Signs of the Times

“Cuba, just off the coast of the U.S., is moving closer and closer to becoming a “Colony” within the Communist Empire. Its move in that direction is voluntary, not forced.” (Reported From Havana, Cuba And Washington, D.C.)

A Television First

In his favorite late television program, “The Television World Asks,” Fidel Castro made an unprecedented public attack against Spain and the United States. Never before has there been such a complete abandonment of International ethics, as evidenced here. His first accusation was leveled against Spain’s ambassador, Juan Pablo de Lojendio, accusing him of “counter revolutionary matters”, and interference in Cuba’s internal affairs. This public assault was too much for the Spanish diplomat, who rushed to the television studio and demanded the microphone from Castro. Instead of the mike, he was given 24 hours to leave the country. Public indignation against Spanish ambassador was aroused to such a point that it was necessary for Castro’s soldiers to conduct him safely off the premises. Cuba’s leader then resumed his telecast with a vicious attack against his favorite target, the United States. He charged that U.S. business was responsible for Cuba’s ugly history of crime and violence. Another accusation was flung at U.S. use of light planes to fire Cuban sugar fields. The papers carried the attack even further, stating that Vice-president Nixon was “an impenitent disciple of the gloomy and obstinate Foster Dulles.” Insults were also flung against President Eisenhower for his friendly association with Franco in his recent trip to Spain.

Washington was stunned by this flagrant disregard for national diplomacy and decided that the national dignity of the country called for action. The U.S. ambassador to Cuba, Bonsul was ordered back to the States by Secretary of State Christian Herter, for an indefinite period of time. Consideration was then given to allowing the U.S. to change its percentage quota of sugar import from Cuba. Sugar is Cuba’s chief product, and a sudden change in the United States restrictions of imports from other countries could seriously effect the economy of the country.

Industry Coming Under Government Control.

American owned industry is being seized by the revolutionary government in an attempt to widen its control of all Cuba. The Cuban Telephone Company, 65% owned by the International Telephone and Telegraph Company, was invaded by the revolutionaries, backed up by heavily armed troops. The excuse given was an opportunity to investigate the rates. This occurred in March of 1959, and the investigation is still going on. Castro’s revolutionaries have also moved in on tourist hotels and private estates. No industry, privately or publicly owned is exempt from this government invasion. Ranches and sugar plantations, many of which are owned by United States capital, are being taken over.

This type of move reeks of Communism, and many national figures here in the United States feel that sooner or later Cuba will be 100% Communistic.

Finance And Labor, Communist Controlled

The financial reigns have been turned over to Maj. Ernesto Guevara, pro-Communist soldier of fortune, who has been appointed as president of the Cuban National Bank. Guevara is anti-American and a devoted Marxist. Many feel that this is only the beginning of the nationalization of all private banks on the island. Cuban businessmen think that this is the most serious threat to their country’s financial structure, yet devised by the government.

Of equal importance, however is the hidden victory that the Reds have won in the ranks of organized labor. On November 22 the labor unions of Cuba cut their ties with the Western Hemisphere’s anti-Communist labor movement, ORIT. Ties were also broken with the international labor movement of Communism, WFTU. In its place, the unions elected to organize a new Latin-American labor movement, under Communist influence, to be based in Cuba. Though outwardly this appeared to be a set back for the Reds, it actually proved to be shrewd strategy. The outcome of this severance of relations with the anti-Communist ORIT, was the establishment of a Cuban labor setup, with invitations to other Latin-American countries to join in.

The significance lay in the fact that the Congress of the Venezu­elan Confederation of Labor elected an executive board of 14 members, 4 of which are card carrying Communists. Other members o’ the board are known to be pro Communist. The key figure behind this strategy was Fidel’s brother Raul who is closely associated with world Communism. The Venezuela labor setup has refused to associate with any organization that ex­cludes Communist-led union s. Thus, both countries have placed themselves outside any anti-Com­munist labor movement.

Avenue to Communism

All of this severely effects the United States position. It is felt in government ranks that the avenue to Communism is being opened in Cuba, a very disturbing development, since it occurs in the Western Hemisphere. This Red victory could be the prelude to the establishment of Communist bases near the United States.

Each month seems to bring the world closer to that crisis that will result in world conflict. Slowly (though today this pace seems to be increasing) Communism is creeping into all parts of the world. According to Daniel’s prophecy, we may expect a very large and strong confederacy of nations under the leadership of Russia to make its move against the West.

Though such a thought is not a pleasant one, the children of God realize that it must inevitably come to pass. These world shaking events will ultimately herald the return of the Lord from heaven, who in flaming fire will execute judgment of the heathen. Paul’s exhortation to the brethren, however is one of great solace ; “And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels . . . When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” (2 Thes. 1 :7, 10)

The time of Christ’s glorious return to the earth is upon us. The night is far spent, and the dawn is at hand. Let us take care that we are ready to meet him, and that he is ready to greet us.

As the Tidings goes to press this month, news has just reached us that Russia, beginning on January 15, is going to run a series of roc­ket tests in Central Pacific for a one month period. The Soviet Union stated that this series was to test a more powerful type of rocket engine, than had been used in the past. It has been speculated here in the U.S. that Russia might possibly be preparing for a shot at some of the planets of this solar system ; possibly Mars.

This test will be the first time that Russia has ever sent rockets over the British and American sphere. It seems that this globe is getting smaller and smaller, as the ingenuity of man increases, a fact which makes it more alarmingly clear that the whole world will assuredly be involved in the next large scale war.

The very fact that Russia is forced to use this part of the globe for her experiments is strongly suggestive that she is now in posse­ssion of even more powerful rocket engines than the Allies suspected. Should the Soviet Union launch her missiles from bases located near the Caspian and Aval Seas. it would mean that they would have to travel in excess of 7700 miles! This far exceeds the longest range ICBM yet developed in the United States. The Atlas Missile, just be­ginning to prove out a practical offensive weapon has a range of (only) 6300 miles. Should this be the case, the effect it will have on Russia’s prestige among the smal­ler nations can only be guessed at.

On the other hand, if Russia in­tends to launch her rockets from Kamchatka, in the Southern tip of the Soviet state, the range would be about 3800 miles. Should this be the case it would indicate that the Reds are testing their capabilities to launch a missile attract on vulnerable U.S. possessions such as Pearl Harbor, Guam and Midway. The possibility of her running tests on only the shorter range missiles is unlikely though in view of Russia’s announcement that this would be a test of “more powerful rockets”. The Kremlin also stated ; “Soviet scientists and engineers are now working to de­velop a more powerful rocket and to launch heavy satellites and un­dertake space flights to planets.” This series of tests in the Pacific, said U.S.S.R. space scientist, pro­fessor V. Dobronravov, were preparatory to “man’s flight into in­terplanetary space.”

It would seem that there is hardly a month goes by now that Russia does not come out with some new and more advanced de­velopment in the field of rocketry. As stated many times in the Tid­ings, according to Divine prophecy, this power to the north must in­crease to such an extent, that she becomes a real threat to the existence of all inhabitants of the earth.

In view of this, it is inconceiv­able that either Britain or the United states will be able to catch up with her. When announcement came concerning the new tests in the Pacific, a communist paper in Hong Kong headlined their edition with “The harder the U.S. tries to catch up, the farther it falls behind.”

To further add to the embar­rassment of this situation, on the very eve of the day in which the tests were to begin. Nikita Khrushchev made known Russia’s inven­tion of a new “fantastic” weapon. The Soviet Premier, before his nation’s parliament, told 1300 dep­uties of the Supreme Soviet ; “The Central Committee of the Com­munist Party and the Soviet gov­ernment can inform you, comrade deputies, that though the weapons we have now are formidable weap­ons, a weapon we have in the hatching stage today is even more perfect, even more formidable . . . The weapon which is being de­veloped is, as they say in the port­folio of our scientists and de­signers, a fantastic weapon.” al­though Khruschev did not reveal the nature of the weapon, he did boast, “now it is quite clear that the United States of America is not the world’s most powerful military power.

Military leaders here in the U.S. have speculated in the type of weapon Russia may have developed, and have suggested that it might be in the form of a satellite, equipped with a Hydrogen bomb, that would orbit the earth and drop its pay load anywhere in the world at the press of a button. Truly, we are living in awe inspiring times. Events are trans­piring that were unthinkable a few years ago ; events that are swiftly bringing the world to its greatest crisis. As President Eisenhower stated in his State of the Union message, both the U.S. and U.S.­S.R. are in possession of “unbeliev­ably destructive weapons” with which “mutual annihilation be­comes a possibility.” These days were vividly foretold by the great­est prophet of them all, as he warned his followers to look for the unmistakable signs that would indicate his imminence. “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars ; and upon the earth, distress of nations with perplexity : the sea and the waves roaring ; men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things, which are coming on the earth.” (Luke 21 :25-26) As we read of the development of rockets and missiles capable of traveling to the other planets, and the in­vention of “fantastic” weapons, capable of wiping out whole cities, with a single shot we can see the fulfillment of these prophecies before us. With the great unrest of nations, men’s hearts are truly failing them for fear.

Such, however, is not the case of those who belong to the family of Christ. The peace of God that passeth all understanding resides within their hearts, for they realize that formidable as the weapons of mankind may be, they will all perish before the burning presence of their Master and Lord, when he returns to this earth. The great preparation for war now going on among the na­tions, has been long expected by the followers of Christ, as a pre­lude to a great global conflict. Somewhere in the midst of this great trouble, the friends of Jesus will be gathered unto him to be judged, and if accounted worthy, have their bodies fashioned like unto His own glorious body. The Lord continues his discourse on the series of events that will herald in his coming ; “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your re­demption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21 :27-28)