The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-09-05
Grown Prince Declares
Germany Now Wages
Defensive Warfare

AMSTERDAM. September 1.-The Ger
man idea Of victory as defined by the
German Crown Prince in nm interview
published in tho Budapest Azest is an
intention to hold our own and not let
ourselves be- v;LnQuished."
Tho Crown Prince is quoted as saying
that this was clear TO him. the moment
England entered the war.
rho Crown Prince denied that he was
a fire eater" and continued:
IF Germany had wanted war VIC
should not have chosen this moment. NO
moment could have been more unfavor-
able for Germany"
In reply to the question as to how he
thought tn. end of the war ~ould come
ne replied:
"Througi: the enemy prrceirinG that
; they arr not equal TO the winning OF
their colossal stake n.d. that they can
not win as much as theT are bound to
lost"
In discussing the present operations
on the western front the Crown Prince
said:
The enemy attacks and Withdrawals
on our front ut several places is often
wrongly interpreted in sumo circles.
Some Of our people are 10" accustomed
! To 4 continuous advance and when bat
tie occurs wherein the enemy makes at
| tacks and We have 10 defend ourselves
| the situation Is not always correctly un-
dcrstood. In Judging the situation both
| military and political, we must never
| forget ono tking--that We are waEing
war Of defense. The war is one Of ami
| hilation only for the enemy. not for US,
VT want TO annihilate none of our enc
! mics. We mean. however. 10 hold our
own"
Regarding the American forces in
France, the Crown Prince said:
I've found that the majority don't
know what they are fighting for. but we
feel, Of course. the entry OF the Amcri-
| cans, They have sent over very much
material and now arc sending very much
human material"
| We speak openly Of victory" the
| Grown Prince said. The word victory
mist not be understood TO mean that We
| want TO annihlate the enemy. but only
that we mean to hold our own and not
! lot ourselves be vanquishcd. The mo-
mcnt England entered the war that WAS
| clear to mo and always emphasized it,
| When the interviewer remarked that
! the Crown Prince was considered abroad
as n fire cater" he answered.
II am aware Of these accusations. Do
| 7 need to say that not u word Of them
| is trucp
! Rcvertng to the question OF what ma
| ton wanted the war. he declared that IT
was clear that England would take adj
| vantage of the opportunity"
| Belgium. after all was only 4 pretext
he continued. England intcrvencd be-
cause German competition was unocar-
able.
We are fighting for our existence. !
! repeat our aim. therefore. can only be
! to safeguard ourselves.
| The enemy assault will doubtless con-
tinuc for some time" the Crown Prince
said with reference to the lighting on the
western front. but our enemies must
themselves see that they will not be able
TO attain their aim. Our troops are fight
ing sIlenddly and ] attribute to the
courage that fact that such colossal SUI
pcriorlty in strength does not crush us.
| Discussing the fighting qualities Of
Germany'S enemies. he said
The French fight brilliantly and are
bleeding to death. They do not hesitate
1t any sacrifice. With the English The
individual man is very good and tcna
cious. but the leadership Is deficient.
Among the Americans I found tina,
the ma jority do not know what they nrt
hchting for. asked an American prS
oncr what they were fighting for and h
answered 'Fo5 Alsacc' and to the ques
ton where is .tlsac"?' hr replied It's
big lake"