Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-04-10
COUNCIL FUND GAN BE HAD
 FOR CITY PARK
H. K. Toney Believes City Can Get $2,500 from the
 Council of Defense.


 Directors of the Jefferson county council of defense and of the Rotary club of Pine Bluff will be asked to- day by H. Kemp Toney, president of 1 the Rotary club, to join in a request to the Arkansas council of defense that at least $2,500 of a fund of ESQ., 1 900 now in the hands of H. c. Couch, state fuel administrator, be turned over to Pine Bluff to be used as part of the fund to be raised by the Rotary club to establish a public park as a memorial for all the Jefferson county men who served in the armies of the United States during the world war
 "Mr. Couch, as fuel administrator of the state, has custody of S25,O00 or $30,O00, which he plans to turn over to the Arkansas council of de- fense," said Mir. Toney to The Graphic last night. "As the state council of defense will not have use for this money, it is very probable that body will be willing to turn the funds over to other organizations. As the people of Pine Bluff and Jeffer- E acrifices-many of our boys giving their lives, and our people giving freely of their money and time-1 believe it entirely proper that part of this fund be turned over to Pine Bluff for use in the establishment of suitable memorial to our heroes-- dead and living.
 With that purpose in view," con- tinued Mir. Toney, "I will tomorrow ask the Jefferson County Council of Defense and the directors of the Ro- tary club to join in request to the state council that MT. Couch be au- thorized to turn over at least $2,500 of the fund to this city for use in establishing memorial to our sold iers. I believe that MT. Couch is in sympathy with such disposition of part of the funds, and that the state council vii lgrant our request"
 Couch Approves Plan.
 "I would be glad to see part of the fund used for memorial in Pine Bluff to the county's soldiers" said MT. Couch when asked by The Graphic for information regarding the fund and his attitude toward such a request as MT. Toney pro- posed. "Pine Bluff people have been very, very generous and self sacrifice ing in support of the war moves of the country, and in all patriotic and relief work, I believe the city is en- titled to great consideration, and am inclined to thing the state coun- cil of defense will look with favor on this plan for disposing of part of the fund"
 The fund, which is now $22,0O0 and probably will reach $3O,000 has ac- cumulated thru contributions from coal operators of Arkansas under an arrangement with the national fuel administrator, thru MT. Couch. These contributions represent excess over certain fixed amounts on sales of slack, and were intended as donations to defray the expenses of the fuel administration in Arkansas and oth- CT state where the slack was sold. Excepting in Arkansas, the fuel ad ministrators and councils of defense in the state interested have been re- ileved, and MT. Couch plans to turn the money over to the Arkansas Coun- cil of Defense at meeting Tuesday. One reason for the fund being in eX- cess of the expenses of the fuel ad- ministration is that MT. Couch per- sonally bore all the expenses he in- cured while serving as fuel admin istrator for Arkansas.
 Mir. Couch is member of the state council of defense, as we'll as fuel ad- ministrator for Arkansas. Among other members of the state council are Governor Brough, Gen. Lloyd England, Senator Calvert and Gener al Gibbons.
 "Mr. Couch has the authority to dis pose of the fund as he sees fit, l be- lieve," said MT. Toney, "but l ap- preciate his position, and approve his purpose to turn over the fund to the state council of defense. I feel confi- dent, however, that if the county council of defense and the Rotary club join in request for part of the fund for use in establishing memorial to our heroes that Pine Bluff will receive part of the fund.-"
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