The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-03-04
Kato Debaters Out-TaIked
Them Last Night
OPEN SHOP WINS WAY
Splendid Discussion In This City
And Also In Neighbour
ing Town

Mankato high school debaters coin.
pletely downed their old enemy, Fart
bault, last evening In the contest, at
the high school assembly hall here
and at Faribault. Last year was the
first time in eleven years that Man
kato high school debating team had
won from Faribault, when Mankato
captured five out of SIX OF the Judges
votes.
Last night the affirmative team
composed of Harriet Nerbovig, Rob-
ert Pfau and William Paden, defeated
the negative team of Faribault com
posed OF Laura Hauge, Cynthia Vein.
burger, and Leslie Gravlin. The Man.
Margaret Wise, Conrad Olson and
Lawrence Fowler defeated the Fari-
bault affirmative team in that city
last nights two to one.
The first speaker OF the evening was
Robert Pau. He defined the difference
IN the question, Resolved, that the
open shop is preferable to closed
shop in our Industrial SYSTEM
First. closed shops are un American
they lead to disregard of law, and are
not in accordance with the .constitu-
ton, and open shop is more fair to all
classes concerned.
The first speaker on the negative
side was Leslie Gravlin. He stated
that the term closed shop was unfair
and YVES given 10 the unions by the 0p-
posing sides. He based the negative
arguments on the following POINTS
First, becaust the union was tht only
solution to bring about Industrial
peace. Second, it Is necessary, to
tighten the labor of the masses. Third
it is necessary to the labor OF the
workingmen.
The Second Speaker
Harriet Nerbovig was the second
speaker on the Mankato team. In
her argument she brought out that the
open shop was fair to the employer
and fair to the general public. Sne
stated that the facts are that in the
union many times an employer Is
forced to pay an incompetent work
man high salary. The unions COM
pletely dominate the wages paid the
employees. They increase the numbes
of strikes, and cause the high price Of
merchandise.
Laura Hauge was the second speak
er for Faribault. She stated that the
open shop puts the American worker
out of his place and puts the I'm skill
led foreigner in his place. The for
eigner will work much cheaper and the
employer will hire him because he
need not pay him as high as the Amer
lean man.
The last speaker on the Mankato
team was William Paden. He stated
that the open shop produced more
satisfaction. England, who before the
world, has now nothing but open
chops. He named cities from coast to
coast where the union had been drop
ped for the open shop. For example
he cited Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco. The former has increased many
hundred times its population, there is
practically no murder and trouble.
The latter city has decreased its pop
ulation and no one Is safe on the
streets after dark The latter city is
a strictly closed shop city and Los
you rather live in? The closed shop
restricts the out-p Of production
The affirmative made it plain that
they did not wish to object to the
unions but to the closed shop, where
by one cannot work unless he belongs
to union.
The last speaker on the negative
was Cynthia Weinburger. She said
that the closed shop was the saliva
ton Of the working people. The
shorter hours derived from the union
6udUIG IllC ulCu W nave IlluC Al
which they can develop the mind and
body. 1t Is essential to the efficiency
of industry.
/. The rebuttal was well carried out.
The points on both sides were well
presented and exceptionally convinc-
ing.
During the year the negative team
of the high school has won two out of
six judges decisions, and the affirm
alive team has won six out of six de-
cisions
The high school Boys Glee club
sang several selections which were
received with much enthusiasm.
Miss Alice Cotton directed and Miss
Beneta Johnson accompanied them on
the piano. The judges were Mr..
Roberts. a teacher in the high school
at Fairmont, superintendent Davis of
st. Peter and Miss Heath, of the st
James high school.
A. G.. Clark Of the Mankato high
school was chairman of the debate.
The Mankato team met the follow
ing in debate at Faribauit: Clyde
Thomas, Wilmar Wolf and Alice Ne
hottie.