Japanese Naval Spokesman Says Considerable Preparation Necessary Before River is Free T|, HE Yangtze and the Pearl Ri Tokyo, Dec. 21. rivers probably would be opened to third Power navigation in two months' time, the naval spokesman told foreign correspon: indents today.
Considerable preparation is necessary before the rivers could be thrown open to third Power si hipping, the spokesman said.
He pointed out that the Japanese authorities would have to alter the Nanking wharves from military to commercial usages. This was but one of the numerous tasks which the Japanese authorities would have to carry o! ut before foreign shipping would be allowed to use the river.
He cited the necessity of removing mines and other obstructions as another reason for failing to open the Yangtze River immediately.
Japanese authorities, he said, did not anticipate the return of Chinese guerillas to Yangtze territory. Because of this factor, he added, he did not expect that the necessity would arise for closing the river to third Power navigation again.
Answering a question as to whether there was any connection with the reopening of the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers with the forthcoming expiration of the American-Japanese 1911 commercial treaty, the spokesman replied that the " has been making efforts to reopen them as soon as possible. Political considerations have not affected the decision."
He added, "however, naturally diplomats might expect some advantages from the reopening."—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.