In any position except that of leader Mr. Wells was invaluable, as
long as he kept it! As leader we felt he would be impossible, and if he
had won the fight he would have justly claimed a mandate to manage the
Society on the lines he had laid down. As Bernard Shaw led for the
Executive, the controversy was really narrowed into Wells versus Shaw.
The Report was sent to the members with "Fabian News" for December,
1906, and it was the occasion of much excitement. The Society had grown
enormously during the year. The names of no less than ninety applicants
for membership are printed in that month's issue alone. In March, 1907,
the membership was 1267, an increase of nearly 500 in two years.
The discussion was carried on at a series of meetings held at Essex
Hall, Strand, under the chairmanship of Mr. H. Bond Holding, on December
7th and 14th, 1906, and January 11th and 18th, February 1st and March
8th, and also at the Annual Meeting for 1905-6, held on February 22nd,
1907. The series was interrupted for the London County Council Election
on March 2nd, in which many of the members were concerned.
With a view to a "Second Reading" debate the executive Committee had put
down a general resolution that their report be received, but Mr. Wells
did not fall in with this plan, and the resolution on the motion of
Bernard Shaw was adopted without discussion.
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