European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday february 8, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 5only $365,000 collected in 55 a amp a cases by the Washington Post Washington a the Federal government has collected Only $365,000 out of $84 million in fines and repayments in 55 major savings and loan criminal convictions a general accounting office official said thursday. A someone in the Federal government should be held accountable a said Gao associate director Harold Valentine. A not even a Penny for every Dollar in fines and restitution ordered has been  members of a Senate banking subcommittee exasperated by the testimony of Gao officials were also told that no one in the Federal government is keeping track of How much is collected. Valentine and Gao assistant director Edward Stephenson estimated that if All 4,030 convictions in major Bank and a amp a cases since 1987 Are considered the government has collected about $20 million out of $1.3 billion in court ordered fines and restitution. Many of the prosecutions occurred after 1989, when Congress began providing extra Money to More attorneys and Fri agents to bring the cases. The government is also seeking to recover billions of dollars through civil suits resulting from a amp a and Bank failures. Congress has authorized More than $550 million for fiscal 1990 through 1993 to press civil and criminal suits related to Banks and a amp is. Ira Raphaelson the Justice departments special counsel for financial institution fraud told the subcommittee that there is no systematic Way to calculate collections because they Are made in Many ways a through courts . Attorneys offices and regulatory agencies such As the Federal Deposit insurance corp. And the Resolution Trust corp. But Gao officials and subcommittee members told Raphaelson that they consider him responsible for finding out How much has been collected and insisted that he let them know what resources would be needed to track that information. Many democrats said they believe the Bush administration has been reluctant to put a figure on financial fraud recoveries because the amount is so Small. The Gao is the investigative Arm of  cultivates Washington s work on farm mount Vernon a. A he was first in War first in peace and even today should be first in the hearts of americans Farmers. Few people seem to know it but George Washington was not Only the father of the country but also a founder of the Means to reap its Bounty. And the group that runs his mount Vernon estate is driving Home that Point. Thanks to a private $1.75 million Grant the organization is reproducing one of the five farms Washington operated on the property 10 Miles South of the nations capital. It will include a replica of his 16-sided Bam where Washington was among the first to process his crops indoors a to reduce waste. Other Washington innovations a he introduced mules to America animals that All but replaced horses behind plows across the nation. He bred his first mule using a jackass sent to mount Vernon by the King of Spain. A while most Plantation owners were depleting their soil by Over planting Washington planted different crops in any particular Field from season to season a a practice now known As rotating. A a we re hoping to expand Pep let a understanding of George Washington a said in the stars and stripes Ann Rauscher of the mount Vernon ladies association. A fall most people know is that George Washington chopped Down a Cherry tree a and that old myth is not even  the 4-acre exhibition will be constructed on a drained and filled swamp Washington once called a a hell Hole a she said. It Wasny to the site of major cultivation while Washington was alive but the project will be representative of the five farms that existed on the estate which then spanned 8,000 acres. Washington struggled to make his farms profitable Rauscher said. The nations first president was chronically Cash poor and had to borrow the Money to travel to new York for his inauguration she noted. A people say that mount Vernon probably would have prospered More As a farm if he Hadnot been away As much As he was a she said. Costumed labourers will work in the Fields growing Corn wheat and other crops Washington planted Over a 45-year Nenod. Visitors will be Able to see How arrested crops were stored and cured. Students will build the 16 sided barn 10 years ago feb. 8,1982 a president Reagan a massive deficit forecast sent Shock Waves through Congress As republicans and democrats alike doubted his tax and spending recommendations would survive an election year session. 20 years ago feb. 8,1972 a president Nixon submitted to Congress a $2 billion manpower training program saying it would Cut unemployment and increase productivity of american workers. 30 years ago feb. 8, 1962 More than 107 German Coal miners were killed and 72 were trapped 1,800 feet below ground when a mass of heated Gas exploded in the Luise thai mine at cd Klingen near Saa Brucken in one of the worst mine disasters in German history. 40 years ago feb. 8,1952 a Queen Elizabeth ii new Sovereign of great Britain Cut Short her projected five month state tour of Africa Ceylon Australia and new zealand to take Over the duties of the throne. She returned to London less than 36 hours after the death of her father King George i. By hand with Wood from Trees harvested this photo taken Between the 1880s and 1890s, shows George Washington a 16-sided on the estate and handmade Brick. Barn that he built at mount Vernon va., Between 1792 and 1794.logging reforms Cut Down in California Sacramento Calif. Up the state Assembly dealt a major setback thursday to far reaching logging reforms affecting 7.1 million acres of privately owned California Timber lands. But sponsors said  try again. A obviously its a setback. Two of the four Bills Are now dead and cannot be resurrected a assemblyman Byron Sherd Palo Alto said after three efforts failed to Muster the required minimum of 41 votes. One of the Bills which would have added environmentalists to the state Board of forestry was Defeated 33-34. The other would have prohibited cutting Down Trees faster than new growth could replace them. It fell four votes Short at 37-33. The Assembly also voted Down the same Bills last week but agreed to reconsider them. It was the fourth Effort in two years to Reform californians logging Laws passed in 1973. The four Bills were designed to curb Over cutting and protect ancient Redwood forests by limiting the Harvest to 50 percent of the Trees every 25 years and to prohibit Clear cutting of old growth forests. They also would have restructured the governor appointed forestry Board and provided protections for wildlife habitats streams and watersheds. The Reform package was backed by Republican gov. Pete Wilson but fought by gop legislators. Republican opponents argued that the measures would Cost 17,000 Timber Industry jobs and would Worsen the economic woes of the states Northern coast. Democrats who opposed the Bills said it would allow logging of irreplaceable ancient forests. But assemblyman Dan Hauser Darca to said Many of the democrats were a afraid to support what was seen As the governors package. Behind the scenes even the environmental activists were split. The Sierra club worked to kill the package because it said the measures would not offer enough Forest Protection. Other major groups lobbied for the package. A there were so Many defects so Many loopholes. We need to work on the legislation and make it better a Sierra club lobbyist Darryl Young said. To win Over the Sierra club the legislation would have to assure that Timber companies a will grow As Many or More Trees than Are being Cut Down a Young said. World War ii 50 years ago today 8 feb.1 9 4-2 japanese troops storm y ashore on the Northwestern Corner of Singapore carving out a Strong beachhead and advancing toward the British Colony s biggest Airfield. In the Philippines the japanese commander on Luzon orders his troops to pull Back from their attacks on . Forces while awaiting reinforcements. Japanese troops capture Gamata on new Britain Island. Source 2194 Days of War w h. Smith publishers inc world almanac Book of world War ii Bison books corp., 1981 Apa year ago Day 23 feb. 8 Allied bombers demolish a major communications Center in Baghdad and Complete the destruction of a key Tigris River Bridge. The . Military reports the first Marine reconnaissance Mission into Kuwait is accompanied by gunfire from the battleship Wisconsin. Allied warplanes Fly 600 sorties in the theater 150 of them against dug in positions of the Republican guard in Northern Kuwait and Southern Iraq. A