Page image

21

use was made of the discussion gtoups which flourish under the broadcasting system to give it thorough consideration, and a great mass of material was sent Professor A. K. Stout, an Australian delegate with the exclusive task of speaking upon it, to be incorporated in his address. The United Kingdom added Earl Russell (Bertrand Russell) to its delegation as speaker; the United States sent Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr. A large number.of statements were sent to the Conference and circulated ; these seemed, in their phraseology, to reflect national characteristics very clearly.' Norway even suggested a general declaration of the duties of the State in regard to education science, and culture. In the end twenty-six speakers were listed for performance at the three special plenary sessions to be held at the Maison de la Chimie, rue St. Dominique, on the evenings of 27, 28, and 29 September, and lasting from 9 p.m. till midnight. Naturally this prospect afflicted the General Committee, and others, with alarm, for certain speeches were understood to be already composed and to require upwards of an hour to deliver. A round-table discussion or brains trust had been envisaged by some people, but was regarded as presenting too many difficulties. At various meetings of the General Committee and of the potential speakers the New Zealand delegate proposed three main speakers, one each night, and very short contributions from others; and this proposition failing, offered himself to withdraw. This step was followed by other withdrawals, so many that all were reinstated, and a committee resolved on twenty-minute addresses by three speakers each night, followed by fifteen-minute periods of statement or debate from five to six other speakers. The system thus worked out was designed to give scope to celebrities, and also to a sufficient number of geographical and cultural representatives. Any possible wounded feelings were afforded balm by the prospective printing of full scripts. Surprisingly enough, this experiment in international co-operation was not entirely unsuccessful, though there was general agreement that any other such experiment in the future must be much more carefully planned and limited. There could be no real debate. The public came and the public stayed. There was simultaneous interpretation over the whole large hall. Dr. Beaglehole spoke on the first night, and what he said appeared to provoke some interest. The whole discussion was recorded, and extracts from Earl Russell's and Dr. Beaglehole's addresses were sent to America for broadcasting. To a New Zealand audience, probably the most interesting contributions would have been those of Earl Russell (for amusement), and of the Swiss educationist Professor Jean Piaget and the Australian Professor Stout (for instruction). One or two other contributions, no doubt, would have struck it with blank amazement.