CONSERVATIVE AND PROGRESSIVE UNION FOR DEBATE FORMED

In order to give students of the University a knowledge of present day public affairs and practice in debating, there has been formed, it was announced last night, a Harvard Debating has no connection with the Harvard Union, consists of two opposing wings, which will dispute at fortnightly or monthly periods on different subjects of current interest. The first definite step at organization was taken on Wednesday night when the Conservative Club was formed, while the opposing wing was constituted as the Progressive Club at a meeting last night. It is planned that these two Clubs will be compact and independent in themselves and that the debates will be carried on along lines somewhat similar to party divisions in a legislative body.

First Meeting Next Thursday

The first meeting of the organization will be open to all members of the University, and will take place next Thursday evening, December 14, in the Trophy Room of the Union. A member of the Faculty will preside. The question for debate will be: "Resolved, that the United, States recognize Soviet Russia immediately". The Progressives will uphold the affirmative of this proposition and the Conservatives the negative. Each wing is planning to have two prepared speakers who will talk for seven minutes each. Afterwards members of the two clubs and of the audience will speak from the floor. The meeting will close with a vote by all present on the results of the question.

Plans for forming some sort of organization at the University similar to the Oxford Union, have been under discussion by a group of students for some weeks. But it is only in the last two days with the meetings of the two clubs that the idea has taken definite form.

Hope to Fill Long Felt Need

The need of an organization such as the new Debating Union has been felt at Harvard for many years, and it was decided t try the experiment on the principle of two definite groups distinctly differing in their general trend of thought towards political questions. The Conservative Club upholds the existing order and will combat the radical tendencies which it believes are to be found in the ranks of the Progressives. The latter stand for liberal and constructive thought and the trial of new and practicable ideas which make for progress. Both clubs will draw platforms which will be announced later.

In the discussions an especial effort will be made to get away from the stiff format style of debating which has characterized American college debating in the pat. The men who speak are expected to speak from the conviction that their side is right and not because they have been assigned that side.

It is not expected that in any question brought up for debate, the members of the two clubs will split solidly. Those in charge believe that there will usually be a minority disagreeing with the side its club is upholding just as in legislative bodies. This minority will be encouraged to bring forward its own views and to vote in accordance with its convictions. It is felt that in this way the Debating Union will encourage to the highest degree intellectual honesty.

The Conservative and Progressive Clubs are composed of about 20 men each, but may enlarge their membership later in the year. A committee of three men from each club will compose the Executive Committee of the Debating Union and will be announced later