The New York herald., 1921-01-24
CAPITAL DEFENDED
BY PROF. SELIGMAN
Columbia University Econo-
mist Engages in Debate
With Scott Nearing.
AUDIENCE TAKES SIDES
Socialists in Majority, but
Neither Speaker Succeeds in
Convincing the Other.

Socialism, es personif1ed by scott
Nearing. and Capitalism, with Prof.
r. a. seligInan as it's champion. locked
horns in a three hour grapple yester-
day afternoon in the Lexington Theatre
before an audience which overfiowed
the big building. At the beginning of
the argument the Socialist majority in
the audience applauded their orator
vehemently and the capitalist minority
applauded their spokesman most spirit
edly. And at the end the Socialist ma
jority was Just as vehement and the
capitalist minority was just as spirited
and neither speaker had convinced the
other that his system was wrong.
The debate. which was arranged by
the Fine Arts Guild, was remarkable
in several ways, not the least of which
was the number of persons who literally
enacted a mob scene In the lobby In an
effort to get tickets at regular theatre
rates to hear the debate Many of these
had come from Boston. Philadelphia
and other cities to hear this verbal
combat between Prof. seligman of con-
seryative Columbia, one of the best
known authorities on economies In this
country, and Scott Nearing Of the rad
ical Rand School Of Social Science. one
OF the country's most emphatic Social
lists Nearing, although not so re-
strained In his utterances as Prof. Sell
igman, was not 30 startling In his ut
terances as during the war.
Audience with Nearing.
It was plain from the start that Prof.
Seligman was on hostile territory. The
weight Of applause was decidedly
against him some Of his remarks were
greeted with laughter, and at least one
man or woman booed him during
burst Of applause he spoke first, while
Mr. Nearing had tho cleanup position /;
he was on the drafty side of the
house and was compelled to wrap an
overcoat around himself during his rest
periods in the engagement; the assist
ant chairman was polite to him and
moved his table to the front for him
while Scott Nearing moved his own Os-
wald Garrison Willard. who presided
said kind words concerning Socialism
though none concerning capitalism
and, as Prof. Seligman pointed out In
the course of his address. he was de-
Tending an actual condition. while Mr.
Nearing was advocating a peautirui
theory.
ITS much easier to promise new
heaven and new earth than 1t Is to set
to work to improve that little bit OF the
| earth which Is nearest to U.S." he SAID,
in concluding his summary.
The debate was on the subject Re
solved. that capitalism has more to Of
fer to the workers of the United States
than has socialism.
Mr.. Willard, In his opening remarks
announced that he was middle OF the
road man. with leanings toward neither
| system. =.
| aA
period largely to defining the terms ana
explaining the capitalist system. show
ing that II was progressive ana oased
on democracy and freely admitting It's
weaknesses, which, he said. would De
eliminated by the progress OF the sys-
! tenn itself He stated that there Is no
reason why workmen should De forceo
| to bear the burden of unemployment
hut pointed out that tentative steps are
being taken here and elsewhere 10 rem.
edy this condition. The "Joylessness
OF the workman. he pointed out Is que
M. 70 capitalism but to the monotony
80 tending machines. and machines
must be tended under any system. Cap
Italism is still virtually In It's INFANCY.
he said. and will grow and improve
with the years.
Capitalism and Undernourishment
Mr.. Nearing plunged boldly into his
argument Under the capitalist sys-
tenn the worker has "a expect interm,t-
tent starvation. slavery and war nc
a sserted. "In this, the richest OF coun-
tries. and In this city. the centre OF
wealth. we reported even before the
last economic unpleasantness 20 per
cent of our school children undernour-
ished."
he
svsten was privately owned ana as
serted that children were pumped full
~ virulent propaganda for the present
capitalist system
"a shot Is fired in the Balkans ano
10 0OO. 900 men go to their graves tc
decide that Britain shall hold Bagdao
gateway to the East, and that Germany
sball nav what she can," he asserted, In
an effort to prove the last conflict was
due to capitalism. He summed up so
c,alism as giving the workers supsls-
tence. economic government and a pasi'
for peace. IT..
into the Socialist belief. as advanced ps
Mr.. Nearing. that the capitalist can se'
along without the workman and car
dron him at will and without damage
IN his own welfare. He read ofncial uocu'
,nents from Russia In which the workers
~ petrograd complained they were oe
ING treated as slaves. that strikers were
being shot. and the strictest discipline
and anes were exacted in the factories
Socialism starts out with beautifu
ideals and ends with tyranny TO pre-
vent starvation" he said. Il don't den,
there Is some theft, some robbery N
cap,taIisn. but do say the essence o'
capitalism. the essence of profits, Is ser
vice. People can't in the long run make
great profits unless they really give SER
vice 10 the community"
Mr.. Nearing asserted that the same
forces that swept the world Into war IN
1914 were moving to precipitate another
conflict between the United States and
britain and Japan. He asserted that all
over Europe the workers are moving TO-
ward solidarity. and that there IL not
a country In Europe where the workers
are not already preparing the founda-
tions for a new Socialist state He
praised Russia for trying To form n new
state while harassed by war ard'fs.r''ae
| That's what Russia did. She tried
he said. "and that's what want to see
the United States do. j want TO see