SOVIET SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 76, 31 March 1931, Page 14

SOVIET SYSTEM

UNIVERSITY DEBATE

The Victoria University College Debating Society held the first regular [debate of the 1931 season at the University Gymnasium Hall on Friday evening last. The hall was filled to bverflowing with students . and others 'desirous of hearing debated the merits and demerits of the system of government obtaining in the Union of Socialist Soviet Eepublics. The motion ran as follows: "That the Soviet Administration in Bussia is proving a failure." Mr.-yon Stunner opened the debate, and from the outset made it clear that lie was not concerned with mere propaganda. He relied on facts and figures. He claimed a decrease in education, in health, and in prosperity since the advent of Lenin and his successors. Conditions of work on some of the farms were execrable, and in cases the were despicable.Mr. Eiske, for the negative, discountfed the reliability of figures. He quoted a truth the veracity of which has even been proved in Parliament, viz, "No set of figures is so conclusive but what it can be replied to by another set of figures equally definite." Unlike Parliament, the speaker did not reveal his Minerals, and thus got nowhere, but confined himself to facts. He demonstrated the fallacy of rendering wages an Russia into our currency by relating an anecdote. The sum of £8 was rejmitted from New Zealand to Moscow, and that money was sufficient to proyide a child there with nearly all the luxuries, and certainly all the necessities of Bussia. The decrease in the percentage of the people now illiterate, ihe emancipation of woman, the advance in national health measures, and ithe expression of individuality in the election of the Soviets or committees [were readily supported by the necessary facts.

Miss Forrle seconded Mr. yon Stunner juid Mr. Warren seconded Mr. Riske, Jioth in a very able manner. The audience, which, hitherto had fehown considerable disagreement with all the speakers, was not at this stage exactly at one with the chair. Miss Henderson, Messrs. Stuart, Chorlton, Parc-ell, Mountjoy, O'Shea, and "Watson Spoke from the audience. After the ifcwo leaders had replied a general vote [was taken, and the motion was lost. jOn the vote of the members of the jsoeiety only, the teller arrived at an fequal divison of opinion. This put the chairman in an awkward position. Prdina-rily in such circumstances the chair should vote in accord with the existing state of things, but the raison d'etre of the debate was to determine ■what the existing state of things was. However, the motion on this referenidum was carried. It was made perfectly clear that the society, in order to avoid censure, now requests its audiences to cast their votes in accordance ■with the relative debating qualities of the opposing sides.

Mr. A. B. Sievwright, who judged the 'debate, placed ths first six speakers in the following order: Mr. Mountjoy, Mr. Eiske, Mr. yon Stunner, Mr. Farrell, Miss Forde, Mr. O'Sbea. The meeting :elosc(l with a motion of thanks to the Sudge.