Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-13
ARKANSAS FRIEND
AIDS PRESIDENT.
Drought Compromise Partly
Credited to Harvey Couch
of Flood Days.
BY REX COLLIER.


President Hoover's sympathetic treat.
ment of Mississippi flood refugees In
1927 so impressed one Arkansas Demo.
crat that he has come forward now as
an effective mediator between q Repub.
lican President and Democratic antag-
onists in the drought relief controversy
Harvey Couch, as chairman Of the
| State flood relief organization in Arkan-
Sas four years ago, spent many hectic
weeks at Herbert Hoover'S side during
the height of the flood emergency and
throughout the rehabilitation period.
Together the then Secretary of Com.
merce and the distinguished Arkansan
tramped over weakened levees, mingled
with refugees in the camps at Memphis
VickSburg and elsewhere along the
swollen river, rode the crest of the flood
waters in large and small craft and
knitted their browS over crayon shaded
maps and narrowing reports from Red
Cross Investigators.
In hot and stuffy ONCE cars loaned
by the railroad companies they ven
tured to beleaguered settlements over
rails Tapped by the yellow back wash
from broken levees to lend personal en-
couragement to those in distress. On
one occasion their train passed over a
trestle short while before It collapsed
under the weight Of another relief
train.
Means of Understanding.
Under the strain of such conditions
men grow to know and understand each
other fairly well. Harvey Couch and
Herbert Hoover became fast friends
Couch is a Rotarian and during q brief
stop in Pine Bluff, his home city, his
club made Hoover an honorory member
for life. The Couch rustic lodge near
Hot Springs, Ark, was used for a tri-
! State conference on flood relief and the
Hoover party members were Quartered
as COUGHS guests during the week end
parley.
During these associations Hoover
learned first hand why Couch had been
selected as head Of the State Red Cross
| and chairman Of the Governors Relief
Committee. From COUGHS host OF
friends he learned many other things
about this remarkable Southerner
He learned that 80 years ago Harvey
Couch was a struggling farm boy, seek
ing his first city job in village drug
store. Young Couch was intensely in
terested in electricity and In spare mo-
| mentS he rugged up the first telephone
line in his section of Arkansas. It con-
sisted Of crude instruments by which
he was able to talk to a nearby farm,
and the transmission lines were the
barbed wires Of fence connecting the
two places
The barbed-wide telephone line soon
was extended. by popular demand, tc
other farm houses. The barbed wires
The system grew until 1t extended into
other counties. A company evolved
with Couch as head Finally, the sys-
tenn had grown so big that it was taken
over by great corporation-and Har-
vey Couch was on Easy street"
Reaches Bigger Business.
The telephone business started Couch
in the light and power business. He
organized the Arkansas Power 81 Light
Co., the Mississippi Power a. Light Co
and the Louisiana Power q Light Co.
He became chairman Of the board of
the Louisiana Gas & Fuel Corporation.
He bought the Louisiana a. Arkansas
Railway Co. several years ago, Sand Is
now its president. He became q direc-
tor Of many allied corporations and sew
eral banks in New York and Arkansas.
In short. Couch became one of the
South's most powerful Industrial giants.
Despite his phenomenal successes, he
remained the same modest individual
he had always been; known everywhere
Although Couch never has taken an
active part in politics. he has been
regarded as one Of the most influential
members Of the Democratic party in
Arkansas. There are those who say
that Couch nearly succeeded in swing
ing Arkansas into the Hoover column
in the 1928 elections. II such are true,
his campaign was not conducted from
the platform or the stump.
Flood Or dr0IiOht Arkanaas f,,rY,s q,
stinctively to Couch for counsel and
assistance. When the drought emer-
gency became acute he was appointed
chairman Of the State Relief Commit
tee. His sole concern, his friends say,
has been to prevent starvation among
his fellow citizens, and when the big
relief night started at the Capitol he
realized the deadlock threatened to in
crease the suffering about him.
In Arbitrator Role.
He decided to come to Washington
and see if he could do anything about
it. Being q friend of those on both
sides Of the relief fund controversy. he
was able to approach both in the role
Of arbitrator, without mourning the re-
sentiment Of either side. He visited the
White House, it is said, and learned
that President Hoover was willing TO
make certain concessions in order TO
facilitate needed relief measures. He
visited the Capitol and talked over the
situation with his old friend, Senator
Caraway.
Out Of these extraordinary negotia-
tons by the unofhcial ambassador from
Arkansas he's come the now famous
compromise relief Arrangement.
Opponents Of the compromise in the
Senate have suggested that Harvey
Couch should be investigated"
To which Senator Caraway in effect
has replied: Go ahead and investi-
gate" knowing Harvey Couch as he