The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-09
TROOPS WILL
STILL REMAIN
in GERMANY
Decided at Cabinet Meeting No
Immediate Withdrawal
Will Be Made.
PROPOSAL TO RATIFY
TREATY WITH COLOMBIA
Awaiting Reply to American
Note Dispatched to
Panama.
(ey The Associated Press).

WASHINGTON, March S.-Various
aspects of the nations foreign rela-
tions, as well as problems of admin
istrative organization, were considered
by President Harding and his depart
ment heads today at the first cabinet
meeting of the new administration.
Afterward definite announcement
was made at the war department that
in formulating its policy toward the
Rhine situation this government is
not now considering a withdrawal of
the American troops of occupation. 1t
was learned at the same time that as
another step toward Pan-American
amity the president is preparing to
ask that the senate ratify at once the
long pending treaty with Colombia.
Developments in regard to the Pan
anna Costa Rica hostilities We're less
definite, but it is understood the cab
met took cognizance of that situation
and canvassed latest official reports
on the subject. The next step awaits
receipt of a reply from Panama to the
American note dispatched Saturday.
Looking Toward Harmony.
In the realm of domestic questions,
major attention was directed toward
perfecting of the cabinet organization
as a smoothly working machine. MIR.
Harding is understood to have made
cooperation among the departments
the keynote of his preliminary in
structions to his secretaries, telling
them he wanted no hesitation and no
jealousy about whatever changes of
Jurisdiction might be decided on in
the reorganization scheme now being
formulated. All 10 of the department
heads and Vice president Coolidge, in
vited in pursuance of a policy an
nounced during the campaign, were
present at the meeting. The session
lasted more than two hours, and at
its conclusion Attorney General
Baugherty stayed behind foi sort
talk with the president. There also
was a brief conference between Mr.
Harding and Secretary Hughes of the
state department before the other
cabinet members arrived. :.
After the meeting all the secretaries
declined to give an intimation of what
had transpired around the cabinet
table, and the only announcement
coming from the white housed. related
to the time of future sessions - was
said the cabinet would be calf@N to-
gether again Friday, and that there
Il
week, probably on Tuesdays.
The war department announcement
withdrawal of American
tSoops from the Rhine was made bv
Secreary Weeks, who would not dis
cuss the subject further than "a saw
that withdrawal was not now being
considered. In reaching this decision
In regard to it's temporary policy, the
is understood to have
taken into account all the elements of
the present situation in western Ger
many where allied troops have ad
vanced to enforce the termsaof the
Versailles treaty while the American
forces remained behind on the Zines
originally occupied by them under the
armistice agreement.
Considering German Situation.
Although nothing definite has de-
veloped in other official quarters here
to indicate the probable permanent
policy of the new administration. if is
known that the situation now pre-
sented along the German border Is re-
the close scrutiny of Mr. Hard
ing and his advisers. 1t generally is
expected that some more concrete ex-
preston of this governments attitude
may be forthcoming in the near fu-
ture.
When the army appropriation bill
was under consideration just before
republican leaders in
congress proceeded on the expectation
that the American troops would be out