Education: Debate

The young gentlemen of Cambridge on the Cam debated at their highly cerebral Union last week the question: Delenda est Chicago.

If any crass outsider did not comprehend this Latin irony, the Cambridge Union was cosily content. Soon with even heavier irony a Cambridge lightweight rose to defend Chicago. Small, spindly Debater Robert Egerton Swartwout (he weighs 105 Ib.) boomed out in an amazing bass voice. The same voice last year barked the Cambridge crew to victory over Oxford (TIME, April 21, 1930). Swartwout was Cambridge’s first U. S. coxswain. Son of Manhattan Architect Egerton Swartwout, he went to Cambridge (Trinity College) seven years ago, became a wit, contributed to Punch. Also he developed the ironic humor that is the pride of English debaters. Last week Cox Swartwout argued:

“Chicago is an excrescence of the Middle Ages which can exist only in the world’s most Tory-ridden country. He who would destroy all that Chicago stands for would uproot the African jungles and plant a dirty Birmingham or Bradford in its place. Let us leave Chicago alone as something which we thought died out in the old days, and be surprised at its coming alive again.”

Debater F. E. Jones of Caius College argued againstChicago: “It is governed by two heathen Gods: Mars, the God of Battle; and Bacchus, God of the Bottle.” This alliteration was well received. Finally Edgar Wallace argued for Chicago— (it was pleasantly impossible at times to tell who was for what): “The lynch law will eventually wipe out those deplorable men who sit in the seat of government.” Having amused themselves thus for a whole evening, members of the Cambridge Union voted171 to 143 that Chicago must experience the fate of Carthage.

—When Edgar Wallace’s Chicago gangdom play, On the Spot, was presented in that city-last week, to please civic-minded Mayor Anton Joseph Cermak the locale was changed to New York City, a Tribune Tower backdrop was painted out. Grant’s Tomb painted in.