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Show U. S. Denies Asking For Fortifying Probo WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 (UP) The state department today denied that the United State, either directly direct-ly or indirectly, had requested the league of nation to investigate reports re-ports that Japan was fortifying Islands in th Pacific over which it hold a mandate. A spokesman for th Japanese embassy em-bassy at th tarn time denied any fortification were being built He aald aom harbor Improvement had been mad to aid Japanese fishing fleet. Th Island In question are the Caroline and Mariana groups in the Pacific between Hawaii and tho Philippine. Phil-ippine. Military expert aald they had good harbors which conceivably could be used eeaplan or aub-marln aub-marln bases. State department official wore war that th leagu had been Investigating In-vestigating the Island. Soma official offi-cial had heard that one of the leagu power had requested the inquiry. in-quiry. It waa Insisted that the United Unit-ed Btatea had nothing to do with the request Th United Prea dlspstch from Geneva telling of the investigation waa studied her with especial interest in-terest In view of the ensctment of th Phillppin Independence bill over President Hoover's veto. Sponsor of th measure pointed out that great rare had been taken to assure the United States a free hand in event of future negotiations over Pacific fortifications. This country coun-try also reserve th right to main-iteln main-iteln military bases In the Philippines after Independence. |