roversy was over an
abstract resolution on the "economic independence of women," which was
in the end settled by a compromise drafted by Sidney Webb.

Sixty delegates were present at the 1911 Conference, held at Clifford's
Inn, who, after rejecting by a seven to one majority a resolution to
confine Fabian membership to Labour Party adherents, devoted themselves
mainly to opposition to the National Insurance Bill then before
Parliament.

In 1912 the Conference was still large and still concerned in the
position of the Society in relation to Labour and Liberalism.

Both in 1913 and in 1914 the Conference was well attended and prolonged,
but in 1915, partly on account of the war and partly because of the
defection of several University Societies, few were present, and the
business done was inconsiderable.

* * * * *

The Summer School was another enterprise started at the period. It was
begun independently of the Society in this sense, that half a dozen
members agreed to put up the necessary capital and to accept the
financial responsibility, leaving to the Society the arrangement of
lectures and the management of business.

It was opened at the end of July, 1907, at Pen-yr-allt, a large house,
previously used as a school, looking out over the sea, near Llanbedr, a
little village on the Welsh coast between Barmouth and Harlech. The
house was taken for three years partly furnished, and the committee
provided the beds, cutlery, etc., needed. One or two other houses near
by were usually rented for the summer months.

The value of the plan for a propagandist society is largely this, that
experience shows that people can only work together efficiently when
they know each other. Therefore in practice political and many other
organisations find it necessary to arrange garden parties, fetes,
picnics, teas, and functions of all sorts in order to bring together
their numbers under such conditions as enable them to become personally
acquainted with each other. In times of expansion the Fabian Society
has held dinners and soirees in London, many of which have been
successful and even brilliant occasions, because the new members come in
crowds and the old attend as a duty. When new members are few these
entertainments cease, for nothing is so dreary as a social function that
is half failure, and a hint of it brings the series to an end. But a
Summer School where members pass weeks together is far