standing Sub-Committees, and to abolish the old restrictions
on membership. On February 1st the debate on Political Action began, and
largely turned on the question whether we should attempt to found a
Socialist Party or should subordinate our political activity to the
Independent Labour Party. As the first step towards founding a
middle-class Socialist Party was to be the establishment of Fabian
Societies throughout the country, those of us who like myself did not
believe in the possibility of the proposed new party could none the less
support the scheme. Co-operation with the Labour Party was not in
question; nor was the continuance of our friendly relations with the
I.L.P., but the proposal to subordinate our political activity to the
latter society met with but little support, and finally on March 2nd the
Executive resolution to appoint a Committee for the purpose of drawing
up a political policy was adopted against a very small minority. Mr.
Wells took very little part in the proceedings after the Second Reading
debate, and only one speech of his is mentioned in the report.

* * * * *

Meanwhile the controversy was being fought out on another field. The
January meetings had settled the number of the new Executive and decided
how the Basis should be altered. The Executive therefore was now able to
summon the Annual Meeting in order to make the necessary amendments to
the Rules. This was held on February 22nd, when the resolutions were
adopted without discussion. The meeting then took up some minor items in
the Report, and in particular certain other amendments to the Basis
proposed by individual members. On these a resolution was carried that
the new Executive appoint a Committee to revise the Basis. The Committee
was in fact appointed, and consisted of Bernard Shaw, Sidney Webb, H.G.
Wells, and Sidney Ball of Oxford. Mr. Wells resigned from the Society
before its labours were completed, and no report was ever presented.

The Annual Meeting over, the way was now clear for the election of the
new Executive. The ballot papers, sent out with the March "News,"
contained the names of 37 candidates, 13 out of the 15 of the retiring
Committee and 24 others. In normal years the practice of issuing
election addresses is strictly discouraged, because of the advantage
they give to those rich enough to afford the expense. Therefore the
record of new candidates, severely concrete statements of pas