Again Oxford invades Cambridge, this time to compete upon the platform instead of the track, where the Englishmen were badly beaten last spring. Debating Oxford is not longer the novelty in debating circles that it was, not many years ago, for an American team.

The Oxford-Harvard debating score stands tied, for after a signal victory had been scored by Harvard in 1922, Oxford returned in 1923 to win by an overwhelming vote of the audience. Last year it proved impossible for the two teams to arrange a satisfactory date. Now it has been possible to arrange for a debate to break the tie which exists and on October 16 the Oxford team will meet Harvard at Symphony Hall.

Bates Oxford's First U. S. Opponent

The history of Oxford-American debates is a long one, although not long in point of years. In 1921 an American student at Oxford and an undergraduate at Bates College, in Maine, began a correspondence which resulted in the first Oxford-American debate. Prior to this time no one interested had thought of suggesting an international debate. Since that date there have been more than 80 international debates of which 12 were held in England.

Bates College, as the home of the plan for international debates, had the honor of meeting Oxford in England and the further honor of being the fosterer of the first trip of an Oxford team to this country, a trip which took place in the fall of 1922. The first encounter had been held at the Oxford Union, scene of a matching of wits by many a future statesman of England. There the austere audience and the weight of tradition of the English system of debate, a system new to the Americans, proved too much for the invaders who were beaten by a two to one vote of the audience. The scene presented the year following must have been quite as out of ordinary for the English team. An American audience, all of whom had paid one dollar apiece for admission, were in attendance as at any other spectacle or sporting contest. This debate, fought out on territory friendly to the Americans, proved to be their first victory over the Oxonians. Again in 1923 the Bates team won, and in 1924 two Bates men and one Englishman defeated a team composed of two Englishmen and one American.

English System Offers Difficulties

The English do not employ the American custom of having formal judges and out of courtesy to the visitors most American teams have followed the Oxford custom, which leaves the determination of the winner to a vote of the audience. It is the American belief that the decision of the audience is influenced chiefly by their preconceived convictions. The first international debate presented these difficulties and the added formidable hurdle of more mature debaters on the English side.

Debating Council Seeks Graduate Aid

It is because of the maturity of the English team that the University Debating Council has thrown open its doors to the members of the Graduate schools. Only by the aid of members of the Law School and of other graduates whose experience in debating is of longer duration than that possessed by the ordinary undergraduate can the Debating Council hope to triumph. This the Debating Council maintains despite the record made by the undergraduates of Bates, which is a little college of a few hundred students.

Oxford Team Always Formidable

In 1921 the English team was composed of three of the best speakers among the younger English public men. There were J. Beverley-Nichols, novelist, ex-president of the Oxford Union; N. A. Beechman, also an ex-president of the Oxford Union; and Major G. H. Howard, ex-aviator and a prominent member of the Union. The 1922 Oxford team, which invaded America for the first time, named M. Christopher Hollis, traveler, magazine writer and a recognized wit; Magbool Mahmood, member of a distinguished family of India and president of the Oxford University international assembly; and Edward Majoribanks, probable successor to Lord Tweedmouth, secretary of the famous Carleton Club, and president of the Oxford Union, one of the highest Oxford honors.

Oxonians Belle Slow English Wit

It is against such men as these that the University team will be forced to show its mettle on October 16. In the 1923 Oxford-Harvard debate which the Englishmen won by so large a margin the English team showed an informality of delivery which was quite foreign to the Americans, and a wit which crackled and sparkled to the discomfiture of the Americans. "In the Garden of Eden all animals were given tails, but men were left to form their own conclusions. Our chief function in coming to America is to forge one more link in the chain binding Harvard and Oxford together, but above all to convince the Harvard team of the error of its conclusions.

Once more the Oxford team is on the way to America. They come armed to the teeth with information upon six topics, any one which they are prepared to debate with their opponents. At the present time the Englishmen are on the ocean, engaged in putting the finishing touches on more than 20 debates which they have scheduled with as many American colleges. Starting on October 2, the Oxford team will debate in all parts of the country, remaining over hero until November 14.