The Mena weekly star., 1917-04-26
LONG WAR FOR
 UNITED STATES
Balfour, British Foreign Secretary Says America Faces Real Fight ina and Money Alone Won't
 Do-Giad Neutrality Ended.

COIltWUttt III tllC OlIJtu RoldIpS April 22.-Ushered into America un- der a cloak of mystery, the British commission, headed by the foreign secretary, Arthur J. Balfour, ar- rived in this country yesterday to tell it's new ally how it can helr win the war.
 In sugstance, Balfour's message to America was.
 Realize, people of America, that
 you face a real fight. And be pre-
 pared for great individual sacri-
 iice-for it will be demanded.
 Almost the first act af the Brit ish minister, as he and his party of twenty boarding the train now speeding him toward the waiting American war counselors at Wash ington, was to explode the theory that this country faces short, bloodless war.
 Will Re Long War.
 Balfour made it clear that the war will be long; that it will tax our re- sources of men; it will require all we have of financial strength: it will command our commercial and in dustrial energy; it will involve the individual effort of every true American.
 We have come" he said to help America turn the first page in a new chapter ill the history of mankind" The tall snowy haired diplomat spoke smilingly. but earnestly.
 The United States does not yet realize all it will be called upon to do and what we know it will do. And it is much. Time will bring the war home to you--as it has done to us"
 But, it was suggested, there is an impression that we will be called upon to do nothing except make munitions and build ships
 Much for America to do.
 Balfour's expression showed clearly that he was astonished. Aft CT a pause, he said significantly:
 You shall sec"
 q appreciate" he went on, that it will be quite little time before the people of the United States-to borrow the American phrase thoroughly realize what they are up against And I am quite sure that when Germany forced the United States into the war with her she did not realize what she was up against. Ne public expression of opinion on points of policy would be use- ful or tolerable until have had the honor of comforting with your pres ident and learning his views. have come here to do what can to make cooperation easy and effective be- tween those who are striving-with all their power-to bring about a lasting peace by the only means that can secure it--namely, successful war
 Appreciates What We Have Done. "On my behalf let me express the deep qualification l feel at being connected in any capacity whatever with events which associate our countries in a common effort for great ideal.
 ''On behalf of my country let me express our gratitude for all that the citizens of the United States of America have done to mitigate the lot of those who, in the allied countries, have suffered from the cruelties of the most deliberately cruel of, all wars, the efforts of MT. Gerard to alleviate the condition of British and other prisoners of war in Germany and the administrative genius which Mir. Hoover was un- grudgingly devoting to the relief of the unhappy Belgians and of the children in the territories still in enemy occupation, which will never be forgotten; while an inexhaustlble stream of charitable efforts has sup piled medical and nursing skill to the service of the wounded and the sick.
 Rejoices at End of Neutrality.
 Those are the memorable doings of a beneficent neutral. But the days of neutrality are, rejoice to think, at an end.
 Your president, in a most apt and vivid phrase, has proclaimed that the world must be made safe Tor democracy-democracies wherever they are to be found and not the least the democracies of the Brit ish empire, will hail the pronounce ment as happy augury. That self governing communities are not to be treated as negligible simply be- cause they are small; that the ruth less domination of one unscrupu- lous power imperils the future eiv-, ilization and the liberties of man kind are truths of political ethIcsf which the bitter experience of war IS burning into the souls of all free- dom-loving peoples.
 That this great people should have thrown themselves whole heartedly into this mighty struggle prepared for all the efforts and sae- rifices that may be required to win success for this most righteous cause, is an event at once so happy and so momentous that only tne historian of the future will be able, as believe, to measure it's true pro- portion"