Curtis served as secretary to Lord Milner (a position that had also been held by adventure-novelist John Buchan), during which time he dedicated himself to working for a united self-governing South Africa.

Curtis addressed the meeting and strongly believed that the conference had illustrated the pressing need for the formation of an informed international research body for expert analysis of foreign affairs that could have advised on the matters the delegates had had before them and had been required to decide upon.

Curtis's proposal to the meeting was that an Anglo-American "Institute of International Affairs" should be founded with offices in Britain and the US and this was warmly accepted by the British and United States delegates.

In a revealing letter written 1932, Whitney Shepardson, a US delegate at the Peace Conference, a participant at the meeting at the Hotel Majestic and a founding member of the US Council on Foreign Relations wrote to Ivison Macadam at Chatham House about Curtis, " He's like the Hound of Heaven.

"'[7]Curtis remained a driving force within Chatham House and in international movements and conferences around the world until very late in his life but preferred to give credit to others.

[10] In 1947, Curtis was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize; in 1949, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, on the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of Chatham House.