Two of the most powerful nations not directly involved in the world war are the United States and Japan; yet the manufacturers and financiers of these two nations are doing their full share of the work of promoting and helping the war along. The Japanese ambassador at Rome is reported to have said recently:
"Japan to-day is practically one immense war factory; and very many thousands of Japanese, both men and women, are assisting in the production of munitions of war. In this work, the women are proving themselves almost as valuable as the men."
In another paragraph, the ambassador said: "The arms and munitions which we produce are being sent to the Russian front as rapidly as possible, and the means of transportation have been greatly improved during the past few months."
And while saying this concerning the assistance that Japan is rendering to Russia in the European conflict, he added: "At the same time, Japan is kept constantly on a war footing; and if the central empires, by some means or other, should attempt anything in the Far East, they will find us ready."
The nations for half a century have been developing the war spirit as never before. We are living in the time, as expressed in Rev. 11:18, when the nations are "angry." Previous to the outbreak of the war in Europe in 1914, God, by His mighty power, had been fulfilling His promise to hold the winds of war, in order that His gospel might perform a specific work throughout the world (see Revelation 7); but the limit of God's forbearance is being reached, the day of His great visitation is here, and He is dealing with sin now as never before since the days of the Flood.
Men will attempt to create peace on this earth without doing the things that make for peace. "There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked." Isa. 48:22. The war preparations of this time are calling more and more of the men into activity; and so intense has become the work, that the women not only in Japan, but in many other countries, are entering the factories, and engaging in many other occupations, in order to supplement the work of men, or that they may be spared to fight.
A delusive theory is spreading throughout the world, that this war madness may be controlled, and that men may be taught not to fight. But conditions will grow more and more intense until the Prince of peace Himself shall appear in the clouds of heaven to destroy the wickedness that fills the world with war.
