DEBATE 



1723 



DEBATE 



1. Does the study of mathematics train the 

 mind more effectively than the study of lan- 

 guages? 



2. Is fiction more powerful than drama? 



3. Is cultural education of more value to the 

 average person than industrial education? 



4. Is coeducation in high schools desirable? 



5. Is too much emphasis placed on college ath- 

 letics? 



6. Does poverty develop character more than 

 riches? 



7. Is the press more influential than the pulpit? 



8. Should the moving picture theater be en- 

 couraged? 



9. Has heredity more influence upon character 

 than environment? 



10. Is city life of greater benefit to the in- 

 dividual than country life? 



11. Is compulsory arbitration of labor disputes 

 wise and feasible? 



12. Are labor unions beneficial to the working 

 classes? 



13. Should wages of women be lower than those 

 of men performing the same service in the same 

 occupations? 



14. Is the recall of public officials an influence 

 for good in political life? 



15. Is state [or provincial] prohibition prefer- 

 able to local option in dealing with the liquor 

 problem? 



16. Should vivisection be prohibited by law? 



17. Should women be granted the same politi- 

 cal rights as men? 



18. Should a nation maintain a large standing 

 army ? .. 



19. Is the maintenance of large standing armies 

 and big navies injurious to the advancement of 

 world-wide peace? 



20. Was President Wilson justified in refusing 

 to recognize Huerta's government in Mexico? 



A debate is always opened by the first 

 speaker for the affirmative side, who states the 

 question clearly and then presents his argu- 

 ments. The first speaker for the negative, who 

 follows, seeks to refute the arguments of the 

 previous speaker, and he also advances argu- 

 ments of his own. He is followed by the sec- 

 ond speaker for the affirmative, and so on, until 

 all have presented their points. Finally, the 

 first debater is given a few moments for clos- 

 ing arguments. 



A Debate Outlined. A topic of present-day 

 interest and one which is suitable for school 

 debating societies is here submitted, together 

 with the arguments for the affirmative and 

 negative sides of the question : 



Resolved, That the organisation and mainte- 

 nance of labor unions should be encouraged. 



NEGATIVE 



1. Labor unions are 

 detrimental to the 

 members because they 

 place all men on a 

 common level, regard- 

 less of ability. Indi- 

 vidual advancement is 

 prevented because the 



AFFIRMATIVE 



1. Labor unions are 

 favorable to the inter- 

 est of the working 

 classes and protect 

 them in their rights. 

 Workmen who are not 

 united are at a disad- 

 vantage in dealing with 



employers, for the lat- 

 ter are combined, and 

 they have control of 

 capital and machinery, 

 and therefore of indus- 

 try. By acting in uni- 

 son members of labor 

 unions can demand and 

 secure better wages 

 and shorter hours, they 

 can maintain their 

 wages in times of finan- 

 cial depression, and 

 they can use their in- 

 fluence to secure laws 

 that favor labor. 



2. Labor unions are 

 advantageous to em- 

 ployers. Business rela- 

 tions have been simpli- 

 fied by means of agree- 

 ments as to hours of 

 labor, wages and con- 

 ditions of employment. 

 Competent employees 

 may always be ob- 

 tained by applying to 

 local unions. 



3. Labor unions pro- 

 mote the welfare of so- 

 ciety. Dignified labor 

 conventions have taken 

 the place of disorderly 

 and unorganized meet- 

 ings of workmen. For- 

 eign laborers through 

 the unions have become 

 Americanized and been 

 made useful members 

 of society. They en- 

 courage thrift and 

 economy ; their mem- 

 bers are insured against 

 death, sickness and un- 

 employment, relieving 

 society of a great bur- 

 den. The character of 

 the workmen is ele- 

 vated through the sen- 

 timent of mutual as- 

 sistance and support, 

 and rules against idle- 

 ness and vice. 



4. Methods adopted by 

 labor unions are justi- 

 fied because, like other 

 organized bodies, they 

 restrict the liberty only 

 so far as it is neces- 

 sary to bring about the 

 desired end, which in 

 this case is the better- 

 ment of labor condi- 

 tions. They do not ar- 

 bitrarily fix a uniform 

 wage rate, but a mini- 

 mum rate, and they 

 leave the question of 

 higher pay for better 

 service open for adjust- 

 ment by the individual. 

 Unions do not interfere 

 with the rights of non- 

 union men to work 

 when and where they 

 please, but union men 

 are justified in refus- 

 ing to work with non- 

 union men because : 



The unions expend a 

 great amount of time, 

 trouble and money to 

 bring about more fa- 

 vorable labor c o n d i- 

 tions, and it is not fair 

 for non-union men to 

 share benefits without 

 sharing the burdens. 



output of each member 

 is limited. Individual 

 liberty is restricted be- 

 cause men are forced to 

 join the unions, they 

 are denied the right to 

 work where they wish, 

 and are forced to go on 

 strikes even when it is 

 contrary to their judg- 

 ment. 



2. Labor unions are in- 

 jurious to the employer. 

 They restrict his rights 

 as an individual by 

 dictating whom he 

 shall employ or dis- 

 charge. They infringe 

 upon his right to buy 

 material by placing 

 boycotts on products of 

 non-union labor. In 

 times of labor disputes 

 they infringe upon his 

 rights as a property 

 owner. 



3. Labor unions are 

 detrimental to the pub- 

 lic welfare because they 

 place their own inter- 

 ests abo've those of the 

 public by interfering 

 with the operation of 

 street cars, railroads 

 and other public utili- 

 ties, during strikes. 

 Standards of citizen- 

 ship are lowered by 

 their disregard of law 

 and order at such 

 times. By ordering 

 sympathetic strikes 

 without just cause they 

 bring about industrial 

 depression and disturb- 

 ances, and economic 

 loss. 



4. Labor unions are 

 wrong in principle be- 

 cause they aim to ac- 

 complish a legal object 

 in an illegal manner ; 

 that is, by ordering 

 strikes which result in 

 loss of life and destruc- 

 tion of property, by de- 

 manding the discharge 

 or non-employment of 

 non-union men, and by 

 violating the funda- 

 mental rights of per- 

 sonal liberty. Labor 

 unions are monopolies 

 contrary to public pol- 

 icy and should be con- 

 demned. 



