Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-03-02
TRIANGULAR DEBATE.
Local High School Teams Debate Marsh.
field and Grand Rapids Last
Wednesday Evening.

part of the state, composed of teams |
representing Wausau, Grand Rapids
and Marshfield high schools, held its
yearly debates last Wednesday even
ing. The Wausau affirmative team |
composed of Chester Hartle. Free
man Otto and Clement Olson, de. ated |
the negative Marshfield team here at |
home While the local high schools |
negative teaEc composed of John Man.
son, Eugene Thayer and Willard Bah
cock, debated the Grand Rapids
affirmat;yes at Grand Rapids.
The debate here at home was one |
of exceptional merit, both teams put
ting forth splendid arguments. Free
man Otto, the first speaker, spoke in
a very forceful manner. The question
as stated in the letter received from
the Lawrence College authorities who
are in charge of these triangular de-
bates, was, Resolved, That the regu-
lar army of the United States should
be increased to 100000 men," Mr..
Otto gave plain outline of the issues,
following this with a clear definition
of the question as the Affirmative
team understood it. His two main
arguments were that past wars showed
the urgent necessity of being prepared
and that universal peace cannot be
obtained by complete disarmament.
Clement Olson continued with the
affirmative side of the question and
he showed plainly how preparedness
has never been the actual cause OF a
war and how unpreparedness has not
helped matters any. Chester Har5!ett
spoke third for the negatives. His
speech was well rendered and besides
directly knocking several of the argu-
ments of his opponents, he gave sever
al reasonable plans to show how an
army of 100000 men could be raised
without trouble.
The negative team set forth some
exceptionally strong arguments. They
considered our geographical position
as insuring us safety; also advanced
the theory of the enormous expense
that would have to be incurred. The
third speaker on the Marshfeld team
was the strongest debator OF that
three. His speech was remarkably
we'll delivered. 8
There is one fact which always
stands out in debate and that is the
rebuttal: the debator shows his true
worth here. The speakers on both
teams last Wednesday evening ap-
peared to be apt at such speaking for
each did refuting which required
some thinking, not only in refutlng 1
the argument but also in the express
ing the same. On the Wausau team
Freeman Otto and Clement Olson
starred in rebutal while William
O'Connor of Marshtield was easily the
most accomplished debator of that
team. Several things materially
aided the Marshfield team in securing
the debate, perhaps the most infuenc-
ing fact upon the judges being that
they had a large number of personal
letters from the most prominent mil
itary men in the United States, be-
sides from prominent statesmen.
These were exhibited to the audience
and were read.
The girls glee club rendered two
pleasing numbers which were greatly s
appreciated by the audience. The |
club had not sung before this year
and Miss Roeser deserves praise for
the work she has done with the girls.
The decision of the judges was an
nounced by Judge A. H. Reid who
acted as chairman for the evening,
being two to one in favor of the ]
Marshfield team but in actual per-
centage the Wausau boys lost only by
one point.
At Grand Rapids the Wausau neg
ative team was victorious, winning a
three to nothing decision. The first
speaker was Eugene Thayer who ex-
planned how the negative advocated
rational preparedness but simply dis
agreed on the number of men. He
proved the point that an army OF
soc, 900 men was unnecessary. The
second speaker was Willard Babcock
who showed the immense expense
of keeping an army of 100000, also the
impracticability of such regular
army. Mr.. Babcock showed plainly
how an army of 100000 men would be
contrary to the constitutional policy
of the United States. His speech was
very well delivered. John Manson
closed the debate Tor the negative
team and gave speech of great force.
He suggested several substitutes for
the plan of keeping regular army OF
500. 900 men and gave proof that all OF
these could be more cheaply carried
out and would be just as dependable
as such a large standing army
Every speaker on the negative
COPIED we'll with the rebuttal. The
rebuttal speech of the even
ing was made by John Manson, who
showed great ability at speaking ex-
temporaneousiy. No better rebuttal
could have been made by a high
school student than the one made by
Mr.. Manson.
One more debate for the elocal teams
NAV be secured. Coach Goodrich is
endeavoring TO arrange one with
X. X. Borsack's teams. Mr.. Borsack
who is now teaching in Fond du Lac,
was formerly Wausau teacher. Mr..
MAYNARD and Mr.. Goodrich, coaches
of the local teams, deserve great
deal of praise for their work in debate
this year. Both have put in Satur-
days and evenings in helping the de-
- a. e,xnaaec fOr l~os n