Prof. Hunter on Debates.

The suggestion made by Professor Hunter at the New Speakers' Debate is worthy of close consideration by the Debating Society Committee, for he seems to have solved the problem of avoiding much irrelevant matter which we hear at many of our debates. If both sides met beforehand, as he suggests, and agreed on a definition, ambiguities would cease to cause the usual difficulties and various interpretations of of the subject would be avoided. We would suggest that the matter be taken a step further by advertising the subject in me form finally agreed upon, so that all those who intend to prepare speeches will not waste their time and energy on unnecessary research.

Another benefit accruing from the adoption of the Professor's suggestion would be to keep speakers within defined limits and so prevent digressions on pet opinions—a practice which is much too prevalent. Debates should be dialectic and should not be occasions for irrelevant expressions of political opinion or propaganda. The hall-mark of a good debater is the ability to present a case on any suject either for the affirmative or the negative, and this can only be achieved if we bear in mind the words of the Earl of Rosebery—words which he suggested should be placed above a debating society's doors: "No one is bound hereafter by any opinions he may express within these walls."