Titanic Colony: Part 3

TITANIC COLONY

The old White Star Flag, which served as the flag of the Republic of Avalon from 1912 (Year 1) until 1914 (Year 3). 

Part 3: In Congress Assembled

May 21, 2276 (Year 364), Titanic City

            The government car headed east on Vault Street, all the way to Lowell Street on the east side of Manhattan Island. They passed the Security Ministry, the Health Ministry, the Colonial Office and the main campus of Avalonia University before Vault Street came to a dead end at the Memorial Dock, and the car turned north onto Lowell. The car passed shops and town houses, some of the oldest buildings in the city. About a mile and a half up from Vault, the car came to a stop at Andrew’s home, a three-story brick and wood townhouse that had been built over 100 years ago. Across the street was the river park, where parents were strolling with their children, a few elderly citizens were sitting around feeding the birds, and one young couple sitting on the ground having a picnic. Andrews got out of the car and walked up the steps into his home. He walked through the door to hear his two youngest children running down the stairs shouting “Daddy!” at the top of their lungs. His middle child, 10-year-old Margaret, reached him first, giving him a big hug. Her 4-year-old brother Edward was not far behind. He picked up Ed and walked into the parlor to the left of the main hall, where his wife was getting up from her seat.

            “It’s good to see you darling. How was your day?”

            “More and more reports. The Colonial Office wants to start on the next phase of expansions in New Albion and Atlantia, and they have to have Congress to give the go-ahead. Hopefully we’ll get through it by the end of the week.”

            “That’ll be good. You know my sister is considering going out to Atlantia. She wants to start fresh after the engagement to Robert fell apart.”

            “That’s definitely a fresh start. Life’s a little rough out in the new colonial expansion. Lots of wilderness still to tame.”

            “Sarah’s a tough girl. I think she can do it.”

            “Perhaps. Well if she does I wish her luck. Not something I’d want to do.”

            “I don’t know dad, it sounds kind of exciting to me.” Said James, Andrew’s 16-year-old son, his oldest. “Henry and I were talking about it today. If we don’t join the Navy for our two years of service after school, we may go to the Colonial Force.”

            “We’ll see about that. The men in this family have served faithfully in the Navy for generations. Would you really want to break that tradition?”

            “Well…when you put it that way….does make it harder to say no to the Navy. But I still think the Colonial Force would be more exciting.”

            “Thankfully that’s still two years away,” Andrew’s wife, Clara, piped in, defusing the situation. “Dinner should be ready soon. Why don’t you go and change clothes and we’ll eat darling.”

            “Okay, that sounds like a plan.” And with that, Andrews walked up the flight of stairs to the master bedroom and changed out of the suit he wore to work and into some more comfortable clothes to relax for the evening.

            At dinner, Andrews told his wife about the request from the Prime Minister.

            “Astor House? That’s the second event you’ve been invited to this year. Do you think the Prime Minister is planning on giving you some sort of political promotion?”

            “Clara I’ve considered that. It’s quite possible. Maybe a junior ministry appointment or something like that. But I’ve not heard anything official. Only time will tell.

            As dinner was finishing up, Maria, the housekeeper, came in to the room.

            “Mr. Andrews, there is a telephone call for you. It’s from Prime Minister Guggenheim.” This immediately got Andrews’ attention and he excused himself from the table to take the unexpected call.

            “Mr. Prime Minister, to what do I owe the honor of your call?”

            “Mr. Andrews, I apologize for interrupting your dinner. I assure you I’ll be brief. I need you to come by my office first thing tomorrow morning before you go the Congress building.”

            “Of course Mr. Prime Minister. I’d be happy to. I’ll have my driver bring me by Astor House first thing tomorrow. I should be in before 9 o’clock. Will that work?”

            “Yes that would be fine. See you then. Goodnight.

            “Goodnight, Mr. Prime Minister.” And with that the conversation ended. Andrews was deeply puzzled, and told his wife as much when she asked.

            “Who knows,” she said, “maybe some junior position has suddenly opened up. Or maybe he just needs your help introducing some new bill into Congress.”

            “Well I will find out tomorrow morning.”

April 25, 1912 (Year 1), Onboard the Titanic

It was just before 10:00 a.m. as Captain Smith walked into the First Class Lounge on A-Deck where the members of the Constitutional Assembly had gathered, Several of the recently elected delegates shook his hand and greeted him, including Margaret Brown, who had handily won the support of her peers and sent to the Assembly.

“Good morning Captain. Are you ready to make history today?”

“Why Mrs. Brown, I think we are about to do just that. If we are successful in making this settlement, I’m sure students hundreds of years from know will have to memorize this day and learn our names. Quite a strange feeling.”

“Yes I know exactly what you mean. I keep thinking about the Founding Fathers of the United States. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin. I wonder if they felt like this, if they knew what they were doing would go down in history.”

“Oh I don’t doubt your countrymen felt the same things we are now. And as the historical importance of the moment wasn’t lost on them, I don’t think it is lost on us either.”

“Well put Captain. Well put.”

Captain Smith made his rounds among the delegates, making a point to shake hands and greet each of the 40 members of the newly elected Constitutional Assembly. As the clock struck 10, the members of the Assembly found their seats, and the Captain made his way to the front of the center hall, opposite the main entrance, where a long table had been set up with seats facing the delegates for the Captain and his council. The captain was seated in the center. To his right were the senior officers: Chief Officer Henry Wilde, First Officer William Murdoch, Second Officer Charles Lightoller, Third Officer Herbert Pitman, Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall, Fifth Officer Harold Lowe, and Sixth officer James Moody. To his left were Thomas Andrews, J. J. Astor, Bruce Ismay, Benjamin Guggenheim, Archibald Butt, and Master-at-Arms Thomas King. The delegates were seated in four rows all facing the Captain’s Council, with five members of each constituency seated on either side of a central row. As everyone else sat, Captain Smith stood at his place and opened the meeting.

“Gentlemen, and ladies,” nodding to Margaret Brown and the 5 other women who were present among the representatives in the room, “As one of you told me when I arrived here this morning, we are here to make history today. Indeed, the actions we take over the next few weeks and months will greatly shape the lives of our descendants. This morning’s session is just the beginning. A chance for us to begin to chart our course. Together, I believe we can establish a nation based on the principles that we all cherish from our homelands. We must establish a nation that respects the freedoms and liberties of the individual, but also protects the needs of the whole. From this seed of 2,200 souls we must grow the future of mankind. So, without further pleasantries, I hereby declare open the first session of the Constitutional Assembly of the Titanic Colony.” Captain Smith received a robust applause from the delegates and his council, before continuing on with the business at hand.

“Our first order of business is to establish a few ground rules. I will serve as a non-voting speaker of this Assembly, only to vote in the case of a tie. The rest of you, including my Council, will each have one vote. An agenda will be drafted for each day by the Council and adopted by all delegates at the beginning of each day.” The captain went over procedures for voting and adding new material to the agenda before he finally turned the floor over to Mr. Andrews, who’d been elected as Chairman of the Captain’s Council, who presented the days agenda, which really had only one all encompassing item.

“Honored delegates, our agenda for today is really quite simple, but also quite broad. We must settle on a very basic outline of how we want to set up our future government. Not the details, but the overall layout. Do we want a president, a monarchy, a board of directors? Should we have a legislature? What about a court system? Once we decide on some of these broad generalities, we will break down our coming days to handle the specifics of our future constitution.

Now, on the council, there are two primary competitors for what we feel the most appropriate form of government should look like. I will allow my colleague Mr. Bruce Ismay to take the floor first to present one view, followed by Mr. Astor with the opposing view.” With that, Mr. Ismay stood up and addressed the Assembly. In his proposal, the Captain would be installed as the colony’s leader and there would be a small council of representatives to run the colony for the time being, with options to expand the council at a later date once things were more established. Several times Ismay stressed that this was to serve as a temporary measure until the colony was more settled and a more representative government could function properly.

After Ismay was seated, Astor made his own address. He supported keeping the Captain in place as head of state, but wanted to see an elected legislature making most of the decisions, perhaps adopting some sort of Westminster-style of governance where the legislature elected from it’s membership a head of government that would run the day-to-day aspects of the government.

Once these two views had been presented, the floor was open to debate. To no one’s surprise, the delegates from the crew and third class balked at Mr. Ismay’s proposal and strongly supported Mr. Astor’s proposal. In the Second Class and First Class, things were more mixed. By two o’clock, a motion to vote was made by Archibald Butt, and in a vote of 36-16, the so-called “Astor Plan” was approved. The government of the new colony would be governed by a legislature and executive.

May 22, 2276 (Year 364), Titanic City

            The morning commute to the Government Quarter went very quickly as Andrews sat in the back of the government car, headed to the Prime Minister’s residence at Astor House. The historic residence was on Captain Street, halfway between the Congress House and Edward Palace, on the west side of the street across from Colonial Park. With morning traffic, the drive took nearly half an hour from Andrews' townhouse on Lowe Street, putting Andrews at his destination just before 9 o’clock. The three-story brick building with white columns lining the street-facing front dominated that section of the street. Andrews’ car pulled up and the driver let him out, and said he would pull around back and park. Andrews approached the gate and gave the guard his identity card and told the man he had an appointment with the Prime Minister. The guard conferred with a registry in his guard post and, after seeing the Congressman’s name, allowed him entry. Up a short flight of stairs that led him to the porch underneath the portico, Andrews approached the front door that was opened by a porter.

            “Welcome to Astor House, Mr. Andrews. I’m Martin Andbrown, the Prime Minister’s secretary. He’s in the study, waiting on your arrival. Follow me.” Andrews followed Andbrown into the study. He mused momentarily about the secretary’s last name. In theory they were distant relatives. Andrews was a descendant of the second son of Thomas Andrews and Margret Brown-Andrews, Lionel. Andbrown would be a descendent of Thomas and Margaret’s third son, Samuel, who changed his last name as an adult to reflect both his father and mother’s last names. It seemed as though most people were distantly related, at least in Titanic City. With everyone descended from a mere 2,200 people, it was hard to avoid.

            Andrews’ musings ended there, as he entered the famed study of Astor House, the formal office of the Prime Minister of Avalon. The room was painted a pale blue, with several white bookshelves filled with a vast assortment of titles. The Prime Minister’s desk was built of luxurious dark oak, and dominated the room. Richard Guggenheim III, the thirty-fifth prime minister of the Republic, was sitting behind the desk and looked up as Andrews entered. He’s been in the office for four years, and looked likely to stay in office after the general election next year.

            “Mr. Andrews, thank you for joining me this morning on such short notice.”

            “My pleasure, Mr. Prime Minister. What is that you’d like to talk to me about this morning? I assume it’s something important since you had me come on relatively short notice like this.”

            “It is important, Mr. Andrews. You see, David Bracken, the Deputy Prime Minister, has tendered his resignation.”

            “Well, that is a surprise. And I’m sorry to hear that. Bracken is a good man.”

            “Yes, it is very unfortunate. Tomorrow, this will be announced publicly. And I intend to announce a cabinet reshuffle at that time as well. Interior Minister Samuel Deacon will be moving up to fill Bracken’s spot. And, I would like you to fill his.”

            “You want me to be the Interior Minister?” Andrews asked, surprised.

            “Yes. You’ve worked extensively with the interior ministry projects that have been passed through Congress, and you’ve done other work back in New Eire. I believe you’d be perfect for the job. And if you must know, I’d already planned on tapping you for the cabinet after the elections next year, but with Bracken’s resignation it seemed like the perfect opportunity to move that plan up.”

            “Well sir I am quite honored. Thank you very much for the offer.”

            “You’re welcome, Andrews. Will you accept?”

            “Yes, absolutely. I’d be happy to.”

            “Excellent. We will make the announcement here at noon tomorrow. I’ll see you then. Oh, and Andrews, this will mean you will be at the main celebration on Foundation Day later this week.”

May 25, 1912 (Year 1), Outside the Vault

            Captain Smith looked out at the crowd that had gathered outside the Vault. A stage had been assembled in front of the massive concrete structure on the center of Manhattan Island. The rest of the Captain’s Council sat on stage with Smith, and in the first row of the seated crowd the forty members of the Assembly waited for the ceremony to start. Behind the Assembly members, a vast majority of the passengers and crew were in waiting for the start of the ceremony. Behind those seated on the stage, the pennant flags of the White Star Line fluttered idly in the wind. Although it had been decided that the White Star flag would not serve as a permanent flag for the soon-to-be republic, the Council felt that it would be a good temporary stand in until a new flag could be created.

            Off in the distance, the Titanic’s whistle blasted long and loud, the signal that it was noon, and time for the ceremony to begin. Captain Smith rose from his seat and walked up to a podium set up on the stage. In the Vault, the Quartermaster had discovered an audio projection device so that all those assembled could hear the Captain and the other speakers. The Captain cleared his throat, and began to speak.

            “Ladies and Gentlemen of this brave new civilization. We are gathered here to mark the beginning of a brilliant new future. Over one month ago, we found ourselves upon the shores of a North America nigh unrecognizable to us all. We have been swept across time and space, something that none of us quite understand or can explain. We are here now, and that is all that matters. We must move forward and prepare for what lies ahead, and create a world suitable for our children and their children and many generations thereafter.

            Today, myself and my council and the forty representatives the people of this new nation elected will sign our new constitution into law. Today is birth of our new nation. From this day forward, we are no longer American or English, Canadian or French, European or Asian. From this day forward we are all citizens of the Republic of Avalon.” A great cheer and applause came up from the crowd as the Captain finished speaking. Following his remarks, the forty representatives of the Constitutional Assembly filed on stage and signed the Articles of Governance, followed by the Council, and finally Captain Smith.

            The document signed in to law that day would be a somewhat temporary system, with such a small population. Later on, the way the new Congress would be elected and how such representation would be proportioned would change as the population grew and spread out along the continent. The Captaincy became a permanent institution, a figurehead leader of the new Republic. The Prime Minister would be chosen from the members of the Assembly, and a cabinet would be appointed by the Prime Minister, all ruling in the name of the “High Captain.” While the High Captaincy isn’t a hereditary position, the custom will be adopted that the reigning High Captain will appoint their successor. 

Titanic Colony: Part 2

TITANIC COLONY

Manhattan Island as discovered by the Titanic on April 15, 1912/Year 1

Part 2: The Mandate

April 15, 1912 (Year 1), The Vault, Manhattan Island

“Greetings, and welcome to the Vault. I know, you are unsure what is going on and are probably thinking that what you are seeing looks like a ghost. I assure you it is not. What you are seeing is a projection of a recorded image. I am Rane Gerand, chief director of the Eternity Project. I know this will be hard for you to understand, but I am from the far future, from the year 3,924, to be in fact. And to be blunt, this could be the last year of human history. Our world has run out of further supplies of resources, and the people of Earth are fighting over what remains. The Eternity Project was created to find a way to save humanity. And we believe we have found it. The science I know will be beyond your understanding, but I will do my best to explain. The scientists of the Eternity Project have discovered the ability to travel through time, and also to travel between alternate worlds. We decided it would not be good to take people from our time, with our divisions and corruption, to try and start anew. No, what had to be done to save humanity was to bring people from our past and place them in a virgin world without any people on it, and allow these people to establish a new civilization, and set them up to be humanity’s last great home. We brought the Titanic and it’s passengers and crew here to be the beginnings of that new civilization. As I understand it from the sensors in this room, the Captain is not here at the moment. Please send for him, and I will explain in greater detail what all this Vault contains and what we have done to better prepare you for your new home.”

            With that, the image of the man disappeared. The men in the room looked around, first at where the image had been, and then at Officer Lowe.

            “Well men, lets head back to the dock. Looks like we need to send for the captain.”

April 16, 1912, Onboard the Titanic

            As dawn broke upon the horizon, the telephone rang on the bridge. It was the lookouts. The boat from the landing party had been spotted with about half the men that had left. Officer Murdoch went and woke the Captain and reported what the lookouts had seen.

            “Tell me when the men arrive. I want to know what they found.”

            “Aye sir. I will let you know the moment they are back on board.” And with that, Officer Murdoch returned back to the bridge.

            Within an hour and a half, the boat was tied up alongside the ship, and the 12 men and Officer Lowe were aboard. Lowe immediately reported to the bridge, and relayed what he had seen to the Captain and the rest of the assembled officers, along with Mr. Ismay and Mr. Andrews. When he was done, the men looked at Lowe and at each other, not sure exactly what to think. Captain Smith was the first to speak.

            “Well, it looks like I need to accompany Mr. Lowe back to the island.”

            “Sir, with no disrespect meant to Officer Lowe, this sounds ludicrous. While I think..” Mr. Ismay was interrupted suddenly by Lowe.

            “With all due respect Mr. Ismay, this is the truth. My men can vouch for what I’ve told you. No I can’t explain it, but I saw what I saw. And the image, whatever it was, some sort of machine, requested to see the Captain.”

            Smith, who had been focused in thought, spoke up. “I think Mr. Lowe is right. I don’t think he’s making something as outlandish sounding as this up, so I think I should go and see this for myself. Officer Lightoller will accompany me with Mr. Lowe and his men. Officer Wilde, you will be in command in my absence.”

            “Aye sir. Stay safe.”

            “Sir, what shall we tell the passengers? They are getting quite anxious,” Asked Officer Murdoch.

            “Tell them that we are still investigating the lights we spotted on the island, and as soon as we know anything of importance that we will relay it to them.” And with that, the captain began to follow Mr. Lowe and head towards the main elevators, so that he could head down to where the boat was tied up alongside the ship. 

            “But sir, what will they think of your absence? Won’t that be something that might cause concern?” Murdoch said before Smith had a chance to leave the bridge.

            Smith paused for a moment, then said, “Tell them that my officers want me to inspect something they found on the island that might be of use to us. The passengers, most of them, anyway, don’t know that this is likely Manhattan Island. For all they know, we’ve run off course and have found some deserted island. Let’s keep it that way for now.”

            “Aye sir. Will do.”

April 16, 1912, The Vault, Manhattan Island

            Lowe, Moody and Smith all walked through the door into the concrete structure, back into the chamber where the image of the man who called himself Rane Gerand had appeared. As they walked towards the console where the ghost-like image had come from, it reappeared.

            “Welcome, Captain Smith. As your officer no doubt told you, I am Rane Gerand, head of the Eternity Project.” The image of the man who claimed to be from the future quickly rehashed what it had already told Officer Lowe, then went on.

            “Inside this Vault, you will find all the necessary supplies and tools you will need to establish a thriving settlement. Bellow me now this machine is printing out a detailed list of all that we have stored for you, and instructions on how to access it. Captain, you must help your passengers and crew organize and build a new society. You are the future of humanity, our last hope of survival. We of the Eternity Project have done everything in our power to make sure this colony not only survives but thrives.

            Now, I know that our taking that Titanic and her passengers out of your own time and world and bring you all here may seem unfair. But what you do not know is that at the very moment we brought you here, the moment you all saw a bright flashing light engulf your ship, the Titanic was about to strike an ice berg. She would have sank in about two hours, and of the more than 2000 people aboard, only 700 would have survived. In a way, we saved you from your deaths. In addition, since over half of those onboard died originally, your sudden disappearance will not greatly affect world history. Your ship and those aboard her were the perfect candidates for this project.

            Now that you know the truth, and what we have given you, I challenge you Captain to guide these people, and help them build a better world than the one we plucked you from.” And with that, the image of Rane Gerand disappeared. Bellow the console itself was what looked like a book that had printed out from the machine. Lowe picked it up and handed it to the captain.

            “Well Gentlemen,” Smith began, “we should head back, and begin our plan of action. Like the man said, we will need to organize our passengers and crew and get to work.”

            “Get to work doing what exactly, sir?” Asked Moody.

            “Why, establishing a settlement. Were you not listening?”

            “Oh aye sir, I was. But you really believe what that…machine? Man? Thing…said?

            “Do you have a better explanation for why we are standing in a concrete vault on an otherwise deserted and untouched Manhattan Island, or how our ship suddenly arrived off the coast of North America when we still had at least two more days at sea ahead of us?” Moody stood there with his mouth slightly open, trying to come up with something. “I didn’t think so Mr. Moody. Now, lets head back to the ship and see what we can come up with.”

April 20, 1912, Aboard the Titanic

            Captain Smith looked out from the boat deck at the wilderness of Manhattan Island. In the distance, he could see the metal light beacon that stood above the Vault, where right now Officers Moody and Lowe were assisting Storekeeper John Foley in going over the supplies that were supposedly left by the mysterious people of the Eternity Project. They’d been going at it since the 17^th, when the Titanic, with the help of four automated tug boats, tied up to the dock that Lowe and Moody had discovered. If the list provided by the Eternity Project was correct, what lay in the storerooms of the Vault were staggering. Enough food to feed the passengers and crew for several years, and the supplies and equipment to build a basic settlement here on the island, the beginnings of a new civilization, just like the image of that man, Rane Gerand, had promised. The whole thing still felt overwhelming to Smith, but he was keeping calm and firm, to provide stability to the crew and to the passengers.

            The passengers….the situation that the Titanic’s people now found themselves in had been hard to explain to the 1,300 passengers aboard the ship. The idea that men somewhere in the far future had not only been able to travel through time, but be able to take the ship and her inhabitants to a “parallel world” was mind boggling. The news did little to calm their already anxious nerves. Most didn’t really believe the captain and his officers when they assembled the different groups of passengers by class and told them on the evening of the 16^th. However, especially for those passengers who had been to New York before, when the automated tugs came and guided the ship to it’s new dock, many of them recognized the shorelines enough for the reality to start to sink in.  One first class passenger, Mr. William Stead of London, had approached the captain afterwards and told him that the concept of multiple universes, or multiverses, was not totally foreign to him, that some of the readings he had done talked about such phenomenon. He promised to try and explain it to as many of his fellow passengers as he could. This was all welcome news to Smith.

            The captain entered the top of the Grand Staircase, headed down the ornate stairs to A Deck, and headed to the First Class Reading Room. There, Chief Officer Wilde, Master-at-Arms Thomas King, Mr. Ismay, Mr. Andrews, Colonel Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, and Major Archibald Butt had all gathered for a planning meeting. They had to come up with a plan of action for this new settlement, and the sooner they got going, the better.

            Upon entering, Smith was greeted by Officer Wilde. “Captain, good morning sir. I hope you had a pleasant night’s rest.”

            “I did, thank you Mr. Wilde. Good morning gentlemen. I hope we are all ready to get down to business. We have quite a task before us.”

            “That we do, Captain Smith,” said Mr. Guggenheim, “and I believe we are all ready to start. It appears all our fates now rest in what we decide to do these next few days and weeks.”

            “That it does Mr. Guggenheim. And I believe we are up to the challenge if we apply ourselves.” Said Colonel Astor.

            “Well then Gentlemen, let’s get to it.” Said the captain, and he motioned for the men to take their seats around the tables that had been arraigned to form one large conference table. The captain then set the agenda for the meeting.

            “Our Storekeeper, Mr. Foley, is working with Fifth Officer Lowe and Sixth Officer Moody to inventory the items in the Vault. They will hopefully be able to report to this Council tomorrow or the day after as to what all we have at our disposal. They have already taken some food out to make sure we keep the passengers and crew aboard fed. With that food we should be good for at least a week before we need to break into those provisions again.”

            “What about fuel for the ship? Is there coal in the Vault?” Asked Mr. Ismay.

            “Yes there is, and lorries to haul it to the dock. We should be good for a few more days, and Officer Boxhaul is working with the Boatswain to organize crews to start loading up the coal by then.”

            “Sir, what of our long-term plans? As I see it, we need to stop thinking of ourselves as passengers and crew of this ship, and instead all of us together as colonists in this new world.” This was Major Butt speaking.

            “I’ve been giving that some thought, Major Butt, and I’ve spoken about this some to Officer Wilde and to Mr. Andrews. We will need to set up a government of some sort to help organize the pas… the population of our new settlement. The authority of myself and my officers will not last indefinitely, and we need to start organizing such a government soon. Possibly preliminarily by the end of the week. I’ve also talked with Mr. Andrews about starting to plan out our new settlement before we start building anything. He is going through the passenger lists to see if we have any engineers, architects, or other specialists that could help plan out our settlement. We have accurate maps of the area from the Vault, so that will help a lot.”

            “That all sounds good Captain.” said Mr. Guggenheim. “I would say then, since we can’t make much more decisions about our supplies until Mr. Foley reports to us, and since Mr. Andrews is just now forming a settlement committee, our best course of action today would be to lay the groundwork for a meeting to start setting up a proper government.”

            “This does sound sensible to me as well Captain.” Colonel Astor said in agreement.

            “Well, I think we need to create a strong executive and executive administration. A legislature is all well and good but in this time of crisis it may be too cumber..” Mr. Ismay was interrupted by Mr. Andrews.

            “Mr. Ismay, I do not think it would be wise for this Council to set up the government. I think it would be best if we had a formal constitutional assembly and get people form all parts of society on this ship involved and come up with something we can all agree on.”

            “Sir, do you really think we need to include the crew and third class in this? After all those men and women aren’t exactly the types that make decisions in this sort of thing.” Said Officer Wilde.

            “I agree. That would just take too long. The lower classes would follow our lead.” Said Mr. Ismay.

            “No, no I think Mr. Andrews is right here,” objected Colonel Astor. “While it is fair to say that the members of the crew and the third class are not the people normally in leadership or in government at all, this is a whole new world. And while most people among the first class will be loath to admit it, in the back of their heads they are slowly realizing that their influence and supposed superiority evaporated when our ship was brought here. And it will only be a matter of time before the lower classes figure that out as well. If we try to dictate to them some form of autocratic government, I fear it would quickly backfire. We need to treat them like equals, as much as it might ruffle some feathers.”

            “I concur with Mr. Andrews and Colonel Astor.” Said Mr. Guggenheim.

            “Well gentlemen, let’s vote on it.” Said Captain Smith. “All in favor of holding a Constitutional Assembly with equal representation for all classes and the crew, say aye.” Smith, Andrews, Guggenheim, King and Butt all voted in favor, Ismay and Wilde opposed.  “Well, the majority is in favor. We will hammer out the details for this assembly and then announce our decision publicly this evening at dinner.”

            The rest of the morning, the 7 men discussed how the assembly would work. Ultimately, it was decided that there would be 10 representatives from each class, and 10 from the crew. The captain and his full council (consisting of the men present plus all the other officers, which had informally formed the day the ship had docked) would also be present, with the Captain presiding over the Assembly. They would meet on Thursday, April 25. They were unsure of just how the ten men would be chosen to serve at first, but Major Butt suggested grouping the passengers and crew by alphabet, and choosing representatives from those groups. They settled on this, and made the announcement that evening at dinner to all the passengers, and had the news told to the crew.

April 21, 1912, Onboard the Titanic

            The Captain’s Council, as it was now being called, had assembled in it’s usual meeting place in the First Class Reading Room and was about to hear a preliminary report on the supplies in the Vault from Officer Lowe and Storekeeper Foley when a knock came at the door. A steward entered the room.

            “Pardon me Captain, Gentlemen, but a Mrs. Molly Brown is outside, and she is most insistent that she speak to you all, and said she wouldn’t take no for an answer. I’ve asked her to leave but she wont.”

            The gentlemen looked around at each other. Some looked annoyed, others amused. Mr. Andrews chuckled slightly. The Captain looked at the steward and said, “Well, let her in. We’ll here what she has to say.” The steward nodded, and stepped outside, opening the door for Mrs. Brown.

            “Gentlemen, I do apologize for intruding like this. I know you are busy and have a lot to take care of, so I won’t take up too much of your time. I just have a question for you. Do you intend to allow women to be a part of this Assembly you are planning on having next week. You know, the one that you are having to write our constitution?”

            “My dear lady, you cannot be serious. Why would we need to let the women attend this assembly?” Asked Mr. Ismay.

            “Because we make up about a third of the population, that’s why. You’ve agreed to allow equal representation to all the classes that make up those aboard this ship. Why not allow women to represent as well?”

            “There is no precedent for this. Women do not vote in England or the United States. Why should they vote here?” Said Officer Wilde.

            “You’d be wrong there, Mr. Wilde. Women do vote in the United States. Six states in the union allow it, and more were on the way from what the press was saying before we arrived here. My home state of Colorado has had women suffrage for nearly twenty years. I see no reason why the women can’t vote and have women in the Assembly. To not do so would be doing a disservice to a vital section of our population. Now I’ve said what I’ve come to say. Just know, before you decide anything, that there are other ladies in the first class who agree, and I’m sure there are others in the other classes as well, and I intend to be very vocal about this issue, especially if you decide to ignore the ladies and their right to be heard. Thank you gentlemen, have a pleasant day.” With that, Mrs. Brown walked out of the Reading Room. The men looked at each other quietly for a moment, then began to discuss what they should do.

            That evening at dinner, it was announced that women would be allowed to vote in the Assembly elections, and that women could serve as delegates to the Constitutional Assembly. 

Titanic Colony: Part 1

TITANIC COLONY

Titanic at full steam on the morning of April 15, 1912

PART 1: The Arrival 

April 15, 1912 (Year 1)

Captain Smith was up and getting dressed when the knock came at his door.

            “Enter.” Smith called out. In walked Chief Officer Henry Wilde.

            “Sir, lookouts have just reported that they’ve sighted land.”

            “Land?! But we are still two days from New York. Are they sure Officer Wilde?”

            “As far as I can tell sir. They have reported spotting the coast about 15 minutes ago, along with seeing two pulsing lights off in the distance.”

            “This makes no sense. We should be no where near land. Even if we somehow altered course..”

            “What about that strange light that Officer Murdoch reported last night.”

            “The one he said that happened when we were about to strike a berg? We don’t know what that was or what happened to the berg or anything.”

            “Well it is possible that all of this is somehow related.”

            “I suppose it could be. Follow me to the bridge Officer Wilde.”

            The two walked out of the captain’s cabin and onto the bridge. The First and Second Officer’s were already there.

            “Gentlemen, I’m told that the lookouts have spotted land?”

            Lightoller spoke up, “Yes sir. Land ahead, as if we were headed into a natural harbor.”

            “Any idea where we are gentlemen?” The captain asked, a look of grave seriousness on his face.

            “Unfortunately not sir. We’ve been trying to determine our location with the star charts last night but were unable to do so. We have..” Murdoch was interrupted by Wilde.

            “Look!” Wilde pointed out the window. They all looked out. They were clearly passing into some sort of natural harbor. “I could swear this looks like we are passing into the Lower Bay.”

            “The entrance into New York harbor? That’s impossible Wilde! We’d be able to see the city from here, and there’s nothing out there but wilderness.” Exclaimed Murdoch. And on that he was right. Nothing but untamed wilderness seemed to stretch out before them on the coast. Smith stepped outside and took a better look, studying the coastline. After some time he spoke.

            “You know, I think Wilde might be right. It looks like we are coming up on the Verrazano Narrows, about to enter the Upper Bay.”

            “But that can’t be! Where’s the city?” This time it was Lightoller who called out. What was going on made no sense to them. Just then, Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall entered the bridge.

            “Captain, the passengers are beginning to ask what’s going on. They know we aren’t supposed to be near land yet. The crew is asking what to tell them.”

            “Honestly, Officer Boxhall, I wish I knew what to tell them myself.” Then, remembering what else he’d been told by Wilde earlier, the captain turned and asked his men, “Did you not say that the lookouts saw some sort of flashing lights in the distance?”

            “Yes sir, two of them, one red, one white, flashing in the distance.”

            “Well, then there must be something out there, even if the city is obviously missing. “ He turned to Officer Boxhall, “I think for now we tell the crew to tell the passengers that we are in an emergency situation and that we are trying to assess just where we are and what’s going on, and as soon as we know something concrete, we will pass it along to them.”

            The Titanic anchored before the ship went through the Narrows. Officer Murdoch had pointed out that, even if this was New York Harbor, it was obviously not the one they knew, and so there was not telling what lay underneath the water, and it would be dangerous to go any further. At 1 p.m., Officers James Lowe and Harold Moody took two dozen men and lowered one of the lifeboats to go and investigate the mysterious lights they’d seen flashing on Manhattan Island. It was hard work, rowing across the Upper Bay. They passed Governor’s Island at just after 3. They could clearly see the flashing light coming from the East River, so they continued to head to that side of Manhattan Island. As it neared 4, one of the men called out, “Look, Officer Lowe, there’s a dock!”

            Sure enough, there was a long dock flush with the river. There seemed to be a few buildings along the water front as well, and a tall metal tower that had a flashing light at the top. They’d obviously arrived at the source of one of the flashing lights. Lowe and Moody ordered the men to row up to the dock, where they found a ladder, tied up the boat, and climbed up on to the dock. Several strange looking warehouses lined the paved surface of the dock. Lowe ordered the men to spread out and investigate. They found the doors to the buildings unlocked, and inside the buildings were empty, but obviously designed to be some sort of warehouses.

            As he came out of one of the warehouses, one of the crewmen came running up to Lowe.

            “Officer Lowe, Officer Lowe!!”

            “What is it seaman?”

            “Sir, there’s a road heading inland from the dock!” The man said, pointing to where this road was at.

            “Lets see it.” Lowe said, and then looked about and spotted Moody. “Officer Moody, follow me!” Moody walked towards Lowe, who was being led by the crewman over to this road. And sure enough, the pavement surface of the dock continued away from the dock as a road headed inland into the forest that ruled the island.

            “Should we investigate, Officer Lowe?” Moody asked, staring down the road as it headed into the woods.

            “Well, the lookouts said they saw two separate flashing lights coming from the island. One of them is obviously here at this dock. I’d be wiling to bet that the other light is down this road. We should set up a camp here and then take a party of men inland to investigate further.”

            With that, Lowe and Moody split up the men. Moody would keep half of them to prepare the camp at the dock, while Lowe took the other dozen men down the road to investigate what was further inland.

May 21, 2276 (Year 364)

            Congressman Andrews looked up from his work at the clock on the wall. It was half past 4 in the afternoon. Nearly time to head home to his house on Lowe Street. The report on new settlement plans from the Colonial Office had kept his attention for most of the afternoon, but he was ready to call it a day. Just then, his telephone rang. It was his secretary.

            “Mr. Andrews, the Prime Minister’s office sent a message, they are wanting you to attend the party benefit gala next month at Astor House.”

            “I think I can do that. I will check with my wife to make sure tonight and I’ll have you call the Prime Minister’s office tomorrow to let them know for sure. Is there anything else? I’m about to call it a day.”

            “Yes a few things. Director Balley called wanting to know if you’d had a chance to review the plan for the Colonial expansion in New Albion and Atlantia. Also, Edward Palace wanted to know if you would speak at Molly Brown Memorial Dinner in September.”

            “You can let Director Balley know that I’m about ¾ the way through the report, and should finish it up tomorrow. So far, everything looks good. I’ll get back with you on the Palace request. Though I honestly see no problem doing it. And it is quite the honor. At least they were kind enough to contact us 3 months out.”

            “Okay Congressman Andrews. I’ll pass all that along. Have a good evening.”

            “Thank you Ms. Allen. Have a good evening as well.”

            With that, Andrews got up from his desk, went over to the coat stand and grabbed his jacket and hat, and walked out the side door that led out into the main hall. In no time he was walking down another corridor and then he was in the Grand Hall. Above was a massive glass dome, showering the grand staircase in beautiful natural light. This space was based on the top of the Grand Staircase on board the Titanic. As Andrews walked down the stairs, he glanced up at the wall giant paintings depicting different historical moments in the history of the Republic. The largest in the center, titled “Assembly in the Lounge,” depicting the meeting of the Constitutional Assembly that drafted the Articles of Governance all the way back in Year 1. The men and women representing all the groups of the ship were depicted sitting in the First Class Lounge on A-Deck, hammering out the document that was still the basis of how Avalon was governed today. First High Captain Edward Smith was in the foreground, leading the meeting, along with the first Prime Minister Thomas Andrews, Bruce Ismay, and Molly Brown.

            Down the stairs and through the main entry hall Andrews went. As he neared the main doors leading out to Vault Street, he passed the statue that depicted Lowe and his band of crewmen as they entered the Great Vault for the first time, Lowe stepping across the threshold of the entrance, lantern raised, his men behind him peering in, nervous. Once past the statue, the Congressman exited the building, and entered a waiting government car, one of a dozen kept on standby for the members of Congress.

April 15, 1912 (Year 1)

            After about a half an hour, Lowe and his men reached the source of the inland road. It ended at a strange concrete structure jutting out of the ground, it’s walls slanting upward. It seemed to be about one story tall, and went back into the forest some distance. There were two large warehouse doors on the wall that faced the road, along with a smaller, human sized door. As Lowe and his men approached, a beam of light came out from above the door and scanned the officer up and down. Then a feminine voice spoke from seemingly out of nowhere.

            “Lowe, James. Fifth Officer of R.M.S. Titanic. Access granted.” And with that, the door opened up. Lowe and the other men just stood there, dumbfounded. Where had that voice come from? How had it known who Lowe was? Coming out of the stupor, the officer called out for one of the men to hand him a lantern, and then he proceeded to peer into the open doorway. The room the door opened up into seemed vast, and was very dark. Until Lowe actually stepped inside, that is. Then lights turned on seemingly by magic. Lowe walked further inside, followed by the rest of the crewmen. Lowe pointed to two that were at the back of the group.

            “You two remain outside. Keep watch. And make sure this door doesn’t shut on us.”

            “Aye sir.” The two men called out.

            Lowe and the rest of the men spread out, examining the room. It was very Spartan. Nothing on the walls. The ceiling showed the exposed metal frames holding up the roof. On the far wall, however, there was some sort of console, and Lowe and a few of the men gravitated towards it. As they neared it, the buttons lit up, and all of a sudden the image of a man appeared. The men jumped back at first, as it seemed as though some sort of apparition had materialized before them. The man before them seemed older. And the clothes that he wore were totally alien to Lowe and the other Titanic crewmen. After a moment, the man began to speak.

Titanic Colony: Prologue

As promised, here is a new story for my readers to enjoy. I'll be posting the next part soon. Unlike the Airship President and Silent Night stories, Titanic Colony is written more like a novel. I hope you enjoy!

PROLOGUE:

TITANIC VANISHES! NO SIGN OF SHIP TO BE FOUND!

NEW YORK, APRIL 20 – The much talked about White Star Line ship Titanic was due in port in New York City on Wednesday, April 17, but has yet to arrive. The last received communication with the liner was on Sunday, April 14, just before midnight. Ships that were in the area report a thick ice field, and it is feared that the ship may have struck an iceberg and sank, despite the claim that the Titanic is “unsinkable.” However, no distress signals were ever received from the ship, and no lifeboats or wreckage have been found by other ships that have gone to investigate. The U.S. Coastguard and Navy, as well as naval vessels from Canada and Great Britain, have been dispatched to the route the ship was to follow to see if anything can be found.

“Titanic Vanishes! No Sign of Ship to be Found,” The New York Times, April 20, 1912.

            Next on our list of unsolved maritime mysteries is the disappearance of the infamous ocean liner Titanic. Launched in Great Britain in 1912, she departed from Southampton on April 10, 1912 for her maiden voyage to New York City. The following day, April 11, was the last time the ship was ever seen. She sailed west from the coast of Ireland into the shrouds of mystery. The last radio contact Titanic had with the outside world was shortly before midnight on April 14. The ship was due in New York on April 17, but never arrived, prompting a massive search and rescue mission by the US, Canadian, and British Navy, which started on April 19. However, nothing was ever found. No lifeboats, bodies, or other wreckage were located anywhere near her last known location. It was officially declared on May 1, 1912, that the RMS Titanic had gone down, with all 2,202 souls lost at sea. The world was shocked. What had caused the great liner to founder? Many theories circulated, from ice bergs, boiler explosions, to secret attacks by the Kaiser or even aliens. Several attempts have been made over the past 90 years to find the wreck of the Titanic, but so far, not one expedition has been successful.

“Top Ten Maritime Mysteries,” Time Magazine, February 12, 2002.

-------

            Michael Andrews looked out the window of his Council Hall office. Titanic City bustled underneath the beautiful summer sky. He stood up to stretch his legs and take a better look. Across Vault Street lay Smith Square, where the 75ft. tall statue of Edward J. Smith, first High Captain of the Republic of Avalon, stood proud and mighty, as if the legendary Smith were still ready to lead the band of passengers and crew to starting a new life in Terra Nova. The statue was one of the oldest monuments in city, built nearly 300 years ago to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the Republic. Andrews began to think back to the history lessons of his youth at the primary school in Port Andrews, the capital of New Eire, the province which Andrews now proudly represented in Congress. Every child in Avalon learned of the brave founders who were swept across time and space to this location to build a new society in the untouched, pristine wilderness of a world without man. Provided with ample supplies and tools from the mysterious members of the Order, Smith, Murdoch, Lightoller, Ismay, Andrews, Astor, Gugenheim, and the many other leaders of the 2,202 people aboard the RMS Titanic set out to establish a new society of mankind. Andrews stood there looking out the window, wondering what it must have been like for his ancestors, arriving in this strange new world, having been whisked away by some unexplainable technology (still unexplainable to this day!) from everything they had known. Andrews looked away from the window across his office to where a portrait of the first Captain Smith hung on the wall. Smith was on the bridge of the Titanic (the ship was still afloat at the Memorial Dock, serving as part of the National Historical Museum), looking out at the untamed wilderness that lay out before him as far as the eye could see. What must have gone through his head on April 15, 1912 (or as most common people thought of it, year 1), as Titanic sailed into what they thought of as New York harbor, only to find that there was no New York City?

-------

364 years earlier, April 14, 1912(Y-1)

            A sudden jolt reverberated throughout the ship. That’s what woke E.J. Smith up. He looked at the clock on the wall after switching on the light. Nearly midnight. What had gone wrong? He quickly dressed and then headed out of his cabin, down the hall and into the bridge. The captain found officer Murdoch on duty and asked him what had happened.

            “Sir, lookouts reported seeing an iceberg right ahead. I ordered the ship hard a starboard and the engines full astern, but it looked like we were going to hit.” The captain interrupted.

            “WERE going to? We didn’t?”

            “No sir. We were just about to when a bright flash of light engulfed us and then..” Murdoch’s voice trailed off.

            “And then what, Officer Murdoch?”

            “Well I’m not really sure captain. The ship shook, then the light went away, and there was no iceberg anywhere in sight. And it’s strange. You’ll notice the moon is out now sir, and very bright. And the sea is no longer calm like it was earlier.”

            Smith walks out on deck and looks out at the sea, noting for himself what the First Officer had said.

            “Yes, this is indeed strange. Have the radio operators see if they can raise any other ship in the area, see if they saw the great flash of light too. And lets decrease our speed by half. I don’t want to have any more near misses with bergs.”

            “Aye sir, will do.”

            Smith remained on the bridge for another two hours. Some crew began to inquire as to what had caused the shudder, since they were being asked by passengers. The captain told them that it was because of a near miss with an ice berg, and that there was nothing to worry about. Smith just wished he believed that himself. After two more hours, with nothing changing, the captain returned to his room, giving Murdoch strict orders to wake him if anything strange or out of the ordinary occurred. Little did he know that when he awoke to the dawn of April 15, that his life would never be the same. 

Silent Night, Part 6

This is the conclusion of Silent Night...at least for now. In the future there is a good chance I will revisit this world were World War I ends thanks to the miracle of the 1914 Christmas Truce. But for now, I have other projects I wish to develop and share with my readers, and I have reached a nice place that ties this timeline up fairly well. I hope you've enjoyed the story. 

PART 6: Peace on Earth at Last

(click here for Part 5)

Christmas Army Troops march past the reviewing stands in Straßburg, July 1915

FUNERAL FOR KAISER WILHELM II PLANNED

BERLIN, MAY 25 - The Imperial Government announced that Kaiser Wilhelm II’s funeral will be held on June 1st, in what is being described as a “grand and somber event to bid farewell to a beloved leader.” Wilhelm, 56, has ruled Germany for nearly thirty years since his father’s untimely demise placed him on the throne at the age of 29, and has influenced a generation of young German men. Many throughout the Empire, especially the soldiers in the army, are still in shock that he has passed. The city of Berlin is expected to be packed with mourners that will descend upon the city to pay their respects. The Kaiser’s body will lay in state in the Reichstag starting on May 26, and will remain their until the funeral on June 1st, whereupon it will be moved in a great funeral procession from the Imperial legislature’s seat to the Berliner Dom, where the service itself will be held. 

Comrade Juares stated that he will not personally attend the funeral, since the People’s government in Paris is still working on establishing formal relations with the German Empire, but that Foreign Minister Paul Faure would lead a French delegation instead. Minister Faure has been in Strasbourg, and is working with other statesmen to hammer out final preparations for a permanent European peace treaty to end the War of 1914. It is expected that the Peace Congress in Strasbourg will declare a recess prior to Wilhelm II’s funeral, and resume sometime in early June to prepare a final treaty based on requests from the various nations in attendance. 

-“Funeral for Kaiser Wilhelm Planned,” Le Monde, May 25, 1915. 

KING GEORGE V MAKES SURPRISE APPEARANCE IN BERLIN

BERLIN, JUNE 1 - As leaders from across Germany, Europe and the World descended upon Berlin to pay respects to the late Kaiser Wilhelm II, an unexpected mourner arrived in the German capital that caused quite a stir. Arriving on a private steamship on May 29, Great Britain’s King George V was among those at the Berliner Dom to pay his final respects to his cousin. The visit was publicly unannounced, though it appears that the Imperial Government in Berlin knew that the King was coming. This visit is only the latest sign that the war in Europe really is over, even if not officially. A little over a year ago, Germany and Britain were headed toward the brink of war, and now the leader of one has come to the capital of the other to pay their respects to their fallen counterpart. When those present in the Dom filed past the flower and flag bedecked casket of Wilhelm II, the British monarch paused for a very long time, and was seen whispering final goodbyes to his relative. 

-“King George V Makes Surprise Appearance in Berlin,” The Washington Post, June 2, 1915. 

On Wednesday, June 9, 1915, the members of the European Peace Congress reconvened in Straßburg following the funeral of Kaiser Wilhelm II, and they had a lot on to complete. All of the governments represented at the congress had approved the basic ideas in the initial draft of the treaty, but had made relatively minor requests for readjustment. The congress set up a special committee to go through all the requested changes and to come up with a new, hopefully final, draft. The diplomats labored long and hard, and finally had a new draft of the treaty ready to present to the whole Congress on June 21. It was approved unanimously, and sent back to the various signatory nations for final approval. 

The new treaty established the Congressional Republic of Alsace-Lorraine and the Kingdom of Poland to serve as buffer states between the larger powers on the European continent. It also set up a new Congress of European States, an organization that would meet yearly to discuss the political and economic situations of Europe, and propose solutions in the forms of treaties that would have immediate approval, but could be challenged by individual nations after they were passed. All signatories were agreeing to set up a War Relief Fund to be managed by the CES leadership (elected from the representatives that made up the Congress). In addition, the treaty called for an immediate reduction in arms across the continent, as well as a general pardon for all soldiers who joined the Christmas Army. 

As the various nations reviewed what would become the final draft of the Straßburg Treaty of 1915, another committee was formed at the Congress to discuss just when the treaty would be signed, marking the official end to the War of 1914. What was ultimately decided by those delegates and later approved by the whole of the Congress was that the signing would occur in Straßburg on July 28, 1915, on the one year anniversary of the start of the conflict. 

-Franklin, Dr. David. Peace on Earth: Christmas 1914. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1975.

PRINZ OSKAR WILL BECOME KAISER

BERLIN, JUNE 15 - The Imperial Regency Committee has announced today that Prinz Oskar will succeed his father as Kaiser of Germany. Chancellor von Bethmann Hollweg announced the committee’s decision this morning, and stated that His Highness would officially take his oath on Monday, June 21st in a ceremony at the Reichstag, and that there could be a more formal coronation ceremony later in the year. When asked, the Chancellor stated that if such an event took place, it would happen after the Straßburg Treaty was signed, so as to not upstage that “momentous occasion.” 

Most members of the nobility are happy with the decision, saying that young Oskar is a wise choice, and will breath new life and vitality into the Monarchy and help the nation recover from the war. Many liberal members of the Reichstag are also happy, saying that they hope the new Kaiser, who helped put down the conservative coup in early May, will be more supportive of their various proposed reforms. 

-“Prinz Oskar Will Become Kaiser,” Berliner Morgenpost, June 16, 1915. 

THE WAR IN EUROPE IS OFFICIALLY OVER

STRAßURG, JULY 28 - Today the heads of state of the warring powers of Europe gathered in what has been dubbed the City of Peace, Straßurg, Alsace-Lorraine. In a grand ceremony at the Palace Rohan, where the Peace Congress met throughout the spring, the continent’s leaders officially laid down their arms and brought one of the most devastating conflicts in recent history to a close. Outside the palace, the flags of Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary all flew proudly in the mid-morning sun. In the middle, flying above all the rest, was the flag of the Christmas Truce Army, which has now become a symbol of European Peace. 

In the great hall, five copies of the treaty, written in the languages of the signatory countries, were placed on a raised platform. A podium was set up to one side, and the rest of the room was set up with tables where the heads of state and their aids were seated. The ceremony began at 11 a.m, with Pope Benedict XV welcoming all those present, and praising the nations of the Peace Congress for forging what he called a “lasting peace,” and hailing the truce fighters for seizing the miracle of the Christmas Truce and bringing the war to an end, when so many political leaders were afraid to do so. Following his address, King George V spoke to those gathered. In his speech, he praised the bravery of all soldiers from all nations. He then stated that “the members of the Truce Army have proven that it is not always the few great leaders that affect the course of history, but instead the common man, when acting together in defense of a great cause such as peace, can change mankind’s course.” The new German Kaiser, Frederick IV (formerly Prinz Oskar, who led the overthrow of the anti-Peace coup in May), also spoke, followed by the Crown Prince of Austria, and finally Chairman Juares of France. Following the speeches, the heads of state came up one by one and signed each copy of the treaty. Following the last signing, a choir and small orchestra performed Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” followed by “Silent Night,” both of which have become the anthems of the European Peace. After this, the leaders and their aids stepped outside the palace to a special reviewing stand that had been set up, and saluted as members of the Christmas Truce Army marched by.

Within the next month, the First Congress of European States will meet in Straßburg, where they are expected to appoint an executive committee that will oversee the new War Relief Fund. France and Great Britain have both indicated that their representatives will be popularly elected by their citizens. Germany, Austria, and Russia have not stated how their representatives will be chosen yet. Each nation gets five representatives in the new pan-national Congress. 

-”The War in Europe is Officially Over,” The New York Times, July 29, 1915.