Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-15

BY an unanimous decision Of the
Judges, Deerfng High school was de-
clared a winner over Cony High
school in a preliminary debate Of the
Bates Interscholastic De b tin 8
league, at Assembly hall on Friday
evening. The debate was Of very
high order and the arguments Of both
livered. The Judges decided also
that Charles Nelson Of the Cony
High school was the best individual
debater.
Cony High upheld the affirmative
upon the question, Resolved, That
the United States Should Enter the
League Of Nations" The Cony High
team was made up OF Marguerite
Leuchter and Charles Nelson with
Robert Leadbetter as alternate.
The speakers for Deering were Eu-
genia Southland and Fred Scribner.
Miss Leuchter was the first speaker
for the affirmative. She declared
that the sentiment Of the people Is
for the entrance OF the United States
into the league and cited several
prominent men such as Roosevelt.
Taft and Wilson as being in favor
OF this idea She also stated that
entrance OF the United States into
the league Is a vital and inevitable
part Of the peace treaty as 1t Is
necessary that we enter the league
TO fully establish world peace. She
spoke Of the Box peace plan which
calls for the entrance OF the United
States into the league and told Of the
vote which was taken on this plan
and OF the fact that over so percent
of those who voted. voted for 1t.
Finally she pointed out that the
United States IL now in poor COM
pany. as Russia. Germany. Mexico.
and n few small nations are the only
ones beside this country that have
not Joined the league.
Miss Southard Opens Negative
Miss Southard OF the negative
team. at the outset accused the at
firmative Of basing their argument
that the people desired such a move,
upon the public opinion Of 1919 and
not of 1924. She declared that the
league Is failure and that the en-
trance Of the United States would
not make II a success. She cited five
reasons for this declaration. They
were: First. that as now constituted
the league Is Inadequate to compete
with the conditions that cause war
in Europe: second. that II has failed
to establish the equality Of nations;
third that the league has become
tool of Imperialism and has ignored
the self determination of the people:
fourth. that 1t has failed to substi-
tute justice for diplomacy: and final
~ that there have been five wars
since the founding Of the league.
that in two cases no effort has been
made to stop them or to smooth out
the conditions that cause these wars.
ard in the other three cases the
league ha sheen unable to affect a
settlement.
Argued Would Prevent War
Charles Nelson. the second speaker
for the affirmative. stated that the
success that has already been DEM
onstrated by the league, warrants
the entrance of the United States.
The league has already fulfilled its
main purpose, that of stopping war,
by settling four different controver-
sizes, that before the formation of the
league might and probably would
have resulted in war. 1t has provid
cd other means of ending war by
delving into the underlying causes.
Secret diplomacy and secret treaties
are dangerous and under the provi
sions of the covenant treaty to be