HOW NOT TO DEBATE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 192, 18 July 1925, Page 5

HOW NOT TO DEBATE

DEGRADATION OF PARLIAMENT. BAD THING FOR DEMOCRACY. (Contributed by N.Z. Welfare League.) The people of this Dominion pride themselves on the fact that this is a democratic State. In general they reject the idea of dictatorship and class ruie, seeking rather to translate into practice tire words of Abraham Lincoln’s famous formula: “Government of the people, lor the people and by the peorde.” It is a beautiful ideal, provided that the people themselves are worthy.

Our democracy, such as it is, rests on the basis of our representative institutions. In general, we think it is true that the people get what they ask for in the way of representation. If through apathy or indifference they consent to mediocrity, vulgarity, bombast and petty .'■ruining, then such becomes the sttfiidard of which their representation is made. To keep our democracy clean and high, it is not a mere matter of voting systems. The question of habits, customs and manners is involved. For this reason it is well to review from time to time the’standard of practice displayed by our representative public bodies. Whilst these are a reflex of the people, they also establish standards which the people are prone to copy. Of public bodies, Parliament comes lirst. Its procedure is often presented as the model to copy. Particularly is it thus presented to college students and young men and women who are seeking examples of wlrat should be followed in debate, reasoning and tlie conduct of public affairs.

A test, of Parliament, then, may he put in the query : Is it fit to stand as an example for the youths who are growing up into the citizenship of tomorrow? fn some countries in Europe the Parliaments so signal l '- failed in that, and other practicvti tests, as to place them in the dor!, and on their trial by the very people who created them. Mussolini lias been condemned for over-ruling Parliamentary government in Italy, llis plea is that Parliament did not govern, but by its weakness allowed widespread misgovernment within the State. Those who want to maintain democracy have a duty on them to see that democracy is in all respects higher and not lower than the order it supersedes. What shall we sav of our Parliament? It has recently been giving an exhibition. The occasion is called the Address-in-Reply debate. Much that transpired might he truly presented as a most perfect example of how not to debate; indeed, it is only a courtesy that could define such stupid wrangling as debate at all. 11 the indulgence in abuse, personalities and terms of offence were followed in public meetings of ordinary citizens, as it has taken place in Parliament, the result would probably lead to breaches oi the peace. To call the other side “turu-Goates” (supposed wit), crawling worms, sneaks, or liken another speaker to mud is something of the style which has actually lien used by some members of Parliament this session. Surely such antics arc really a degradation of the high institution of Parliament. Men elected to serve the people, and paid to do so. are expected to have some dignity or at least he above the standard of one whose plain speech is simply disgusting to people of any taste because of its abusive, vulgar and inane character. That Parliamentary manners are becoming of a lower order may appear of no importance to some people, but indeed the wrong being done in this way is many sided. It is gross waste of time and money, degrading public taste and vitiating the intelligence of tin' people by preventing rational discussions of public questions. It is a wonder that those in the strangers’ gallery do not interject “talk polities’’ as a protest against the constant indulgence in personalities which wc hear in our Parliament.

'Phe slum style of speech of “you’re an ass” and “you’re another” marks the standard which some M.P.'s have been setting recently. It is not public questions that are being discussed hut persons, persons, until citizens get sick of hearing or reading it. Por the sake of our democracy (which should he kept clean in manners as well as morals) we protest, as many other citizens do, against the senseless waste of time and lowering of Parliamentary tone that is in evidence far too frequently in these days.