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The Spike or Victoria College Review 1938

In Black and White

page 25

In Black and White

An international fellowship of students is less superficial and theoretical than most international fellowships, and there are ways in which we ourselves can contribute towards it. The biggest undertaking of the N.Z.U.S.A. in this direction was the bringing to New Zealand during the year of a negro debating team from LeMoyne College in the United States. Two students, accompanied by a professor, came here and their visit created wide interest even beyond university circles. At a meeting of the executive of the N.Z.U.S.A. in August, it was recommended that the profits of the tour should be placed in reserve to provide funds for sending a New Zealand debating team overseas, and that every endeavour should be made to arrange other such tours, as they do much to promote goodwill and understanding among students of different countries. This recommendation shows that the tour was a success, fully justifying the Association s support. The debate which took place with the Victoria College team was unfortunately disappointing, for many people had expected better things from both sides. "Spike" offers an independent criticism of the event from one who went to it with high hopes and had them dashed.

The debate with two negro students from LeMoyne University, held in the Town Hall on July 20, would have been unpardonably dull if a short earthquake had not provided a moment s excitement. The speakers almost entirely neglected the entertaining aspects of the subject, "That the people of America have found the formula for happiness," and dealt instead with solemn problems enlivened of course with occasional irrelevant humour as a concession to the maxim that debaters should be entertaining.

Inevitably there was much barren discussion as to whether the speakers for the affirmative were required to prove that the people of America are actually applying the formula for happiness, or merely that they have found it as an item of academic knowledge, but it was not inevitable that the speakers should fail to see that the only distinctive characteristics of American life are its relatively close approach to anarchy, and its relatively high degree of industrialisation. It is true that Mr. Scotney, in the pertinent part of his opening speech, covered the former point by an unacknowledged recitation from "The Political Madhouse in America and Nearer Home." The question of industrialisation, however, was almost completely ignored.

Mr. Scotney, besides dealing with the constitution, made a variety of points, some of them more apt than others, but he lacked much of his usual vigour. His, principally, was the distinction of provoking the chairman, the Hon. P. Fraser, to thank Miss Shortall for not exceeding the time limit.

Much valuable time was wasted by specious arguments that could be supported only by carefully selected facts. This was particularly unfortunate in a debate where numbers of convincing arguments were legitimately available to each side. Mr. J. S. Byas, who moved the motion, dealt only with American foreign policy. He assumed that an isolationist policy is part of the formula, and endeavoured by selecting and suppressing facts to show that American policy is isolationist. Mr. Scotney replied that American foreign policy is not isolationist, and cited a single recent speech by President Roosevelt as sufficient proof. The truth is of course that American policy shows conflicting tendencies and that the subject could not be introduced into the debate without special pleading.

Mr. Byas raised a good laugh with his opening remark that probably the audience had never before had this problem set out before them in black and white. He gave a dignified and carefully worded speech, explaining that we must look to his colleague for the oratorical fireworks.

The other visitor, Mr. C. W. Gilton, told us that in the United States there are all kinds of climates, scenic attractions, sports, occupations and incomes and that page 26 every American baby is a potential President. His language was hard to follow as he spoke in a rapid sing-song.

Miss Shortall was the most pleasing speaker of the evening. Light-heartedly she disposed of press, radio, talkies and gladiatorial sports, but one felt that she would have been less smug in her criticism of American radio programmes if she had ever been an unwilling listener to 2ZB. She also dealt ably with the negro problem.

The leaders then summed up, using the well-known technique of flat denial. There was no judge, and no vote was taken. The visitors and their manager, Professor Alexander, all referred to the colour problem. They accepted the negroes' inferior status, and had faith that "education" would remove his present disabilities. They were all very grateful for all the kindnesses they were receiving in New Zealand. "Spike" would have preferred fighting words, but perhaps the visitors were unrealistically wary of jeopardising the international good-will of which we heard so much from the speakers themselves, and the student functionaries who welcomed them. Mr. Aimers' welcome was alone notable for containing a number of sensible statements, as well as the necessary platitudes and banalities.

—K.J.S.