Republic of Texas President Jackson Coe denied today that his country is reeling in the wake of the Great Dust Storm of May, 1937. "Our farming communities have had some problems, but nothing we can't handle." But critics of the Texas government are claiming that Coe's comments are little more than thinly-veiled propaganda.

"The crisis was not short-term," said Bill Sheppard, a prominent Texas rancher. "Crops aren't growing. Cattle aren't feeding. Everyone is feeling the pinch." The Great Dust Storm, which raged through Texas, Oklahoma and portions of Arixo on May 21, 1937, left farms destroyed and many farmers destitute. "The Republic of Texas clearly doesn't have the capital to offer aid to her citizens," said Miles Abercrombie, a claims adjuster from Lloyd's of London. "We honestly don't see how this relatively new 'nation-state' can bear the burden of this disaster."

Abercrombie also pointed to the 1937 flooding in Dixie, which left more than one million people homeless. "Lloyd's has been able to offer some modest financial support to the Confederacy, but obviously conditions in North America are not always ideal. Unless Texas gathers some aid from outside its borders, it is unlikely that conditions there will improve any time soon."

Texas' current woes are of great concern to nations that border the Lone Star republic. Given the conflicts between Mexico and Texas, many believe that another war is inevitable. "Texas continues to improve its military capacity," said Nation of Hollywood Security Advisor Simon Chance. "The Rangers are using top-line planes, high-quality ordnance, and high-grade aviation fuel. The money spent on hardware is therefore not being spent on disaster relief. And, as Texan military might grows, it is likely that they'll use it."

The news from Texas is not entirely dire. Unconfirmed reports have hinted that several oil and helium barons have pledged financial support to the Texas government in exchange for tax and trade concessions. "If that rumor is true," said Abercrombie, "then the Republic of Texas should be able to maintain stability. Let us hope that it is indeed the truth."

-Harold Kyle, AWN Republic of Texas Correspondent