Evening star., 1921-02-20
HARDING GETS BUSY
ON FOREIGN POLICY
WITH HUGHES HELP
Appointment of Justice as
Secretary of State Form
ally Announced.
ASSOCIATION OF NATIONS
DISCUSSED AT Meeting
Leaders Refuse to Make Statement
on Problems to Be Solved
After March 4.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. February 19.
Foreign problems that must be
solved after March 4 were discussed
at length today by President-elect
Harding and Charles Evans Hughes.
whose designation as Secretary of
State for the coming administration
was formally announced by Mr.. Hard
ing.
Neither the President-elect nor the
prospective head of the State Depart
ment would add any formal comment
to the simple oral announcement of
the former Justices selection. Mr..
Hughes declaring it would be mex =
pedient to publicly discuss at this
time problems that must be dealt
with in the future. Mr.. Harding, in
turn, said that one of the policies of
his administration would be to let
each department head speak for him
self.
The announcement embodied the first
official word to come from the Pres-
dent-elect regarding selections for men,
bership in his family of counselors.
There was no element of surprise in the
selection, for it had been known for
several weeks that Mr.. Hughes virtual
ly was certain to be given the place. He
is understood to have been Mr. Hard
ings choice from the first, despite strong
pressure on behalf of other aspirants.
''Of course" Mr. Hughes said. IT ap-
praise it as great privilege to be in-
vited by Senator Harding to serve in his
administration. And regard it as an
imperative obligation to accept"
League Under Discussion.
1t generally was understood that dip
lomatic appointments to be made at the
outset Of the new administration fur
nished one of the topics talked over,
and that there was consideration also
of the preliminary steps to be taken
toward an association of nations. In re-
gard to appointments the diseass;ou was
more or less indefinite. it being the
policy of the President-elect to delay
most of the selections for diplomatic
posts until after Inauguration.
Although neither Mr.. Harding nor
Mr.. Hughes would divulge the opin
ions expressed during their consulta-
lion. the general impression among
those close close to the President
elect is that the first diplomatic an
proaches to other nations in regard to
a peace association will be of an en-
tirely informal character.
No official diplomatic correspondence
is expected on the subject and no
formally accredited diplomatic mis-.
sions are likely to be sent abroad
until the attitude of other powers
has been felt out quietly and some
basis for negotiation established.
Mr.. Hughes will bring to the secre-
taryship OF state legal training of
unusual scope as well as a mind
sympathetic to International agree
ment for the maintenance of peace
during the treaty fight he advocated
reserved ratification of the Versailles
league and he proposed several reser-
vations which were considered bv
the Senate majority in the prena,,.
ton of it's final program.
Saw Justice During Camparrr.
In the midst of the national
paign last year Mr.. Harding held on.
OF his longest conferences with ~.
man now selected to sit al ,b. 49,,
OF 'he caoinet' and when the confer
ehces OF pest minds began at
Marion in December he was the fret
to be summoned. 1t is unders,oo,
that even then Mr.. Harding vir,u.1I,,
had decided on the appointment
though the formal invitation was No,
extended until a later date,
Strong support for other av.;,.h,
men for the state portfolio da,,o,o,
during December and January o,o
of the most insistent movements ha
ing for the selection of Elibu pa,.
former Secretary. Since tho
of the year, however. there have b...
repeated indications that Mr. H..
ins's mind was made up on the oues-
tion. and he is known to have con-
sidered announcement of the apnoint-
meDt early in January.
The only question Mr.. Hughes u.S
willing to answer tonight in regard
to the policies Of his department re-
late to publicity. Asked whether he
intended to follow the precedent Of
the present administration in boldin.
periodical conferences with newsns- :
per men. he replied with an empbatic
affirmative. adding that he wanted to
give the fairest publicity to every
department question that would per.
NIT of public discussion.
Although the conference with Mr.
Hughes occupied virtually all of the
President-elect's attention during tho
day. he had several other callers in
Guiding Chairman Fordney Of the
House ways and means committee
who came 10 talk about tariff lepis.
iation. and Manual Angelo, a repre.
sentative of the Cuban liberal partv
who asked that the American govern
ment aid in guaranteeing fair cleo
tions in Cuba. On neither of tbes.
questions did Mr.. Harding express
any final opinion.