South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-03-19
WABASH DEBATERS
WIN HONORS OYER
MANCHESTER TEAM
Judges, Four to One, Give De,
cision at Notre Dame 10
Negative Side.

Wabash college, uphold.ng The
mega tive Of the question Of govern
ment ownership Of the coal mines,
received a four TO one decision over
the Manchester affirmative team at
Washington hall, Notre Dame, Fri
day evening. The debate was one
OF u held in the state last night
in the finals OF the Indiana Inter
collegiate Debating league and the
~ schools will receive a permanent
rating after all decisions have been
received.
The Manchester trio presented q
good case in their constructive
speeches but seemed TO be unpre-
pared for a competent rebuttal in
which the more astute Wabash rep
resentatives excelled. John ".
Ruckelshaus of the Charlottesville
team. in the parlance of indoor
sport. is nothing short Of a bear
both in delivery and repression, and
is probably the most finished and
convincing speaker OF the four
schools represented AZ the debates
in Washington hall this year.
In its attack OF private ownership
OF the coal mines Manchester pre-
sented a well outlined case for gov
eminent ownership which they
claimed is desirable, necessary, and
practical They declared it neces-
sary because the private operator
found it paying 10 produce an in
adequate supply and that this IN
adequate supply was the cause OF
extortionate prices and periodic en-
ployment which was a fruitful cause
OF labor unrest
Negative Says n. G. Il.
They declared government own
ership advisable because II would
promote conservation OF the fright
full waste now cOexisting with coal
mines; because it would result in
more efficient operation by the gov
eminent than by private owners and
because the lower prices coincident
with government ownership is prac-
tical because it is in keeping with
the present practice Of the govern
ment in operating producing indus
tries and because il is the logical
step to take as the government al
ready owns so million acres Of coal
lands to ten million owned by prt-
vate interests. In conclusion they
offered a plan similar to the opera
ton of the Federal Reserve act by
which the mines would be managed.
The negative maintained that dis
tribution and not production caused
high prices: and followed with a
discussion Of the political aspect of
the question which would create
powerful influence OF labor on poll
tics and make of the government
an industrial bureaucracy. They de-
clared that government ownership
was less efficient than private and
attempted TO prove the case by sta
tistics. They stated that young men
were not attracted 20 government
service. that low government salar-
.es would not attract capable men
and that the government was de
ficient in all modern methods OF
business and machinery.
They produced chart which
claimed to place the price OF coal at
S1I d tor under government owner
ship and offered TO cure the evils
of waste. high prices, and transpor-
tation bv federal licenses and gov
eminent regulation.
J. Morris Edwards. John Ruckel-
shaus. and William r. Morgan COM
posed the Wabash team and Eldon
Jackson. Anna Bollinger and LLOYD
Hoff represented Manchester. Hon
Francis Vurpillat. dean OF law al
%otre Dame. was chairman of the
meeting and the following members
Of the Notre Dame faculty acted as
Judges: Rev Bernard III. Rev. Paul
Folk. Prof James Mccarthy. Prof.
Davis Weir. and Prof. John Tiernan.