1in March, 937, shortly before taking office as prime minister, Chamberlain wrote to morgenthau of the US Treasury, saying that Germany was determined to make itself so strong that no one dared to resist its territorial claims, whether to Europe or to the colonies. Since it is so interested, it is "unlikely to agree to any disarmament plan that will undermine its established goals." Germany can only restrain itself if it believes that its efforts will be resisted by superior forces. Nevertheless, the Chamberlain government still firmly believes that peaceful settlement of disputes is more beneficial to Britain than resorting to war without endangering national interests. In order to avoid war, the Chamberlain government thinks it is necessary to solve the European problem comprehensively through peaceful negotiations.