Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-11-18
] aps As k
Increased
n age
Admiral Kato Proposes Cap.
i,al Ship Total Larger Than
Suggested-Want More
Auxiliary Ships.
British Want Changes
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
.., ,r-t,,,,,. o,,uh, rtS, I-nss-f Wire,

BY ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bcc Leased Wire.
Washington, Nov. l7.-There were
two developments OF great signl'l-
cancc today in connection with the
consideration of the big powers OF
the American proposal of l0-year,
naval holiday and the radical reduc-
ton of limitation of ornaments In
brief the developments were:
/. Japan proposed that 1t be al
lowed an aggregate tonnage OF cap
ital ships slightly larger than that
suggested by Secretary OF State
Hughes and that in auxiliary ships
for defensive purposes, it be allowed
tonnage nearly as great as that
of either the United States or Great
Britain.
2. The British delegation repudi-
ated a previously advanced conten-
ton that instead of suspending con-
struction of capital ships completely
for 10 years, the powers should be
permitted to build one ship year
in order to preserve shipyard facil-
ities-a modification that would scrap
the naval holiday.
Kato Presents Arguments.
The Japanese plea for a more lib
eral allowance of tonnage was made
by Admiral Kato in the committee
Of naval authorities of which Assis-
tant Secretary of the Navy Theo-
dore Roosevelt is chairman. He pre-
sented lengthy arguments, all to the
effect that Japan, on account OF her
insularity and widely dispersed pos
sessions, needs larger navy than
that allowed her in the American
plan.
Afterward Admiral Baron Kato
issued an official statement on the
notifications proposed by Japan.
This statement follows:
Because Of its geographical posi-
tion, Japan deems it only fair at the
present time that the other inter-
ested countries should agree that it
maintain a proportion in general
tonnage slightly greater than 90 per
4 cent and in type of vessels Of
strictly defensive character it might
desire even to approximate that of
the greater navies."
| The head Of the Japanese navy
was unwilling to 60 much further
than his brief statement in eluci-
dating the Japanese position He de-
clined to state definitely how much
more capital ship tonnage the Jap
anese desire. The Hughes plan
suggests an allowance to Japan of
100000 capital ship tonnage, COM
pared with 100000 each for England
and America. The Japanese have
been reputed to be seeking an in
crease to $4,000 tons, which would
give Japan navy 20 per cent, in
stead of 90 per cent, Of the strength
| of either Great Britain or the United
States in capital ships.
Makes New Proposal.
The other suggestion that Japan
be allowed nearly parity with
either England or America In the
tonnage Of certain type of defen-
sive vessel is hitherto unmentioned
proposal and one still enveloped in
a good deal of mystery. Baron ka-
to was unwilling to specify the type
of ship he had iii mind and when
| pressed on the point contented him
self with saying that it was neither
a capital ship nor a submarine.
Such elimination would leave
within the range of possibility such
craft as light cruisers, destroyers
and airplane carriers. 1t is evident
from the baron's statement that Ja-
pan contemplated building auxiliary
ships on new scale never before
undertaken.
Under the Hughes plan England
and the United States would be all
lowed an aggregate of 100000 tons
each and Japan 10000 tons of
cruisers and destroyei5 To get with
in this limitation, England would be
required to scrap 7s7.SO7 tons of
auxiliary ships. The American ag-
gregate is now below 100000 tons
and the TaDabese &c 6e1o,y 170 0Q0