The Washington times., 1921-09-23
SQUARE DEAL To
C|TX,|SkELLER'S s
OFFICIAL SLOGAN
New Engineer Commissioner
Sees Great Future for D. c.
and Hopes to Be Of Help.
fair deal for everyone.

A Ialr zeal Tor everyone.
This is the ideal of Col. Charles
Keller, U. s. A., Corps OF Engineers
who has been named by President
kutz as Engineer Commissioner for
! the District of Columbia.
The new Commissioner said In an
swer. to question as TO whether he
had been at the District building
since he was named for the post that
the only times he has been in the
building was as taxpayer.
Familiar With Duties.
But although he has not been inside
the District building. the new Engi.
posted men on District affairs In the
Engineer Corps. Before the war he
was on duty with the office of the
chief of engineers here and acted as
intermediary between the District En-.
gineer Commissioner and the chief OF
engineers. In. this capacity he be-
came intimately acquainted with
many of the District problems.
A coincidence in the appointment
of Colonel Keller TO succeed Colonel
Kutz is found in the fact that this Is
the second time that he has followed
Colonel Kutz. In 1903 he succeeded
NIOlOHtl NutLy III Va Soihpohy
Is, Third Battalion OF Engineers. at
the Washington Barracks, and took
the company TO the Philippines.
In the Philippines he was the pio-
neer engineer OF the Moro province
under General Wood, and remained
there until he was ordered back to the
United States in 1905.
On Job In Two Weeks.
Colonel Keller has no opinions on
the position OF Engineer Commissioner
for the District of Columbia. but is
very anxious to begin his duties and
get the best possible for the people OF
Washington. He has not been Off.
cially notified by the chief of engi.
neers of his transfer from the War
Department, and will have to remain
in his present place until his successor
Is designated. He probably will as
sumo his new duties at the District
building in about two weeks, II Is said.
Washington Is the finest city l
have ever seen," Colonel Keller said
to day, "and I have seen many in my
service in the army. While ii lacks
some things. believe that these
deficiencies will be met in the near
parks, roadways and sidewalks Is only
matter OF time"
Colonel Keller was born in New
York, February IS, 1868, and was
graduated from West Point near the
head Of his class in 1890. While at
the Military Academy he first became
acquainted with Colonel KutZ, who
was a few classes below him. On
graduation, he was assigned to the
Corps OF Engineers. and since that
time has been engaged In river and
harbor work and general engineering
projects in the United States and the
Philippines. He came to Washington
In 1915 for duty at the War Depart
ment.
While on duty at the War Depart
ment he was commissioned a brtga.
der general in the national army on
February 26, 1918. and went to France
the following October. He was dep
uty chief Of engineers Of the Ameri-
can expeditionary forces until June,
1919, when he was ordered back to the
United States and assigned to duty in
the office Of chief Of engineers. He
was awarded a Distinguished Service
Medal for his work in France and
was made a member Of the French
Legion of Honor.
Is Golf Fan.
Colonel Keller lives with his family
at 1854 Kalorama road northwest. He
has two sons, Charles, thirteen, who
Is a student at Friends School, and
Ira, twenty-one. who IL connected
with the Westinghouse Electric Com
pany at Pittsburgh.
He Is an ardent baseball fan and
plays a good game Of golf and tennis.