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 past achievements, is published in “Fabian News.”  On this occasion the usual distinction between old and new candidates was not made, and the Executive undertook to send out Election Addresses of candidates subject to necessary limits and on payment by the candidates of the cost of printing.  In addition numerous other addresses were posted to the electors.  The Old Gang made no attempt to monopolise the Executive by running a full ticket.  The candidates in effect formed three groups, 15 supporters of the outgoing Executive, including 10 retiring members who issued a joint address; 13 candidates selected by a temporary Reform Committee whose names were sent out by Mr. Wells and his chief adherents; 7 independents, some of them supporters of the Executive and the others of the Reformers; and finally myself.  As I was paid secretary and returning officer I did not formally associate myself with any party, though my general sympathy with my old colleagues was well known.  Nine hundred and fifty-four members cast very nearly 17,000 votes.  Sidney Webb headed the poll with 819 votes; I followed with 809.  Bernard Shaw received 781, and Mr. Wells came fourth with 717.  All the retiring members were re-elected except Cecil Chesterton, and including G.R.S.  Taylor, who had vehemently opposed his colleagues.  Eleven of the Executive list, nine of the Reformers, and myself constituted the new Committee.  In fact it was an able and effective body.  The Old Gang brought in Mr. Granville Barker; the Reformers included Mr. Wells, Mrs. Pember Reeves, Aylmer Maude, R.C.K.  Ensor, Dr. Haden Guest, Sidney Ball, F.W.  Pethick Lawrence, and Miss B.L.  Hutchins—­most, if not all, of whom received support from the friends of the Old Gang.  Scarcely anything less like revolutionists can be imagined than this list.  Mr. Pethick Lawrence, it is true, has since then done some hard fighting in another cause, but he has always acted with seriousness and deliberation.  Most of the others might as well have figured on one ticket as the other.  The Old Gang including myself had 12 votes and all the experience, against 9 on the other side.  But the two sides did not survive the first meeting of the new Committee.  There was, as I have already said, no differences of principle between the two parties.  The expansion of the parent Society had come about, local Societies were growing up all over the country; Mr. Wells said no more about public authority over the young—­indeed his election address made no reference to it—­and Mr. Shaw did nothing to establish his Middle-Class Socialist Party.