Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-16
Betkouski Apologies, but
Repeats Bond Deal IS Steal
Councilman Says He Means That Purchasing Syndi-
cate SIS the Thief When Other Members
Score Him for Remarks About Con-
tract but Fails to Dispel Frost

drews. "I will bank on my
record since childhood. But l wish
to point out that in objecting to
canceling $4,000 in premiums for
the benefit of the syndicate Mr..
Betkouski is not consistent, as last
summer we sold $1,000,000 of owens
river bonds to two New York IN
surance companies at par and Mr..
Betkouski voted with all of us to
do so. If it is a steal when $62,OOO
in premiums goes by the board, then
it was a steal when the million
was sold without premium, and We
are all equally guilty"
President Lusk again felt things
were going little too far and said:
81 repeat that 1 cannot think Mr..
Betkouski meant to cast any re-
Elections on any member of this
council, but the language he used
was unfortunate. If he is correctly
quoted the outside world will con-
clude that he thought the other
members Of the council were en-
gagged in q steal. 1 don't think
we should make such statements
unless we honestly believe them
and are prepared to back them up
with proof"
81 am glad the president looks
at this matter as he does" re-
sponded Betkousk. "I never be-
lieved that any member of this
council was a beneficiary. But L
did intend to convey the idea and
still believe that the bond syndicate
is"
In previous remarks Councilman
Stewart had referred to Councilman
Whiffen as the running mate of
DR.. A. D. Houghton. in the last
election, and Mr. Whiffen, when
he rose to have his say, resented
this more than he did anything
Betkouski had said.
"I voted for this proposition last
Thursday in lukewarm manner"
said Mr.. Whiffen, land ( did so
because 1 did not fully understand
it, but any vote of mine was made
with the knowledge that 1 had a
right to reconsider If I chose"
THE ICICLEs REMAIN
Councilman Washburn could not
get the word "steaP' out of his
mind and he felt keenly about the
matter because he is chairman Of
the finance committee that recon-
mended the modified contract.
"Mr. Betkouski still says this
contract is a steal" declared Mr..
Washburn. IT want to know how
the syndicate can steal without the
connivance of the city council. In
the same connection the question
of power development has been in
jected into this matter. But the
bond syndicate, instead of opposing
the power project, now has adopted
a conciliatory attitude
81 want to offer an apology as
fas as the members of this council
consider anything l have said as a
reflection on them personally" said
Mr.. Betkouski.
And want to know If Mr.. Bet
kouski has influence enough to
have his apology printed with as
screaming a headline as the article
in which he characterized this as
a steal,' inquired Councilman Greg
ory.
''I don't want any apology printed
because l still believe it is what
I have called it, although 1 repeat
I mean no reflection on the coun-
Gil" responded Mr.. Betkouski.
And, except from some scattered
remarks from members of the coun-
Gil, the matter ended there, but
those icicles still hung over the
heads Of the councilmen all morn
ing and there does not seem much
prospect of their melting very
soon.