The reluctance of United Nations leaders to get down to the subject of peace aims seemed about to be vigorously challenged. To London last week flew South Africa's Prime Minister Field Marshal Jan Christiaan Smuts, and the distinguished mind of the slim, bearded old soldier-philosopher was ranging over the world of the future. Before plunging into conferences with Winston Churchill's War Cabinet, he said:
"With the coming of the offensive stage in our war effort, our thoughts should also begin to turn to the end, and to the conditions which may follow the end, of this greatest tragedy in the history...