The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-09
FOREIGN RELATIONS
 SUBJECT AT FIRST CABINET MEETING
Definite Announcement Made That U. s. Not Considering Withdrawing Forces From
 Rhine District
By Associated Press

Washington. March s.-Various aspects of the nations foreign relations, as well as problems of administrative organiza- tion, were considered by President Harding and department heads today at the first cabinet meeting of the new ad- ministration.
 Afterward definite announcement was made at the war department that in for mulating it's policy toward the Rhine sit- uation, this government is not now con sidering withdrawal of the American the same time that ais another step to- ward Pan-American anity the President is preparing to ask that the Senate rat fly at once the long, pending treaty with Colombia
 Developments in regard to the Panama Costa Rica hostilities were less definite. but it is understood the cabinet took cog nizance of that situation and canvassed latest official reports on the subject. The next step awaits receipt of reply from Panama to the American note dispatched Saturday.
 STRESSES COOPERATION
 
 major attention was directed toward per- lection of the cabinet organization as a smoothly working machine MT. Harding is understood to have made cooperation among the departments the keynote of his preliminary instructions to his secre- taries, telling them he wanted no hesi- tation and no jealousy about whatever changes of jurisdiction might be decided on in the reorganization scheme now be- ing formulated.
 All 10 of the department heads ana Vice President Coolidge, invited in pur- suance of policy announced during the campaign, 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 a brief individual conference between MT. Harding and Secretary Hughes Of the state department before the other cabinet members arrived.
 After the meeting all the secretaries de- clined to give an intimarfon of what had transpred around the cabinet table, and the only announcement coming from the White House related to the time of fu- ture sessions It was said the cabinet would be called together again Friday, and that thereafter meetings would be held at least once wek, probably on Tuesdays,
 NO TROOP WITHDRAWAL
 The war department announcement con- cern s.ag withdrawal of American troops from the Rhine was made by Secretary Weeks, who would not discuss the sub ject further than to say that withdrawal was not now being considered. In reacn- ing this decision in regard to it's tenn pcrary policy the administration is ur- derstood to have taken into account all the elements of the present situation in xuha allied trnnnS have advanced to enforce the terms of the Versailles treaty, while the Amer ican forces remained behind on the lines originally occupied by them under the armistice agreement.
 Although nothing definite has developed in other official quarters here to indicate the probable permanent policy of the new administration. H is known that the situation now presented along the Ger man border is receiving the close scru- tiny of MT. Harding and his advisors. IL generally is expected that some more concrete expressions of this governments attitude may be forthcoming in the near future.
 When the army appropriation bill was under consideration just before inaugu- ration republican leaders in Congress proceeded on the expectation that the American troops wc.:s.1 Sc out of Europe before July L The bill with it's curtailed budget for the army or occupation failed of final enactment. and must be taken up again at the special session.
 Also wrapped up in the Rhine situa- tion is the question of passing congress sional resolution to declare state Of peace with Germany and it is believed the administration will determine its att titude on such resolution in the light of full information about present Euro pean conditions