Witty Britishers

"Resolved: That this house disapproves the French occupation of the Ruhr."

Oxford debaters argued the affirmative of this proposition successfully against George Washington, Harvard, Yale men; unsuccessfully against Columbia men. English debating methods were employed--teams of three with one man of each team supporting the opponent's side of the question, unlimited speaking time, no formal rebuttal, free interruption of the speaker of the moment, decisions awarded by vote of "this house" (i. e. the audience).

The press: " Three young men from Oxford now debating with American university students seem likely to explode an ancient theory-- namely, that the British lack wit . . subtle shafts of irony ... the house in merriment . . . seldom raised their voices . . . preferred reason to fervor.

" The Americans were eloquent, flowery, oratorical."