Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-03-05
CABINET MEMBERS
AND AIDS SWORN IN
AND START DUTIES
Busy Day at Washington as Harding Rises Early - After
New Cabinet and Aids Breakfast He Sees Wallace
Change to Republican Side and Hoover at White House
MANY LEAVE CAPITAL DAY TO BE BUSY ONE
Hughes Starts to Work--SeeS
Harding Following Confer
ence on Panama Incident

WASHINGTON. March 5.-Today
was day of change of the govern
ment's departments.
The heads of the ten departments
under the Wilson administration had
closed up their records and cleared
away their desks, preparatory TO
turning over the portfolios to the
men selected by President Harding
as his advisors.
The nominations of all ten men,
bers of the new cabinet had been
confirmed. tine senate acting on
them yesterday after the names had
been presented by Mr.. Harding IN
person. Their commissions also had
been signed, the new chief executive
having attended TO that as soon as
he was able to visit the executive
offices.
One member of the new cabinet,
Andrew w. Mellon, of Pennsylvania
the new secretary of the treasury,
took the oath of office yesterday
soon after conclusion of the inaug-
ural ceremony. Chief Justice White
administered the oath in the Office
of Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Mellon accordingly tooh
charge of the financial operations o.
the government on reaching his
I Office at the treasury today.
Swearing in of the other members
I was postponed until today. The
plans were for them to be sworn in
at their respective departments by
! the departmental solicitors and with
the various bureau chiefs of their
departments as witnesses.
1 More than half of the new me M
bers had gained a preliminary
knowledge of the duties they are to
undertake through conferences with
/ retiring members.
( The brief ceremony was perform
4 ed in the presence of cambridge COL
4 by Under Secretary Davis. Henry P.
! Fletcher. who had been named un-
/ der-secretary, other officials of the
department. Mrs. Hughes and her
son, Charles Z. Jr.. and few other
specially invited guests.
Mr.. Colbys last official act was
/ to countersign the warrant of office
| of Mr.. Hughes and new secretary's s
/ first official act was TO counter sign
commission of the other new officers.
Ten minutes afterward, John w.
/ Weeks. of Massa achusetts. was sworn
/ in as secretary of war. the oath be-
/ ing administered by Associate Jus
tice McReynolds, of the supreme
court.
Former Senator Fall. the new Sec
| retary of interior, was the third to
, be sworn in during the day. The oath
was administered at the interior de-
! partment by w. B. Acker, of as
sistant chief clerk in the presence
of retiring Secretary John B. Payne
and officials of the department. -
I Secretary Fail announced the fol-
/ lowing appointments:
Charles r. Stafford, of New Mex
/ ico. former secretary Of the senate
( ate committee on the Pacific ISL
ands. and Porto Rico. 10 be the sec
retary's assistant. Frank A. Davis
was sworn in as secretary of labor
the oath being administered by SAM
! uel Gompers, Jr.. in the presence OF
\ retiring Secretary William B. VIII
son and officers of the department
At the same time that his chiet
was sworn in Edward ]. Henning
of San Diego. Cal, took the oath OF
assistant secretary of labor. Andrew
( J. Mellon, who took the oath yester-
( day, arrived at the treasury depart
ment at II A. NJ. and Immediately
went into conference with David W
| Houston. the retiring secretary.