Evening star., 1921-03-05
HARDING CABINET
OFFICERS TAKE Up
THEIR NEW DUTIES
Heads of Ten Departments
Under Wilson Administra-
ton Step Out.
HUGHES FIRST TO TAKE
OATH OF OFFICE TODAY
Mellon Sworn In Yesterday-Mr
and Mrs. Weeks Shake Hands
With 1000 in Department.

Today was, d day Of change i'll the
governments departments.
The heads of the ten departments s
under the Wilson administration had
closed up their records and cleared
away their desks. preparatory to turn
ing over their respective portfolios to
the men selected by President Hard
ing as his advisers.
The nomination Of all ten members
of the new cabinet had been confirmed,
the Senate acting on them yesterday
after the names had been presented by
Mr.. Harding in person Their COM
missions also had been signed. the new
chief executive having attended to that
as soon as he was able to visit the
executive offices late yesterday.
one member OF the new cabinet
Andrew W. Mellon of PennsylvanAa j.
the new secretary OF the Treasury
took the oath OF Office yesterday at
the Capitol. soon after the conclusion
OF the inaugural ceremonies. Chief
Justice White of the Supreme Court
administered the oath to Mr.. Mellon
in the office Of Senator Knox of
Pennsylvania. Mr.. Mellon. accord,
inGly took charge of the financial
operations of the government on
reaching his Office at II o'clock to-
day. Immediately on his arrival he
went into conference with the retir-
ing Secretary. David W. Houston.
Gain Preliminary Knowledge.
More than half of the new cabinet
members had gained preliminary
knowledge of the duties they ere to
undertake through conferences with
retiring members.
Charles Evans Hughes became Sec
retary of state at 9:53 o'clock am. to-
day. He was sworn III at the State
Department by Associate Justice Day
of the Supreme Court.
The brief ceremony was performe ed
in the presence of cambridge Colby.
the retiring Secretary: Undersecre-
tary Davis. Henry +. Fletcher, who
has been named undersecretary, and
other officials of the department and
few pecially invited guests.
The guests included Mrs. Hughes
and her son, Charles T.. jr.
Mr.. Colby's last official act was to
countersign the warrant of Office of
Mr.. Hughes, and the new Secretary's
first official act was to countersign
the commissions of the other cabinet
officers.
Secretary Hughes received the con-
gratulations of Mr.. Colby and ex-
pressed the hope that he could call
upon the retiring Secretary for his
advice and counsel.
Officers Likely to stay.
After the administration of the oath
the incoming and retiring Secretaries
withdrew into an inner Office, where
they chatted informally. MIR. Hughes
then was introduced to different Off
GERS of the department.
William r. Beck who was private
secretary to former Secretary Colby.
has been retained by Secretary
Hughes in the same capacity. No
changes have been made in the office
of Secretary Hughes. and il is report
I'd that none will be made in the near
future.
Ten minutes after Mr.. Hughes took
office. former Senator John w. Weeks
Secretary Of War. the oath being ad-
mini stored by Associate Justice Nc
Reynolds of the Supreme Court. The
ceremony took place in the Secretary
Of Wars Office. on the same corridor
with that in which Mr.. Hughes was
installed.
Those attending the ceremony were
Secretary Baker Gen. Pershing. Mai
Gen. March. chief Of staff. and other
members of the general staff and
chiefs of the departmental bureaus.
Mr.. and Mrs. John w. Davidge of
this city. the new Secretary's daush-
ter and son-in-law, were present, as
was Mrs Weeks.
shake Hands With ThOusands.
After the oath was administered
Secretary Baker presented to the new
Secretary and Mrs. Weeks the officers
and bureau chiefs. There were about
a thousand of them who passed along
the line. shaking hands with Mr. and
Mrs. Weeks
John w. Martyr of Milton, Mass,
has been appointed private secretary
TO Secretary Weeks. He is a native
WashinStonian, and has been as
sociated with the head of the War
Continued on Page 2, Column 81