Moltke the Younger knew that he had to find a suitable reason to refuse Oscar. Otherwise, he would be unable to explain himself to everyone, and it would also arouse others' suspicions. If word reached Wilhelm II's ears, the consequences would be even more serious.
Wilhelm II would never want his Chief of Staff to be someone who neglected public duty for private interests. Nor would he want him to do anything that harmed the interests of the German Empire merely to curry favor with Crown Prince Wilhelm. Yet Moltke the Younger knew even more clearly that Oscar's influence could not be allowed to expand any further. The navy had already completely thrown its lot in with Oscar. If the army did the same, Crown Prince Wilhelm's position would truly be hanging by a thread.
"Your Highness, this is indeed a very fine product. However, the army simply has no money to purchase it right now. The situation is growing increasingly tense, and Germany's position means that we have no choice but to guard against enemies from both east and west at the same time. Therefore, the army must strengthen its armaments. Yet military funding is only that much. Almost every year, the budget falls short. Thus, we simply have no money to purchase these motorcycles," Moltke the Younger said with a regretful expression.
Although the excuse was somewhat clumsy, it had to be admitted that it was a reasonable one. A shortage of money had become a problem for the entire German military. There was only so much military funding each year; if they wanted to improve the troops' combat strength, they could only find other ways. The navy was having an easier time now. Loans from the royal family and Oscar had given them sufficient funds to build