CROWN PRINCE'S IDEA OF VICTORY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue 13606, 9 November 1918, Page 2

CROWN PRINCE'S IDEA OF VICTORY.

AMSTERDAM, September 4. The German idea of victory as defined by the German Crown Prince in an interview published in the "Budapest Azest," is an intention "to hold our own and not let ourselves be vanquished." The Crown Prince is quoted as saying that tliis was clear to him at tho moment England entered the war. 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 effect of the entry of the Americans They have sent over much material and now arc sending much human material."

"We. speak openly of victory," the Crown Prince said: "The .word victory must not be understood to mean that we want to annihilate the enemy, but only that we mean to hold our own and not let ourselves" be vanquished. The moment England entered the war. that was clear to mej and I always emphasised it." ■ ' Reverting to the question of what nation wanted the war, he declared that"'it was clear that England would take advantage of the opportunity." "Belgium, after-all," was' only a pretext," he continued. "England intervened because German competition was unbearable. We are fighting for our existence. I repeat, our aim, therefore, can only be to safeguard ourselves-. The enemy assaults doubless' will be continued for some time, but our enemies must themselves ste that they will not be able to attain their aim. Our troops are fighting splendidly, and I attribute to their courage the fact that such colossal superiority in strength does not crush

The Crown Prince' denied that he was a "fire eater'" and continued: "If Germany liacl wanted war we should not have chosen this moment. No moment could have been more unfavourable for Germany.'' In reply to the question as to how lie thought the end of the war would come, he replied: "Through the enemy perceiving that they are not equal to the winning of their colossal stake,, and that they canriot win as much as they are bound to lose." "• / In discussing the present operations on the Western front the Crown Prince said : "The enemy attacks and the withdrawal on our front at several places are often wrongly interpreted in some circles. Some of our people are too accustomed to a continuous advance, and when a battle occurs wherein the enemy makes attacks and we have to defend ourselves the situation is not always correctly understood. In judging the situation, both military and political, we must never forget one thing—that we are waging a' war of defence. The war is one of annihilation only for the enemy, not for us. We want to annihilate hone of our enemies. We mean, however, to hold our own."