The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-09

John W. Jewell, OF Spr1ngneIds
Missouri, who was murdered at Camp
Funston, Fort Riley, KansaA on the
evening of January IL, is the hrst
meQber of the stat of Trench ana
Camp to die while in the discharge OF
his duty.
His death is a loss not only to
Trench and Camp and the war work
of the Y. M. G. A, but as well to the
community in which he had already
earned for himself the character OF
a man of light and leading.
When the practicability of Trench
and Camp was still in doubt, ! re-
ceived kilograms and letters from
Dean Williams, of the School of Jour-
nalism at the University Of Missouri,
and from publishers and editors
throughout the country commencing
John W. Jewell as a young man OF
extraordinary attachments and ability
who desired to serve the country in
the capacity of editor, If such field
were open to him.
From the first of our negotiations,
Mr.. Jewell showed himself to be q
man whose sole thought was to serve
the country. He made no stipulation
for salary or for convenience, except
to say that he preferred to serve at
Topeka, where his good friend, Mr..
Frank P. MacLennan, was publishing
Trench and Camp for Camp Funston.
Beyond this he asked for nothing for
himself save the opportunity to serve.
In letter accepting, Mr. Jewell said:
''It is with great interest that Il look
forward to my appointment as one Of
the individuals who will give the
young Americans a newspaper that
they will enjoy. Being a young man
myself may be very helpful in making
decisions as to subject matter and
style At any rate, 1 can assure you
there will be no lack Of enthusiasm
on my part
This enthusiasm he showed to the
fullest degree, not only by the vigor
with which he attacked his work, but
by the sagacity and large-mindedness
with which he viewed the whole
movement to produce a paper for the
soldiers that would interpret the lives
of the soldiers to themselves and to
their people at home.
The week of his death MI Jewell
had teiegraphed asking for an ap-
pointment in the East for the purpose
of discussing other Improvements he
had in mind for Trench, and Camp
at Camp Funston, and it was at the
very time / was expecting notification
of the date of his arrival that the
news of his death came over the Asso-
ciated Press wires.
feel as IL ! had lost dear friend.
for this work on Trench and Camp
has been a labor of love on the part
of every one, and of all those who
have work in this undertaking none
has shown more sagacity, more en-
thusiasm. more effective desire to
serve than John w. Jewell.
The editors of Trench and Camp
have been brought into close contact
with the whole army post. They have
chronicled the .doings of the men,
they have tried to make every man,
no matter how lonely he was, feel at
home in the army and cheerful about
his work; they have used printers
ink to give team spirit with a rapid
ity that cannot be afforded by drill
and the uniform alone, and those
who have seen the Topeka State Jour-
nal edition of Trench and Camp for
Camp Funston will read, set down in
plain words, the spirit that animated
John W. Jewell, and has animated SO
many other editors for Trench and
Camp.
Where one million and a half men
are gathered together in the trenches
in France and in the camps in Amer
lea <perfecting themselves for the
great and noble task of setting free
the spirit of man to follow its own
ideals, to be guided by its own con-
science, to fight, and, if need be. to
ole in order that mankind NAV here->
after live and love and labor in peace.
the death of one man is not a great
affair. when viewed in the larger as
pect OF the national life. In the
midst of the sacrifices that have been
made and are yet to be made for the
cause of liberty. there remains the
great consolation for the friends and
family of Mr.. Jewell. that at the -FOUR
OF his country's need he gladly gave
her all his talents. and served bril-
liantly in that department to which
ne was assigned, thereby giving a
shining example of a man whose only
thought was the public welfare, and
who
Did his 1vork, and held his peace.
and had no fear TO die"
That is the example, in life or
death, of the spirit by whose power
alone the Republic can endure.