Born in Harvel, Illinois, Howard worked on the railroads and in mining before becoming a printer. In 1907, while living in Tacoma, Washington, he joined the International Typographical Union (ITU). He became president of the union's Portland, Oregon local in 1914, then served as president of the Portland Central Labor Council from 1916. In 1918, he became a Commissioner of Conciliation of the United States Department of Labor.
