AN ARTICLE OF PRACTICAL INTEREST TO OUR YOUNG MEN AND OTHERS HOW TO PREPARE FOR A DEBATE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 38, 19 September 1907, Page 11

AN ARTICLE OF PRACTICAL INTEREST TO OUR YOUNG MEN AND OTHERS

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A DEBATE

By J.A. Scott, M.A.

I have been asked to write- a few lines on ' HoW to prepare for a debate.' The paper is intended specially for : beginners in literary and. debating clubs, so if- my remarks appear to partake rather largely of the obvious and the commonplace, older members of th'u clubs will understand the \ reasou and be indulgent. When the terms of the debate aie fixed and announced, the first step , in the way of preparation is, of course, to get information and ideas on. the . subject. Even if you happen^ to be already fairly . well up 'on the particular question, you are s^till under an obligation to confirm your ideas and verify your facts by consulting the best authorities. At once, then, cast about in your mind for all possible sources of information on the question to l<fc -discussed. The number of authorities arid the extent of ' information available will, of course, vary Avith the nature of the subject, but so numerous and \aried are the cyclopaedias and books of reference now published, that there is scarcely a question -on which the young- beginner will not' find it possible to get sufficient material to furnish him . with at least , One or .Two Leading Ideas. If the subject is one of the stereotyped kind which used to figure so perennially on the syllabuses of debating; societies— such as 'Is a monarchy or a republic the- more • desirable form . of government,' or ' Was Hannibal a greater general than Napoleon '—you will find it treated, v with outline speeches and copious references, in such books as, 'The Debater ' by Frederick Rowton. or the more recent ' Handbook for Literary and Debating Societies,' by Laurence M. Gibson, M.A.

(published by Hodder and Stoughton: cheap edition Is 6d). If the subject is at all connected with, Mew Zealand politics; ily at .once to the -' Official Year Book,' published By the" New Zealand Government. It is not meant to be a partisan production, and will not, therefore, supply you with arguments ready, made; but it will furnish you with a complete and. accurate account of the main provisions of our leading legislative enactments and a, full statement of all statistics bearing on their operation. Sjuppose; for instance, the club decided to debate • the question, 1 Should Dunedin adopt the svs'tern of , rating on unimproved values,' you turn to your ' Y t ea.x-}iook,' and find there a full account of the provisions of the Rating on Unimproved Values -Act, showing precisely what the system means, and .giving a list of the bproughs which have adopted the system, with the respective years in which the adopting poll was carried. The date of the passing of the Act— which is supplied by the ' Year-Book '—will put you on the track as to the proper volume of ' Hansard ' to consult in order to ascertain the principles underlying -the system ; and thus in a very short time . you will have ample raw * material from which to work out arguments and ideas. Apart altogether from its value for debating purposes, every member of a club who wishes to be considered as taking an intelligent interest in public affairs should have a copy' of the ' Year-Book ' by him for reference. It costs only Is or Is 6d, and is a perfect mine of information on all that concerns the commercial, agricultural, and industrial life of the Dominion. If the Question for Discussion is connected with Imperial politics or affairs, there te a very large number of sources of -information a\ailable. I will not ' confuse you' by going through the whole list, but will content myself by directing you to the two, which, so far as my experience goes, I believe to be* the most serviceable. ' AVhitaker's Almanac ' is one of the best known works of reference, and has a great name and reputation, ; but I have never found it of any particular use except for statistics. In my judgment, by far the most comprehensive and practically useful manuals are ' Hazell's Annual ' (3s 6d)f and the ' Daily Mail Year-Book;' (cloth edition Is 6d ; -paper edition, 9d). ' Hazell's Annual ' has been established for about thirteen - years; and has gained such a reputation for accuracy tha/b any statement taken . fro,mi it will now be accepted as authoritative. It contains a " sketch of all the men and women of the day who are eminent in liieraturfe. ' politics, art, or the . Church .; -aft' account -of every country; in the world, with its political constitution and political history for the current year ;-a list of all registered organisations- and societies in England, together with an account of all important happenings during the year, and' special articles, written with ex- . ceptional ability, on most of the leading questions qf the day. The amount of up-to-date information crowded into the volume 'on every conceivable subject is simply marvellous. The ' Daily v Mail Y r ear-Book 'is a more recent institution, and has not yet secured quite the standing of ' Hazell's.' It is, however, lasplendid publication, and if it continues 0115 its preseiit lines will soon "take a foremost place amongst the cyclopaedias of the day. It does not cover quite such a wide range of ground as ' Hazell's,' but fastens attention on the specially live questions, and treats these with a clear-ness and copiousness that leave .nothing i'o be desired. Suppose, for instance, you wanted to get an . idea of the exact position, of the Education .question in England at the present time. You look at your 'YearBook, 1 and find, within the comrass of a few pages, a brief account of Mr v . Balfour's Act of ,1902 ; acomprehensive account of Mr. Birrell's recent measure, with a summary of the arguments' advanced by its friends, and the objections made by its foes ;an authoritative statement of the official attitude of the Catholic, Anglican, t and non-Cojnformist bodies ; extracts from the speeches of leading representatives 6f all the Churches ; the -attitude of leading members of the House of Lords ; and . extracts from the speeches of leading statesmen on- both sides -of the House 6t Commons. What more could you possibly desire in ..the s way of • material for debate ? All the other live ques- ■■■ tions of the day— from Home Rule and the Irish Local Government Bill, down to the so-called ' New.' • Theology — are treated on similar lines and with "equal fulness. I earnestly" recommend members of clubs to have a glance at the book the next time they are in a shop and if they . do not make up their minds" on the spot to save- a week's cigarette - mon6y and purchase the volume, I shall be very much surprised. There are two .other books, especially written •. for controversialists; that perhaps I ought to men-

tion. The first is * Pros and Cons,' a little 'work compiled by J. B. Askew, ■ which . you .can get for " a shilling. It- contains a comprehensive list of questions for debate, with a clear and fairly full- statement of the arguments ■ that can be advanced for' and against.; It will certainly prove Suggestive and Helpful / to the young debater. There is a similar book published in Australia, called • Australasian Pros and Cons,' dealing specially, with Australasian questions, but I do not remember having seen the volume in any New Zealand bookshop. The other work which I intended to mention is Matson's '.Handbook for Literary Workers.' This book goes very deeply into • all •the social, ethical, political!, and scientific problems of the day ; and gives at the close of each disser- , tation a complete list of books and magazine 'articles dealing with "the question in hand.' The price— lss, if I remember rightly — places the book beyond i,he reach of most of us, buf ' for anyone wlio is .specially ambitious and desirous. of going very deeply into things, the work is well worth having. For the general abstract principles bearing on political questions you will often get great help by- dipping "into some text-book on" Political Economy.. In this connection -I would specially recommend Mill's work on Political Economy. - His practical conclusions have been freely challenged by by modern writers, but for clearness and lucidity in stating* the principles underlying political and economic questions Mill is still unsurpassed. . H '- I have dwelt at some length on this aspect -of preparation, for debate, because I believe that many a young member is' debarred from venturing to, take part in club discussions because he has no knowledge of the facts, and has still less idea where to find them. Summine; up whai; I wish to say under this head, I would recommend every young debater to get a copy of— or at least get access to, and make frequent use of — the ' N.Z. Official Year-Book, '■ ' Hazell's Annual,' the Daily Mail Year~ Book,' and any recognised textbook on political economy. If these sources fail, you can always fall back** on the general encyclopaedias, such as 1 Encyclopaedia Britannica,' ' Chambers,' or the 'Globe.' (To^e continued).