New Britain herald., 1921-11-30
A 70 To 60 Per Cent Drop For Nippon s Fleet Hinges Around Kato's s Personal Opinion
Dutch Delegate, Van Karne- beck, Tells of Nether- lands Possession of 5O,- OO0,OOO People in Far East.

Washington, Nov. 30. - (By Asso- ciated Press) - The issue raised in Japan's desire for an increase in the relative naval strength allotted her under the American limitation pro- posal still held attention today as d pivotal question in the arms confer ence proceedings
 Agreement Prospects
 In some quarters prospects for an early agreement on the questions were regarded as having been some- what improved by the statement of Prince Tokugawa of the Japanese delegation that the announcement Monday of Vice-Admiral Kato of the Japanese advisory staff, that Japan wanted a 70 instead of a 60 per cent. naval ratio was merely an express sion of personal opinion" not spon- sored by the delegation, of which he is not a member. As Prince Toku- gawa declined to reveal, however, the actual view of the Japanese dele gates as to what percentage of fleet strength Japan would insist upon, no definite deduction was possible from his statement He would not indi-
  reached, but said the four Japanese delegates were deciding the matter for themselves.
 Americans Firm
 The reiterated firmness of the Am erican delegates at the same time against acceptance of any increase in the naval ratio for Japan was under stood to have had the effect of def initely ending consideration of the question in the naval Sub- committee of the powers and it was said that the committee would not even touch upon it at it's postponed meeting to- day. It was expected that ultimate agreement would be left to informal meetings between the various dele gates. The American delegates are known to be of a single mind against acceptance of any increase in the Japanese ratio and to regard it as shown to be "liberal' on ahy basis of calculation by present fleet strength
 Holland Interested.
 Washington, Nov. 30.-(By Associ- ated Press. )-Because of her vital ln- terests in the Far East, Holland is desirous of assisting in every way in the settlement of problems relating to that part of the world, Jonkher H. A. Van Karnebeek, minister of foreign affairs of the Netherlands and dele gate from that country to the Wash ington conference, told the Associated Press today in an interview.
 Interview In Part.
 We have been very glad to come to the Washington conference" he said, "because, although we are not interested in quite the same way as other powers are in the Far Eastern problems, still everything that affects the situation there may be of great importance to us.
 We have in the Far East an em- pire of more than 50,000,000 inhabi- tants covering an area equal to nearly half of Europe. That empire is the source of great riches not only to US but to the world at large, and reahz- ing this, the policy of the Netherlands is liberal one, giving opportunities to all foreign interests. The popula- ton of our East Indies is chiefly com posed of people of Mussulnan creed but there are also nearly 100000 Chinese. If one thinks of the sig nifcanCe of these colonies it is easy to understand that we watch very closely, the development of the dis cussion in the Washington confer enre