ing as a Liberal Labour party, the attitude of the
Independent Labour Party is not a straightforward one. One of its
competitors states: "The Independent Labour Party has continued its
policy of bargain-making with capitalist politicians. The leaders at
times call themselves Socialists, and at other times protest against
frightening their supporters by introducing the word into resolutions.
At the general election, Mr. Ramsay Macdonald at Leicester, and Mr.
James Parker at Halifax, were amongst the candidates who entered into
compacts with the Liberals. At the Amsterdam International Congress
they voted for a resolution extolling the 'tried and victorious policy
based on the class war,' and on their return to England referred to
the class war as a 'shibboleth' and as a 'reactionary and Whiggish
precept, certain to lead the movement away from the real aims of
Socialism.'"[1145]

The Fabian Society is the least open and the least straightforward
Socialist organisation. Ostensibly it adopted its curious name because
"for the right moment you must wait, as Fabius did most patiently when
warring against Hannibal, though many censured his delays; but when
the time comes you must strike hard as Fabius did, or your waiting
will be in vain, and fruitless."[1146] In reality the misleading title
was probably adopted because the Fabian Society habitually and on
principle sails under a false flag, wishing not to arouse suspicion as
to its objects.

The object of the small but powerful Fabian Society is a peculiar one:
"Founded on a small scale in 1884 and actually the oldest of the three
great Socialist organisations, the Fabian Society has never aimed at a
large membership or endeavoured to become a political party. Its work
has been mainly educational, its endeavour to translate the principles
of Socialism into practical politics suited to English conditions.
From the first it refused to accept Marxian teaching. The Fabian
Society is not a political body, in that it allows its members
complete freedom to adopt any method of carrying out the principles
they profess. Hence its members in Parliament belong to the Liberal or
the Labour party, and they sit as Progressives on London local bodies.
The Society is mainly middle-class, and the majority of its members
belong to London, where fortnightly meetings are held for the
discussion of Socialism. Its great force lies in the ability of many
of its members, some of whom, Mr. Bernard S