The writer of this book was temporarily attached to the British Treasury during the war and was their official representative at the Paris peace conference up to 7 June 1919; he also sat as deputy for the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Supreme Economic Council. He resigned from these positions when it became evident that hope could no longer be entertained of substantial modification in the draft terms of peace. The grounds of his objection to the treaty, or rather to the whole policy of the conference towards the economic problems of Europe, will appear in the following chapters. They are entirely of a public character, and are based on facts known to the whole world.