of fourth form days" and "Frankly puerile."
Mr. Fortune said that support for this motion did not mean that confidence was felt in the "Student" (What does it mean? queried the inter-jectors.) If the Free Discussions Club were re-affiliated it did not necessarily follow that "Student" would be published.
Mr. Scotney then stated the case for the Executive. He protested against the faulty constitution of the Free Discussions Club, and said that the Executive were not against a properly constituted Free Discussion-Club. The present Club had, however, sailed under false colours.
Mr. O'Shea said that if the students were going to allow their representatives to be slighted thus, they would land in chaos, and asked the meeting if they were going to stand for their representatives receiving a virtual "slap in the face."
Miss M. Spence-Sales stated the case for the Free Discussions Club from the point of view of those members who, not agreeing with the radical views, had been out-voted by the majority.
The motion was then put to the meeting and lost.