On February 9th the great controversy began by the paper entitled “Faults of the Fabian,” read by Mr. Wells to a members’ meeting, and subsequently issued as a private document to all the members of the Society.  It was couched altogether in a friendly tone, expressed cordial appreciation of the record of the Society, but criticised it for lack of imaginative megalomania.  It was “still half a drawing-room society,” lodged in “an underground apartment,” or “cellar,” with one secretary and one assistant.  “The first of the faults of the Fabian, then, is that it is small, and the second that strikes me is that, even for its smallness, it is needlessly poor.”  The task undertaken by the Fabians “is nothing less than the alteration of the economic basis of society.  Measure with your eye this little meeting, this little hall:  look at that little stall of not very powerful tracts:  think of the scattered members, one here, one there....  Then go out into the Strand.  Note the size of the buildings and business places, note the glare of the advertisements, note the abundance of traffic and the multitude of people....  That is the world whose very foundations you are attempting to change.  How does this little dribble of activities look then?”

The paper goes on to complain that the Society did not advertise itself, made the election of new members difficult, and maintained a Basis “ill-written and old-fashioned, harsh and bad in tone, assertive and unwise.”  The self-effacive habits and insidious methods of the Society were next criticised, and the writer exclaimed, “Make Socialists and you will achieve Socialism; there is no other plan.”  The history of the Fabian motto was made use of to enforce the view that victory can only be gained by straight fighters like Scipio, whilst Fabius, however successful at first, ended his career as a stumbling-block to progress.  To effect the desired expansion the writer proposed to raise an income of L1000 a year, to increase the staff, to prepare literature for the conversion of unbelievers, and to get a number of young men and women, some paid and some unpaid, to carry on the propaganda and the administrative work.  “Unless I am the most unsubstantial of dreamers, such a propaganda as I am now putting before you ought to carry our numbers up towards ten thousand within a year or so of its commencement.”

At the close of the meeting it was unanimously agreed “that the Executive Committee be instructed to appoint a Committee consisting of members and non-members of the Executive to consider what measures should be taken to increase the scope, influence, income, and activity of the Society.”  Further, a temporary amendment was made to the rules deferring the Annual Meeting and Executive election until after the Committee had reported.

“The Executive Committee,” says “Fabian News,” “was of opinion that a large Committee including both the Executive and an equal number of unofficial members should be appointed.  But as Mr. Wells, the author of the proposal, was resolutely opposed to this plan, the Executive decided that in the circumstances it was best to fall in with his wishes, and they accordingly appointed only those members, both Executive and other, whom Mr. Wells nominated and who were willing to serve.”