CSA: 1911 - Year In Review

[Carthaginian]

The Confederate States of America, in the wake of internal disturbances, piracy in the Gulf of Texas and the change of administration in 1910 (and the resultant political upheaval in the two primary parties), largely turned inward during 1911...

The D.R.M. Crisis
Early in 1911, President Roosevelt instituted a Border Security Force along the DRM border; illegal crossings of possible agitators have decreased dramatically. Many of the people caught attempting the crossing are simple peasants, crushed by the poverty of the D.R.M., who are looking for a chance to find prosperity in the C.S.A. Some plead with their captors to help them, others plead for help for their homeland. Strange rumblings and rumors began reaching the ears of the C.S.A. through agents like Pancho Villa- rumors that the D.R.M. feared being overrun. The Confederacy, in light of these fears, developed a novel idea for ending the tension between the C.S.A. and the D.R.M- an envoy was sent to Tenochtitlan with Rohirrim support.

Over the next 6 months, negotiations took place. Offers were made, refused, haggled over, revised, remade, debated upon, revised again, argued about, and revised and offered yet again. Somewhere about mid-April, a tentative agreement was reached between the two nations: the Confederacy would help rebuild the horribly outdated Republican Navy and help stabilize the failing DRM economy; the DRM would police their northern border more vigorously, grant the Confederacy three small cantonments in D.R.M. territory and would allow the Confederacy to build a refueling station at Cancun at their nearest convenience.

Since the agreement, the two nations have begun acclimatizing themselves to their warmer relations. Still, 20+ years of hard feelings do not go away overnight... only time will tell how successful the endeavor shall actually be. In the meantime, four twin 12"/L45 turrets and some very powerful steam engines are planned for construction in the C.S.A. in 1912, to arm and power the first Arcadia type battleship for the DRM- the Tenochtitlan.

The Navy Laws
Having fallen hopelessly behind in both strength and quality of it's fleet when compared to it's neighbors, the Confederacy faced a great challenge as President Roosevelt took office. With his characteristic dynamic attitude and seemingly boundless energy, President Roosevelt himself addressed the Confederate Congress on New Years Day and virtually dared them to allow the state of the Navy to get worse. Seeing before them a man who had once killed men with his bare hands- and occasionally more dangerous game, with little more- screaming, shouting and pointing fingers... to say the least, it motivated the Congress as much as his accusations shamed them.

Two weeks after Roosevelt's 'Accusation Speech' (as it came to be called), the House of Representatives initiated a bill authorizing a new class of three Arcadia type battleships carrying eight 13.5" guns, and several classes of smaller ships. The Senate carried the bill, dubbed the 'Navy Law', three days later; the first ship's keel was laid soon after. the Oklahoma class battleships were only 1500 tons larger than the Virginia and Nuevo Leon classes, but far more powerful and much more modern. These ships, once complete, would put the Confederacy back on favorable footing with it's potential adversaries.

Internal News
Little of real interest happened internally in the Confederacy in 1911. The major standout news item was the Population Increase Incentive Program began to pay out. The Confederacy's population grew at an unprecedented rate as families who needed more children (such as farmers and small-time manufacturers) began to receive subsidies that actually allowed them to afford to raise those children. Even urban areas are beginning to show signs of the effect- the growth rate of greater Nashville was 5% this year as parents began receiving $10 per child per month for each child over the second to deal with expenses. As long as the parents maintain a job and the child is in school until at least age 12, the money is available.

Also, in the wake of the Canal Worker scandal, the Democratic party suffered a major split. Many seriously bigoted individuals were forced out of the party, and their followers were sorely missed at the 1911 Convention, in perpetration for the upcoming first-term Senatorial elections. It is estimated that over 12% of the party's entire voter base has been ostracized. What develops from this remains to be seen.

[Desertfox]

Ah La Migra!

I'm just wondering, how long untill Villa finds out that he is just a CSA pawn...

[Carthaginian]

A pawn?
Senior Villa holds down a provisional Colonel's commission.
Granted, it is 'provisional' as long as he doesn't try to use it to pull rank on the regular Army, but it's still there. He's our chief operative in charge of DRM field missions.

[The Rock Doctor]

Good news summary.

The expected "Grrs" and "Arrghs" from Gran Colombia, naturally.

[Carthaginian]

The Southern Cross is getting a lot more groans out or the CSA. ;)

[maddox]

The result of the DRM crisis and subsequent CSA solution by increasing borderpatrols.

New Rhun and the Great Canal zone never have seen such an inrush of DRM civilians that run from the oppressive socialist gouvernment.
Unemployment and crime are in an uplift. France is considering labor batallions for criminals and forced emigration for certain groups of refugees. Volunteers for emigration get support to do so.

[Borys]

The Habsburgs will take in the refugees, for settlement in Parana. Or  Tierra del Fuego.
Will allocate $ next HY budget.

[The Rock Doctor]

The Southern Cross is getting a lot more groans out or the CSA.

Fair enough...