▁remaining ▁in ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁he ▁held ▁appoint ments ▁in ▁the ▁Def ence ▁and ▁War ▁Depart ments ▁at ▁Del hi ▁( De put y ▁Secretary , ▁Def ence ▁Co - ord ination ▁and ▁War ▁Depart ments ▁ 1 9 3 9 – 4 2 ; ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Chief s ▁of ▁Staff ▁Committee , ▁India ▁and ▁Head ▁of ▁Conference ▁Secretary , ▁South - E ast ▁Asia ▁Command ▁ 1 9 4 2 - 4 , ▁J oint ▁Secretary , ▁War ▁Department ▁ 1 9 4 4 - 7 ), ▁ret iring ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁int ending ▁to ▁take ▁up ▁far ming . ▁ ▁Race ▁and ▁de colon isation ▁With ▁his ▁far ming ▁efforts , ▁even ▁supp lement ed ▁by ▁the ▁income ▁from ▁his ▁writing , ▁prov ing ▁ins u fficient ly ▁rem un er ative ▁for ▁the ▁needs ▁of ▁his ▁growing ▁family , ▁Mason ▁took ▁the ▁part - time ▁position ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁Director ▁of ▁Studies ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Institute ▁of ▁International ▁Affairs ▁at ▁Ch ath am ▁House , ▁serving ▁in ▁this ▁capacity ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁Mason ' s ▁role ▁was ▁to ▁both ▁undert ake ▁research ▁and ▁seek ▁out ▁scholar ly ▁work ▁on ▁discipl ines ▁rel ating ▁to ▁ra cial ▁problems ; ▁he ▁first ▁went ▁to ▁Southern ▁Rh odes ia , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁emb ark ing ▁upon ▁a ▁union ▁with ▁Northern ▁Rh odes ia