The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-05
A Genuine Gentleman.

for his ability.
A Genuine Gentleman.
"One day, 1 was waiting in the
union station when there got off a
train to change cars a little old wom-
an from out the X. and w. who had
never been so far from home in her
life before. She had to wait here an
hour or SO, and every time a switch
engine bell rang she would go to the
ticket window and ask whether that
was her train. A dozen times, Fred
Howell politely told her it vas not.
Then he told her to sit down and not
worry, and when her train came he
would see to it, surely and certainly,
that she got aboard. The train final
ly arrived. Fred Howell came out OF
the ticket Office, went owe and CO.
the little, old lady, escorted her out
to the train with the respectful defer
ence a dowager duchess might receive
from a diplomat, and helped her up
the steps Of the coach.
THAT is the kind of a gentleman
Fred Howell always was-and that
was long before the railroad manag-
ers ever thought Of service to ths
public, too.
Won Commission by Competition.
After a few years in that union
station ticket Office to the entire sat
isfaction of his superiors, Fred Howell
went to Cortez Maxwell, n day,
and employed the latter to coach him
in mathematics. Howell had been in
Cornell university for some years.
don't know whether he graduated or
not-and was studying again here IN
Keokuk and decided he needed a
coach for the mathematics part of it
There was considerable mystery
about it, due to the silence maintain
ed by both Fred Howell and Cortez
Maxwell, both of whom lodged ques-
tons on the subject. In a few weeks
it all came out.
with q score of second lieutenantS
in the regular army to be appointed
from civilian life by Mckinley, and
to be chosen by examination, Fred
Howell went to Leavenworth or some
where and took the examination for
a commission-and made the highest
marks Of the whole class from all
over the country.
"He left Keokuk in a few weeks,
and so far as l know has been
back here.
The Fruits of Hard Work.
'In the army he had to combat the
~[2assive, but very real, antagonism OF
West Pointers for civilian appointees,
and once they nearly got him-he was
Iblameless by the verdict Of no less a
stickler for army and navy honor
than President Theodore Roosevelt.
His rise to a high place indicates
that he overcame this caste feeling
lcompletely-and you young men ought
Ito always remember hal right con
duct. being a perfect gentleman, and
ibeing more anxious to be right than
to get credit, wins every time against
ANY caste prejudice or any machtna'
Itions Of any enemies.
"As the years rolled by, and l skim
lined through the Army and Navy
journal, / saw that Fred Howell had
returned from the Philippines, was at
various army posts and coast artil
ilery stations-and was writing articles
on artillery that were published IN
prominent places and were as full OF
deep mathematics as any part OF the
IKeokuk water power plans.
He sits Among the Highest.
Mention of him in the Army and
Navy journal SnONeN Ills BlduuaI
rise in rank, I think faster than his
wears of service demanded, to frs
lieutenant, captain and major OF
artillery. Then he was a lieutenant
colonel until this order No. Al mad:
him a colonel.
"The reorganization Of the olt
army and the creation of a genera
staff made the place for him there
Now. Fred Howell, formally and OF
lficially James +. Howell, is chief o.
staff of army artillery, the highes
office in the artillery part OF tht
United States army.
"And we are in a war being foug n
largely by the artillery. 1t makes
nv brain a little tired to even try t
sense how much a man must know t
be capable Of filling that place today
II am just as much delighted at |
all as his family are, for 1t justif1e'
my estimate of the young man Whe
used to sell tickets and help frighten
ed old ladies down at. the keokui
union station. And of course he is
real Keoluk product, born and reared
zmo ,rd 1iyad bare until he entered