The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-02-22
Decisions of IncalcuIabIe I'M
portance Arrived at During
Rome Conference.
Big DRIVES on ALL FRONTS
More Vigorous War to Be Waoed In
observation-disclosures Quantities
Of Guns and Munitions Ready
on Western Front.
BY c. r. BERTELLl.

Parls.-Although they Issued a pub
lie statement after their conference In
Paris last March, the war chiefs of
the entente powers remained complete
ly silent following their Rome confer
ence the other day. But have learned
On indisputable authority that deci-
sions of incalculable Importance were
arrived at
The principal subjects discussed
were:
The Saloniki expedition.
The relation between each nations
resources and it's effective contribu-
ton to the war, bearing particularly
upon (a) electives; (b) munitions;
(c) finance.
Preparation of offensives on all
fronts for the coming spring.
While for obvious reasons l am not
permitted to give details Of the de-
cisions arrived Mt. l am able to state
that as regards the Macedonian front
the entente powers have at last been
united by the French leaders and that
at the chosen moment the offensive
will be delivered from the Saloniki
base with an energy and force hither-
to conspicuously lacking.
At last Premier BRAND, backed by
General Sarrail, the commander of the
entente forces in Macedonia-who Is
tremendously enthusiastic about the
possibilities to be expected from his
sphere of the hostilities-has brought
England and Italy into line. The gov
ernments of both these countries. act
ing on the advice of their military
counselors, have barely disguised their
Indifference to the SalOniki campaign,
but since the Rome conference that
feeling has been replaced by united
determination to wage more vigorous
war in Macedon1a, where of course,
both countries wtu increase their effec-
tives.
Have No Illusions.
Inc after war problems which the
Rome conferees discussed were prin-
cipally economic aud social. None OF
the entente Statesmen has any illu-
sions as to the question of monetary
compensation for war expenditure and
damage to be obtained from Germany.
No one nation could possibly bear the
burden of $15O.OOO, 100000, which the
war will have cost in actual expendi-
ture for armies and navieS between
August, 1914, and the fall of 1917, to
say nothing of the billions of dollars
worth of property destroyed.
The entente leaders were therefore
faced with the necessity of establish
ing plan that will not utterly crush
the present generation under an ap-
palling overburden of taxation, and
at the same time that will provide
enough credit to enable each nation
to meet its obligations.
The principle has been adopted of
postponing final settlement of war
debts to 100 years hence. In this way
this generation, which has paid the
awful blood price of the war, will not
in addition be reduced to utter pow
erty Generations still unborn will re-
ceive heavy legacy of war bills as
the price of national liberty and for
the privilege of living under the insti-
tutions of their own country, however
small the country be.
European taxation will remain mod
crate for some years, until the revival
in trade is complete, then will begin
to be applied gradually rising scale,
of taxation, until, some fifty years
hence. the statesmen Of the day will
be expected to begin the liquidation
of the war liabilities in real earnest.
Thus may default be avoided. A pros
porous Europe, not the stricken and
groanng Europe of today, Will be
looked to to honor all bills and keep
the financial credit of the entente ma
lions unstained.
VIII Work in Harmony.
ln this respect 1t Is planned TO have
France, England, Italy and Russia
work in harmony, the richer helping
the poorer from generation. to gen
GRAFTON. This plan in itself foreshad-
ows a postwar quadruple alliance of
a more intimate and binding nature
than has ever characterized other al
liances in the worlds history; and If
Its purpose Is to be fully fulfilled, its
duration is expected to be at least 100
years.
vc1{ticiop ypho u,oo In