The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-03-19
Debate With Fairfield Ended In Vic
tory Of 2 to for Team Com
posed Of Fulton, StrlckIer
and Pond.
LOSE AT BURLINGTON
Preparedness Seemed to Find Little
Favor 40 All Affirmative Teams
Lost-keokuk 10 Second
In Triangle.

Preparedness received jolt at the
hands OF the debaters in the first
debate In the Knox Interscholastic
league Friday evening. The negative
team of Keokuk high school defeated
Fairfield here, 2 to 1. The negative
team of Burlington high school de-
feated Keokuk's affirmative team 2
to 1, and the Fairfield negative team
won 3 to 0 victory over Burling-
ton. This gives Fairfield the lead in
this triangle, with Keokuk second
and Burlington third Fairfield Sc
cured four judges, Keokuk three and
Burlington two. The Keokuk teams
have right to feel elated over the
showing made Friday night, and it is
felt that their showing has done much
to further the cause of high school
oratory.
Taking the unpopular side, Keokuk
high schools negative team composed
of Marshall N. Fulton. Donald Strick-
Ter and Thomas Pond defeated the
Fairfield affirmative team composed
Walter Fourt The decision of the
judges was two to one. The judges
were Miss Gertrude Whitmore of Fort
Madison high school, DR.. J. T. Muir
of LAGRANGE college and Professor
Lineberger of Quincy high. W. J.
Roberts presided at the debate, and
introduced the speakers, and judges
and read the question, Resolved that
the present army and navy program
for the United States is inadequate
to meet the needs of the nation"
Proceeding the debate the high
school orchestra under the leadership
of Prof. P. c. Hayden played a num-
Der of selections which were enthus-
iasticalfy applauded.
The Affirmative.
The Fairfield speakers portrayed
what will happen to the United States
if she does not prepare further than
New York bombarded by ships out of
reach of the shore guns, and they
portrayed our regular army as mere
mouthful for any European force
They showed the United States as a
weakling, and that it was fast losing
prestige because it had no army to
back up it's demands in submarine
controversies, Monroe doctrine
clashes and violation Of the open door
policies. War was freely predicted
unless the United States gives up its
Monroe doctrine and does other
humiliating things.
The Negative Side.
Thomas Pond, the first speaker for
Keokuk, made it clear that there
were all sorts of possibilities, but
that the United States was amply
present program. The United States
might have feet five times greater
than any other nation, and still have
1t destroyed in storm. or plague
might kill off our army far greater
than that of 10Y two European coun-
1rise. These were the possibilities.
Donald Stricken, the second speak
er, explained the burden Of taxation
additional preparedness means. He
outlined the internal disorders which
our armies had in the past been called
on to face, and that they were suffi-
cient for such needs, and that at
this time only such needs would be
considered. He rather doubted any
country's attempt at attacking us.
Marshall Fulton followed this up
with a very clear summary Of all Of
the points of the negative, and said
that while we were preparing further,
Europe was also preparing further.
That Europe was not going to wait
for us to catch up. He thought such
additional preparedness unnecessary
and that it would tend to breed the
military spirit.
Both Teams snow Up Well.
The rebuttal arguments Of both
sides were unusually well given.
Frank Fezda for Fairfield and Mar
shall Fulton and Donald Stricken for
Keokuk giving the best rebuttal.
Both teams showed some mighty
thorough preparation and training.
The Fairfield boys reminded one OF
the old time spread eagle sky rocket
orators who are sent out to spell bind
the populace about once every four