Sir Arthur is admittedly one of the most painstaking analysts of current political and economic problems. His temper seems sometimes almost too judicious, for the sweet reasonableness of his book, even when read before the outbreak of war, could hardly fail to strike the reader as a vox clamantis in deserto. In the field of British policy he supported rearmament, but believed that with it should go a clear statement of the precise terms, including colonial concessions, which the Empire might make in order to satisfy the "legitimate" ambitions of the anti-status quo Powers. He called for a general all-round settlement, in the name not of craven "appeasement" but of common sense. Even if this proposal were not adopted -- and Sir Arthur foresaw that its adoption was improbable -- the democracies would at least have strengthened their moral position. One interesting feature of the book is the author's pen portraits of several of Britain's statesmen now most in view.
