Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-05

THE CROWN PRINCE INTERVIEWED

The German crown prince has had himself inter-
viewed. and the result is given to the world, and esue-
cially to the German people, through the medium Of the
German press. If the interview has any Significance 1t
is in the fact that this registering blade has, for the time
being, abated some Of his turbulence, and speaks not
now Of German conquests, but, admitting the German
retreat, which can no longer be. concealed, maintains
that Germany is fighting a purely defensive warfare
against enemies who seek to destroy her. OF course all
that has been put forth before, but the crown prince
roars a little more mildly than any other German of
prominence has roared this many a long day.
There is a repetition of the fable that Germany old
not start the war. and that it was started in an in
suspicious moment for her. That in the summer Of
1914 Germany was better prepared for war than any
other nation on earth is a fact so we'll known that all
the lies that German minds can invent cannot cloud it.
And it is equally we'll known that Of all the nations
which entered the war at that time, England, upon
whom Germany has been fond of placing the RESPONSE
bility, was the most poorly prepared.
OF some interest to Americans is the statement that
the American soldiers do not know what they are fight
ing for. In substantiation of this. charge the crown
prince tells of inquiring of an American prisoner what
America was fighting for. "For Alsace," said the SOL
der. And what is Alsace 2" asked the prince. ut is a
lake" was the reply.
The princes story would have carried greater weight
had he given the name, regiment and company Of this
soldier, which he could easily have done. But let that
pass, and assume that the story is not an invention.
What of it? There are more than a million American
soldiers in France. They have been taken, hit or miss,
from all over the country which occupies half a CONT
nent. Serving as privates in that great army are men
Of every calling, and of all grades VI information and
intelligence. There are some, as the records show, who
are unable to read or write, and some, doubtless, who
do not know whether Germany is a country or a very
disagreeable state of mind. Both the ignorant and the
educated Of the nation are represented in the army, and
If the crown prince gets any satisfaction out of his al
legged interview with one of the unlearned, he is well
come to it.
But, if the prince were to undertake to acquire real
information as to the knowledge and the attitude of the
American soldier, he would have a different story to
tell. He would find that the American soldier, taken
in the mass, has a very distinct idea Of what he is fight
ing for. He has, as a rule, a remarkably clear concep-
ton Of the basic principles for which the Allied nations
the steps by which the ultimate objects are to be
reached. He knows that the German nation in its pres
ent frame of mind is an obstacle in the way of all true
progress, therefore he is fighting-with some vigor, as
the crown prince has occasion to knvw-first and fore
most, to whip Germany. And he is making very salts
factory progress at the job.