Norwich bulletin., 1921-03-09
FIRST CABINET MEETING
 OF THE NEW ADMINISTRATION

Washington, March S.-Various as- poets of the nations foreign relations as well as problems of administrative organ ization were considered by President Harding and his department heads today at the first cabinet meeting of the new administration.
 Afterward definite announcement was made at the war department that in for mulating it's policy toward the Rhine situation this government is not now con- sidering a withdrawal of the American troops of occupation. It was sIrne6 at the same time that as another step to- ward Pan-American amity the president l is preparing to ask that the senate ratify at once the long pending treaty with Co., l lombia.
 | Developments in regard to the Panama Costa Rica hostilities were less definite. | but it is understood the cabine ttook coz nizance of that situation nd canvassed latest official reports on the subject. The next step awaits receipt of a reply from Panama to the American note despatched 1 Saturday.
 In the realm of domestic questions major attention was directed toward per | lection of the cabinet organization as A smoothly working machine. Mir. Harding is understood to have made co-operation
 
 his preliminary instructions to his secre- taries. telling them he wanted no hesita- ton and no jealousy about whatever changes of Jurisdiction might be decided on in the reorganization scheme now be- ing formulated.
 All ten of department heads and Vice President Coolidge, invited in pursuance of a policy announced during the cam paign, were present at the meeting. The session lasted more than two hours and at it's conclusion Attorney General Daugherty stayed behind for a short talk with the president. There also was q brief individual conference between Mir Harding and Secretary Hughes of the state department before the other cabi. net members arrived
 After the meeting all the secretaries , declined to give an intimation of what had transpired around the cabinet tabl, and the only announcement coming iron the White House related to time and flu . ture sessions. It was said the cabine would be called together again Frida, and that thereafter meetings would b, held at least once a week, probably or Tuesdays.
 The war department announcement
 concerning withdrawal of American , troops from the Rhine was made by Sec retary Weeks. who would not discuss tn subject further than to say that with drawal was not now being considered , In reaching this decision in regard to it [ temporary policy, the administration understood to have taken into account al
 the elements of the present situation ii
 western Germany, where allied troop 7 have advanced to enforce the terms of tn Versailles treaty, while the America : forces remained behind on the lines orig : inally. occupied by them under tn armistice agreement
 Although nothing definite has develope
 in other official quarters here to ind cate the probable permanent policy of tn f ne administration. it is known that tn Esituation now presented along the Ger e man border is receiving the close scrutin f of Mir Marding and his advisers. It ger i erally is expected that some more COT crete expression of this governments al titude may be forthcoming in the nes future.
 P, When the armJN appropriation bill va : under consideration just before inaug1 if ration. republican leaders in congres V proceeded on the expectation that il l. American troops would be out of EuroJ = before the first of Jnly. The bill wit Y it's curtailed budget for the army of O
 cnDatien failed of final enactment ar