Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-09
Tour of World
May Be Made
BY Bates Dehaters

Lewiston, Me-, Nov. S.-(P)-BateS
College, first American institution to
engage in international inter-col-
legiate debating, may send a debat-
ing team around the world in the
near future. This is the hope of Cliff
ton d. Gray, president of the college,
who believes that such a plan would
be step toward world peace by pro-
noting friendship and understanding
among nations.
1.-THE future Of international debat-
ing is large with possibilities" said
President Gray. 1T is hoped in the
near future that Bates may send a
debating team around the world.
Within the next few years, we shall
doubtless have visits of university
debaters from South Africa and New
Zealand as well as from England and
Australia. 1t would be q great thing
for world peace If this sort of thing
could be carried on among nations Of
different languages.
IAN Australian debating team 10
coming to the Pacific coast next fall
as the direct result of What Bates
started in 1921 was the statement of
a high official of the American Uni
versity Union made to me In London
during my visit there last August.
There are now three English
speaking debating teams in this
country, one from the University of
Sydney, the second from Oxford Uni
versity and the third from Cam
bridge University, which later team
the people of Maine have had the OPP
portunity of hearing.
international debating has become
recognized institution. 1t began
with the sending over by Bates Col
lege of a pioneer debating team
which met the men of oxford Uni
versity in Oxford, England, in June,
1921, in the first Anglo American
student debate in history This first
debate received much attention from
the press on both sides of the At
lantic.
THE following year the first
Anglo American debate on this side
of the Atlantic was held in Lewiston,
between Bates College and represen-
tatives of oxford UAiversite. Bates
had guaranteed the entire expenses
of the Oxford men on their trip .to
America, but fortunately the ex-
penses of this first expedition. on the
part of the English University stu
dents was shared with perhaps a
dozen institutions which the oxford
team met in debate.
"Since 1923 a debate with an En-
glish University has been an annual
occurrence in Lewiston. During the
| last two years, two English teams
one from Cambridge and one from
| oxford, have come to America fol
| the purpose of meeting American
| colleges and universities from the
| Atlantic to the Pacific. Every year
! also, some American team has
crossed the Atlantic. including Co.
lumbia University, Colgate Univer.
sity, the University of Michigan ant
| others.
| A year ago last May. Bates College
| had the honor of sending a SECOND
| debating team to England, and or
! this occasion the Bates team met
, English and Scottish universities
including oxford. Cambridge, Liver.
! pool. Manchester, birmingham, Shelf.
! field and Edinburgh. The Bates meI
were asked to debate the subject o.
! prohibition on "a hours notice anC
achieved the remarkable result Of
winning the debate, upon which they
had no time to prepare, by vote Of
| the audience in a city where. Guinness
/ Stout and Dewar's Whisky flow will
unusual freedom.
international debating has indeed
| become a fixed institution. 1t is al.