The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-10

London, August 24-When, 80 years ago,
the Fabian society was organized by a
group of clever young middle class So
cialists. many of whom have since be-
come famous, not even the promoters
themselves imagined that it would be-
come one of the most influential factors
in English public life. This is what has
happened, however, and in these times
of war it's influence in the usual quiet,
land undergraduate the term can be
used without any opprobrious meaning
way, is stronger than ever.
Probably the great influence of the
Fabian. socoety is due largely to the per-
sonality of two men who were among
the founders, George Bernard Shaw and
Sidney Webb Shaw is best known to
Americans as the famous playwright, but
he is also one of the most acute thinkers
in England on economic problems. and
has the gift of presenting his conclusions
and suggestions in the form in which
they appeal most irresistibIy to the plain
man. Webb is an intellectual machine.
There is no greater authority on econom-
les in England and his mind is simply
an encyclopedia of facts and figures on
all the subjects which he has chosen to
make his own. Mrs. Sidney Webb is
no less famous and efficient than her hus-
band and she, too, looms large in the
Fabian society. Shaw and Webb and a
half dozen others who are not so well
known, attracted around them group
of exceedingly clever and industrious
young men and women, all of the middle
class, and produced series of books and
pamphlets which have helped to make
English history.
SOCIETY OF SPECIALISTS
The first plank in the declaration of
principles of the Fabian society is THE
Fabian society consists of socialists, but
there the resemblance to other socialist
organizations ceases. It's name indicates
it's policy. 1t has no programme to i'm
mediate specialization of the means of pro-
duction and distribution. Its policy is
rather the waiting one of the famous
Roman general and in the meantime It's
work is to permeate all departments of
public life with collectivist IDEAS to
suggest Immediately practical legislation
along collectivist lines, and generally to
lead the people of England into socialism
by steps so gradual that they will not
know where they are going. In TINS 1t
has been eminently successful, and 1t is
no exaggeration to say that all the social
legislation of recent years, including the
old age penson act and the health in
SuranC6 act Tor WHICH Lloyu-1Sol sc
rea ped so much credit had Fabian brains
and Fabian suggestion at the back of 1t.
But with all this the Fabian society is
not what would popularity be called a.
propaganda organization. 1t is rather a.
brain emporium for propagandists, and
its speciality is providing facts-real In
conference.-the facts-fgures and argu-
ments for the propagandsts, as well as
ideas for statesmen, and taking very good
care that all these facts and arguments
and figures and ideas point along the
road to socialism.
MEMBERSHIP SMALL
1t is not to be wondered at that with
such programme and such work the
membership is small. The Fabian society
today has only about 1000 members and
1t never had many more, but these men,
bers are all picked men and women
each one of whom can do something use
full The inner circle, if the expression
may be used, is the Fabian research de-
partment with 1877 members and JOG asso-
cates (non-Fabians) of which Bernard
Shaw is chairman and Sidney Webb vice
chairman. The research department is
the laboratory of ideas in which the high
explosives which it is hoped will even
tually pulverze the capitalist system
and lead England to socialism are elabo-
rated. Its job is to work out schemes
for immediate use and suggestion for
the future which will lead the country
ir the desired direction.
Since the war began the society in