The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-27
THE GEORGETOWN DEBATE.
Increase of the Army the Subject of
IN Able Discussion

A large and representative audience as
sembled in Castor Hall of the George
town College last night. the occasion be-
| ing the third public debate of the George
town University School of Law Debating
| Society. The subject of debate was: Re-
| solved. That the standing army OF the
United States should be one hundred
thousand men,. The affirmative of the
question was sustained by Daniel j. Stat
terry and Charles Denegre of Louisiana,
while the negative was defended by
Thomas II. Tatum of South Carolina and
Albert r. Denu of Wisconsin. The judges
were Hilary A Herbert of Alabama. Mar
tin A. Knapp of New York. and William
NJ Springer of Illinois,
Mr. Slattery was the first speaker Of
the affirmative and In his argument he
reviewed the early history of this country
and compared its territory. wealth. in
terests. and population with the present
status of the United States. He stated
that increased interests necessitate in-
creased vigilance and protection. and ar
gued that an increase of the army does
not undermine the foundation upon which
this Republic was built. He also argued
that we need an increased standing army
to protect our national honor and inter-
ests in China, Cuba. Philippines. Porto
Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, the seaeoast. the
frontier. and for Internal needs. Mr.
Slattery said there would not have been
so much mismanagement in the camps
and most all departments of the army
during the Spanish war if there had been
more trained soldiers to take charge OF
affairs. The speaker quoted from a letter
of George Washington. in which he advo-
Gated an army of 5D.G05 or 10000 trained
soldiers in preference to volunteers
Thomas II. Tatum was introduced as
the first speaker on the negative side of
the question and he argued that it did
not follow that the stronger and moro
powerful a nation grew the stronger its
army should be. Mr. Tatum spoke against
1 sw.sl int fnE has
purpose of partitioning China The speak
er contended that during the war with
Spain the inadequacy was with the lead
ers. the officers. the trained soldiers. and
not with the volunteers.
The second speaker on the affirmative
side was Charles Denegre. who argued
that the idea of settling disputes BY tri-
bunals of arbitration was theory and idle
dreams.
He said that the disputes of nations will
be continued to be settled by war just as
disputes between private parties will be
continued to be settled by courts. The
speaker argued that the judgment of men
who have grown grey in the service
should count for something in the mat
ter; that the experts Of the War Depart
ment Were in favor OF the Increase He
said that the verdict of the people Mt
the last November election endorsed the
sentiment underlying the increase of the
army so as 10 enable the Government to
properly protect its interests and homer
Albert r. Denu closed the argument
forcible speech. in which he reviewed the
contentious of the affirmative, disputinl.
the same effectively
Charles DeneGre was granted five min
utes in rebuttai OF the negative str1;u-
ment
The judges, Immediately retired and re-
turned in about twenty minutes with
the verdict In favor of She negative.
Qualifying it. however. by SAYING that
the question was unfortunately worried.
making it very difficult to defend it.
The following are the officers of the
society. Thomas u. F'lvnn- Presidents
EDWARD +. Nnisfz-- IC- PRESIDENT: Daniel
\. Masterson. Secretary; James A. Wat
son. Treasurer: Livingston j. Cullen Ser
geant-at-Arms Reception Committee
Henry V. Kane. Wisconsin,. Chairman;
StuOrt Mcnamara, james A. Tooney.
James \. oShea. New York: F. Spries
Perry. Richard j. Jones. Pennsylvn MIA;
James; A. kaufman. Louisiana: Joseoh r.
McAleer. Pennsylvania: John j. Finne-
gan. Washington; /. X. Eaton Wiscon-
sin; Daniel 5. Masterson. Pennsylvania:
Franz H. RidETwsiy. GEORGE NJ Brady,
Maryland: Aloysius II. Twibiil. PennsvI-
vsria; William Livingston Browaing,
Maryland.