THE OXFORD UNION Sm.—Mr. Hurst may be surprised to learn
that I am in general agreement with what he wrote in last week's Spectator. However flippant and cynical we may appear, we are— some of us—naive enough to believe that the Union is primarily a Debating Society. But if it is to continue to be a successful Debating Society—to he what I rashly called ' the greatest debating society in the world '—it must have the surplus amenities of which he complains. If Mr. Horst does not want to use them, then he need not; and in any case he will always have the comfort of knowing that they are subsidising his debating. can promise him that be will hear points put and answered; ho might even find the occasional echo of F. E. Smith's repartee— though no doubt ho will automatically.assume it was ' staged ' beforehand.
In principle, though, I believe Mr. Hurst to be right, if not particularly helpful. Of course a Union debate is over-stylised; as an art form it is now a theatrical performance. Perhaps the pitch that we have reached may be best illustrated if I say that recently some- one preparing a speech enquired which of two possible sentences sounded ' the more sincere.' That was, no doubt, an extreme case. But the real trouble with us all is that we try too hard. We know we arc not geniuses so at least we take pains. Would Mr. Hurst, thoroughly knowing our limitations as he so clearly does, have it otherwise ?---Yours faith- fully, ANTHONY HOWARD Oxford Union Society
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