The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-06

cabinet he will delay announcement of
the election of assistant secretaries.
The Presidents statement follows.
THE President regrets that he is obliged
to announce that he deems it his duty
to decline seeing applicants except when
he invites them. 1t is his purpose and
desire to devote his attention very earn
estly, and very constantly to the business
of the government and the large ques-
tions of policy affecting the whole ma
stion, and he knows from his experience
as governor of New Jersey. where 1t fell
to his lot to make nnumerable appoint
ments that the greater part both of les
time and of his energy, will be spent
in personal interviews with candidates un-
less he sets an invariable rule in the
matter. 1t is his intention TO deal with
appointments through the beads of the
several executive departments.
When Mr.. Bryan quit the cabinet meet
ing and went over to the state depart
ment. he hesitated after leaving the
White House and started for the navy de-
partment, but was intercepted. Mr.. Knox
greeted his successor. Mr.. Daniels was
escorted to the navy department where
Mr.. Meyer greeted him. A similar scene
was in progress at the war department
when Mr.. Stimson introduced Mr.. Garri-
son.
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood. in accord
Gnce with the army regulations will con-
tinue to discharge the duties of chief of
staff until the close of today at least
Then automatically he will be relieved
from that detail, and Major General
Witherspoon, assistant chief of staff, will
act as chief until President Wilson makes
q permanent designation.
Confers With Wickersham
James G. McReynolds, new Attorney
General, spent several hours conferrirs
Nttl
of justice. The two ment over most of the
antitrust suits now in the courts and the
great number of important antitrust III
yestigations under way.
Mr.. Wickersham turned over to his sue
cessor the report of Attorneys Charles B.
Morrison and Oliver f. Pagan regarding
the governments investigation of the
Standard Oil company to determine
whether the dissolution decree had been
violated. AS the new cabinet members
flied out of the White House offices some
had word to say about the first meet
ing. Iosephus Daniels, Secretary of the
Navy, who was the first to come and the
first TO leave said:
I'VE had a general talk. 1t was fine"
William Jennings Bryan's face was
wreathed in smiles.
1T was a get together affair, and we
all got well acquainted said he.
Everything went just as smooth as
OIL" remarked Albert S. Burleson, the new
Postmaster General.
ut was an informal inspiring meeting"
William G. McAdoo, the new Secretary of
the Treasury declared.
THE cabinet meeting was a happy, har-
monious, agreeable affair, and it showed
that every man had red corpuscles in his
veins" said Franklin X. Lane, the new
Secretary of the Interior.
Visitors around the executive. offices
were numerous and Secretary Tumulty
was busy greeting them on behalf of the
President.
Tonight the President met Senator Kern
of Indiana, democratic leader in the SEN
ate, in the executive offices and talked
with him for an hour They discussed
in general fashion legislation to be un-
dertaken during the extra session, but
it is said no definite conclusions were
reached.
Later the President held long con-
ference with Governor Dunn ofzsillinois,
Speaker Mckinley of the Illinois house
and William l.. OConnelly on the Illinois
senatorial situation. When they left the
offices the Illinois leaders said they were
determined to stand firm FOR the election
of j. Hamilton Lewis and Lawrence Y.
Sherman for the long and short terms,
respectively, in the United States Sem
ate. They added that the President had
taken the position that the primary choice
of the people should be supported and
that no deals of any kind should be en-
tered into
1t was after 10 o'clock when the Presi-
dent finished his first days work as chief
executive and retired to his. room.
During the evening the portions of the
White House usually open to the public
during the early part OF the day We're
opened to several hundred visitors.