WASHINGTON, March 5, 1921 (UP) - The Harding administration today formally shouldered the burden of government.
The Harding cabinet was inducted into service today, each member taking oath of office at the department of which he is head in the presence of the retiring cabinet members.
The most formidable tasks facing the new administration must be handled by Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes, Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon, Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby and Secretary of War John W. Weeks.
Hughes must execute Harding's policy in defining future international relations or plans for a new association of nations. Peace with Germany is to be made by passage of the Knox resolution, according to the assumption here, with immediate withdrawal of the American troops from Germany.
Hughes also must take up the mandate controversy with allied powers, involving the American contention for the "open door" in former enemy territory.
Hughes now has on his desk replies from the League of Nations Council and the British government to the American protests against the Japanese mandate over Yap, and the Franco-British oil agreement in Mesopotamia.
Hughes' two next important tasks are settlement of the California anti-Japanese land laws and adjustment of the situation in Mexico.
To Mellon falls the task of settling the question of the allied debts of $10,000,000,000, executing the new revenue policy to be framed by Congress.
Denby must formulate the American navy's policy toward world disarmament and decide the question of the superiority of the battleship or the airplane. Secretary of War Weeks' problems are expected to be mostly internal ones of army reorganization.
