A series of essays presents a visitor's running impressions of an international armaments conference, tracing hopes, doubts, and irritations as delegates confront the economic and political fallout of recent wars. The pieces analyze the futility of mere weapon limits, the aftermath of peace settlements, and the need for a stable, organized international association to secure lasting peace; they examine the positions and anxieties of major powers and colonies, discuss armaments, war debts, trade and monetary instability, and consider practical obstacles and proposals for establishing collective security to prevent further social and economic collapse.