Greek News 1913

[miketr]

A large estate near Athens abandoned by its former owners
January 1913

Meeting of the Provisional Government
King of the Hellenes, Alfonso Carlos
Crown Prince, Miguel Carlos
Dimitrios Gounaris, conservatives
Kyriakoulis Mavromichalis, liberals
Eleftherios Venizelos, nationalists
Dimitrios Rallis, isolationists
Stephanos Dragoumis, modernists
Georgios Theotokis, Prime Minister and centrist

In the clear and precise voice that Theotokis had used to control many a meeting said, "Your Majesty, Highness and gentlemen we have a great deal of work to get through today.  First item on the agenda..."   

"Is setting up Elections..." Interrupted Mavromichalis

Several others around the table glared at the interruption.

Theotokis didn't even look at Mavromichalis as he responded, "Your out of order that's the 3rd item on the agenda after the report on the repairs to the Port of Athens and the economic recovery plan."

Speaking through a translator the king said, "Prime Minister we shouldn't make a habit of jumping out of order but why don't we go to the issue of elections it is clearly one dear to the heart of Mr. Mavromichalis."
"Of course your Majesty." Theotokis answers with a nod and then goes on, "Elections are to be held in September of this year for forming of the parliament and senate; which then vote on the constitution.  The parliament will sit till 1915 at which point we move to a 5 year election cycle, as we all agreed."

"That is true but the details are the sticking point in particular this desire for weighting of votes based upon income and a voting tax at place of polling is simply intolerable."  Mavromichalis said flatly

Dragoumis trying to force reason into his voice, "Kyriakoulis the government needs money if we are to function and this will force people to declare their property more fully.  Right now we are living off of Green Cross aid and pasting over the cracks with short term loans from the Iberian Bank in Madrid."

"What you really mean is the Church and Gounaris won't agree to a proper land survey and want to declare just enough wealth to get extra voting power without paying their fair share.  The voting tax and the annual poll tax is the system the Ottomans used to hold us down."  Mavromichalis spat out.

"So what are we going to do?  You just want to put forward Papanastasiou idea of breaking up the estates and handing the plots out to the tenants...  I can tell you now that will only happen over my dead body."  Gounaris finished with a shout.

To be continued...

[Guinness]

OOC: I think I see three men from the White House restraining Woodrow over there...

[miketr]

The deadly silence held for a moment in the room before Mavromichalis spoke once more, "Papanastasiou has some strong ideas but an attack on property won't help matters."  Several people in the room relaxed as an open split didn't appear in the cards and then Mavromichalis continued once more, "But we can't dump the tax burden on the tenants, geld their voting rights and expect things to go smoothly."

The Prime Minister folded his hands for a moment and then responded with, "Very well, what do you suggest Mr. Mavromichalis?"

Answering at once Mavromichalis said, "Universal Male suffrage with no vote tax or any other requirements to be able to vote."

Gounaris and Rallis face to on a hard expression which lightened slightly as Mavromichalis continued, "We would not demand land reform as part of the government platform or be on the ballot but I want direct economic aid to the tenants to allow them to buy more modern tools and the like."

Gounaris eyes narrowed once more, "You are demanding a great deal."

Dragoumis quickly interjected, "Mr. Mavromichalis has a point though, the farmers are making use of wooden plows and crop management systems virtually unchanged since before the Turks came."

Gounaris was about to say something when Venizelos waved him off, "How are we to pay for this?  Rebuilding the port of Athens and some of the nation's economic structure will be done by the end of this year but its all being done with foreign aid money.  How are we to pay for the other work?  The Bauxite mines in central Greece are still closed and the electric forges are badly damaged; also the banking system is still in chaos.  Last but not least we need to get army and navy functioning."

Mavromichalis said nothing and waited instead...  Eventually Gounaris spoke, "I will accept it BUT the franchise is to be restricted for the Senate.  No voting tax, universal male suffrage for the lower house and farming reform is next on the priority in exchange for the senate having franchise weighted by income and no land reform."

Venizelos and Dragoumis said together almost at once, "But how are we to pay for all of this?"

Rallis suggested, "Sell or scrap some of your expensive cast offs we have received."

Venizelos glared at Rallis but before he could say anything the king spoke through his translator, "Gentlemen we have many things to pay for.  Mr. Venizelos wants a large military for... defense... Besides the rebuilding Mr. Dragoumis wants to build a railroad from Pylos up towards Macedonia and a number of other projects but it will be a decade or more to repair the damage of the war unless the aid keeps coming which I doubt it will."  Most of the people around the table nodded in agreement.  "So I suggest we take a page from my homeland and we allow foreign investment."

Venizelos said shortly, "We just cast out the Turks are we to sell ourselves into slavery, Your Majesty?" Last part with said with a hard edge to it...

With hard smile, "Not at all Gran Columbia and Austria have invested heavily in Brazil and the Philippines which have lifted their economy greatly.  The same could be done here to a lesser extent.  Later Greeks would move to buy out the foreign investors as resources allow.  In the mean time this would allow us to spend our funds on things like the military or Mr. Dragoumis railroad."

to be continued...

[maddox]

Later


Monsieur Mavromichalis, I'm monsieur Grange from the French departement of Foreign Affairs

On behalf of Glorious France, I have an invitation.
This invitation is non official in nature , but Minister Capet will join us if you accept.

(A thin 3.5cm wide 5cm long shiny card is given, surprisingly heavy)

Au revoir monsieur  Mavromichalis

[miketr]

Mr. Mavromichalis would honored to meet with Mr. Grange of the French Foreign Ministry let aloe Minister Capet.

[miketr]

March, 1913
Provisional Government Announces Form of Parliament for fall Elections.

After several weeks of negotiations an agreement has been harmed out.  Parliament is to be made up of two houses. The lower house is to be elected by universal male suffrage.  The upper house is more complex.  The bishops of the Orthodox Church within Greece will each be given a seat.  Male members of the royal family will each have a seat, currently that is just the crown prince.  The rest of the members for the upper house will be selected by a three tired voting system.  The population will be broken down into three voting classes based upon wealth as reported by annual taxes.  The top 10% forms the first class, the next 20% forms the second class and the remaining 70% forms the third class. The various classes will each select an equal number of representatives for the upper house.  Elections are scheduled for this fall.

Foreign Investment to be encouraged
As part of the effort to rebuild the economy following the War of Independence the government has announced a series of measures to encourage foreign investment.  Right on the heels of the announcement news of two major deals followed.  First was news that Creditanstalt of Vienna would be taking advantage of the new business environment to invest in Greek business.  The second was that Fomento de Obras y Construcciones S.A. of Barcelona a leading Iberian engineering and construction company would rebuild steel mill #2 on the outskirts of Athens; the mill had been wrecked when the Ottomans withdraw from Greece.  Fomento de Obras y Construcciones S.A. of Barcelona is currently involved in a major industrial project in the Philippines.     

OOC: since no else has said anything following the stories the Iberian and Austrian economic moves are unopposed... for the moment it appears.  Austria will be building a 5th IC in Greece and Iberia will be rebuilding the damaged half BP.  Every other half Iberia will place orders with Greece for a BP to do things at cost plus the extra $0.25 per BP the current rules call for import orders.  Green Cross aid etc rebuilds the damaged IC and that was under Italian direction.   

[Kaiser Kirk]

OOC: since no else has said anything following the stories the Iberian and Austrian economic moves are unopposed... for the moment it appears. 

I did PM you with the Bavaria $, but it's not "opposed" to anyone elses.

[miketr]

I have that PM and I am going to keep track of it for the election and that is where direct aid to a particular political faction will come into play.  Here Austria and Iberia quickly moved to get their hooks into the Greek Economy with Italy also doing the same; no other nations attempted to do anything about it.  There is France but they appear to be playing more of a spoiler and long term game than competition.  That is what I intended by that statement.  When election time comes around I will ask those that have backed various political factions with direct aid to give me some extra info for stories I can write or write their own.

[Borys]

OOC
In short, the Habsburgs want a rich, strong Greece spoiling for Round 2 against the Ottomans.
Preferrably a Conservative, Monarchic Greece at that ...

[Desertfox]

Somebody is supporting certain factions, I posted that in the Greek Factions thread...

[The Rock Doctor]

OOC: since no else has said anything following the stories the Iberian and Austrian economic moves are unopposed... for the moment it appears.  Austria will be building a 5th IC in Greece and Iberia will be rebuilding the damaged half BP.  Every other half Iberia will place orders with Greece for a BP to do things at cost plus the extra $0.25 per BP the current rules call for import orders.  Green Cross aid etc rebuilds the damaged IC and that was under Italian direction.   

Gran Colombia did its Good Catholic Duty with a donation in 1/13, but has no particular long-term strategic or economic interest in Greece.  Its eyes are turned more in the direction of Asia.