haw, the dramatist; Mr.
Sidney Webb, the political writer; Sir Sydney Olivier, now Governor of
Jamaica, have belonged to it from the start; whilst others, such as
Mr. H.G. Wells and the Rev. R.J. Campbell, are more recent recruits.
Recently it has greatly increased its membership, now nearly 2,000,
and has formed substantial branches in the Universities and in many
large towns. Eleven of its members sit in Parliament."[1147]

"The chief object to which the Society devotes its resources is the
education of the people in political, economic, and social subjects.
To effect this purpose it must in the first place educate itself by
the discussion of those problems which from time to time appear ripe
for solution. Its members therefore undertake the study of such
problems, and lay the results before the Society, where they are
considered from various points of view. Finally the conclusions
adopted and generally approved by the members are published, usually
in penny tracts, and by this means made available for the information
of all. The Society further endeavours to promote social amelioration
by the dissemination of information about existing institutions, in
order that better use may be made of the powers already possessed by
local administrative authorities, now too often neglectful of their
obligations. The same ends are sought to be attained by means of
circulating libraries supplied to Working-men's Clubs, Co-operative
Societies, Trade Unions, and similar bodies, and by the publication of
lists of best books on social and political subjects. The Society also
at times engages trained lecturers to give courses of lectures during
the winter months on social politics to working-class and other
organisations. The members of the Society who control its policy are
Socialists; that is to say, are committed to the theory of the
probable direction of economic evolution which is now often called
Collectivism."[1148]

"The object of the Fabian Society is to persuade the English people to
make their political constitution thoroughly democratic, and so to
socialise their industries as to make the livelihood of the people
entirely independent of private Capitalism. The Fabian Society
endeavours to pursue its Socialist and Democratic objects with complete
singleness of aim. For example: It has no distinctive opinions on the
Marriage Question, Religion, Art, abstract Economics, historic
Evolution, Currency, or any other subject than