-7-
 
with experts in this field, and they had come to my mind
 
because of the Prime Minister's expressed belief that con-
 
fidence must be restored before any approach could be made
 
disarmament. I said that I could not refrain from re-
 
minding him that between the years 192l and 1932 there had
 
apparently existed in Europe a very considerable measure
 
of confidence. And yet in the field of practical disarma-
 
ment not one concrete step had been taken. In the year
 
1933 President Roosevelt had made a very clear, and to my
 
mind beneficial, proposal to all the nations of the world. Again 
 
nothing had come out of it. It might perhaps be that the minds of 
 
statesmen and of military experts might more readily find the 
 
solution of the problem today when civilization hung on the edge 
 
of the abyss, than they had been capable of doing during the years 
 
when no immediate crisis was in sight.
 
     By this time it was 7:45 and I was to be Lord Halifax's
 
guest at dinner at 8:30 as the latter reminded the Prime
 
Minister.
 
     Mr. Chamberlain said that he would like to think over
 
our conversation and talk with me again. He asked if I would 
 
come back to see him at 8 p.m. on March 15, the evening I was 
 
to dine with him and the night before I was due to leave London.