CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 192, 16 August 1927, Page 9

CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM.

ITS EFFECT ON CIVILISATION. TRAINING COLLEGE STUDENTS' DEBATE. WIN FOR WELLINGTONIAXS. "That the Continuance of the Capitalistic System is in the Best Interest of Civilisation," was the subject of a debate conducted at the University College last evening in connection with the intertraining college annual tournament. The visiting Wellington team, who spoke in the affirmative, secured a win over the Auckland team by 272 points to 265. Mr. K. D. Anderson presided, while Professor Anderson judged the contest. #w b ,?. flrßt e Pe aker . Mr. J. Mountjoy (Wellington), in defining the economic system, said there were two types of capitalism—private capitalism and State capitalism, or as it wae more popularly termed State Socialism. He declared that there had been no more beneficial system than capitalism, in drawing compariaons between it and slavery that had existed in-Egypt and Greece. The Feudal system was equally as much a failure.as the two latter. Democracy had developed under capitalism, which had. brought,with it the right of free speech, universal suffrage, increased production and a better standard of living. He maintained that no other system but capitalism could be effective or lasting. Mr. L.G. Usher (Auckland), in adopting the negative view, said there were definite weaknesses in the capitalistic system, which was attended by evils, and divided the community into classes. They had passed from the grosser forms of slavery to a system of more indefinite character. There had arisen in the world a,lust for wealth under the capitalistic system, which coarsened everything with which it came in contact, and was devoid of moral scruples. The wickedness of the system was cloaked over by respectability. His contention was that capitalism was a menace to civilisation. Miss V. R. Shale (Wellington) said capitalism was based on the fundamentals- of human nature, and gave leisure, culture and economic security. Mr. C. R. Straubel (Auckland) said that the speakers in the affirmative set up the bogy of socialism, and had not produced a sound argument in favour of the capitalistic system. True democracy and the capitalistic system could not be reconciled. True democracy was what was desired. Mr. W. Sutch (Wellington) said the capitalistic economic, system was the product of revolution. Miss D. K. Potter (Auckland) maintained that the whole capitalistic system was ethically wrong, and even now must stand on the defensive. Messrs. Usher and Mountjoy summed up at length, after which Professor Anderson announced the result of the debate amidst enthusiasm. The professor said that the teams had proved more successful than was usually the ease in coming to gripe with one another. There was, however, still room for improvement in this respect. As regards delivery, and the general mode of handling the subject matter"there was a degree of superority on the part of the winning team. The Auckland team required more practice in, debate under parliamentary conditions.