European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes us. Sunday May 22,1994no . Plutonium stolen Doe says Washington a the Energy department says its convinced none of the plutonium produced for . Nuclear weapons during the cold War was stolen even while acknowledging it lacks accurate figures on How much of the highly radioactive material was produced. Its Long been known that record keeping before the 1970s was Sloppy at plutonium processing facilities especially at the Hanford weapons Plant in washing ton state making accurate reconstruction of production inventories difficult. But officials emphasized they Are convinced that the missing plutonium has not been stolen and May be in ducts buildings waste Drums and elsewhere at Hanford. Law to allow in St. Louis St. Louis apr a City Alderman says he does no to think a Little Public humiliation and a sore rear end is too harsh a punishment for those who spread Graffiti after All he said spanking did no to seem to leave any lasting scars on his own son a mayor Freeman Bosley or. Democratic Alderman Freeman Bosley or. Has introduced a Resolution to determine if any state or City Laws prohibit caning. The Board of aldermen is expected to consider the Resolution tuesday. Barring Legal obstacles Bosley will propose caning people in Public if they Are found guilty of vandalizing property with Graffiti. A i think just fining them is not going to do the Job a Bosley said. A i think the Way to get their attention is to do what their parents should have done and that is to put the Belt to their behinds.�?�. Bosley 58, said much of the Graffiti is Spray painted by gang members on Homes cars and Public property. The Graffiti spoils the City landscape costs thousands of dollars to clean up and discourages people from moving into certain neighbourhoods. Criminals would receive three or four lashes for their crimes Bosley said. Currently persons convicted of vandalism in St. Louis can face fines of up to $500 and up to 90 Days in jail Bosley a proposal comes after the caning earlier this month in Singapore of Michael p. Fay. The 18-year-old was convicted of Spray painting cars and other vandalism. A spokesman in the Missouri attorney general a office said that because St. Louis is a charter City the legality of caning would depend on whether the City charter allows it. St. Louis City Counselor Ronnie White said he will wait for direction from the Board of aldermen. Singapore seeking to buy f/a-18 jets Washington a Singapore is interested in purchasing 18 f/a-18 fighter jets at a Cost of $1.5 billion the Pentagon told Congress on Friday. Although relations with Singapore have been strained Over the recent caning of an american teen Ager accused of vandalism the Pentagon said in its statement that the Sale would help . Foreign policy and National Security. A there a been no evidence whatsoever of any kind of theft or diversion of this material. We think we understand where the discrepancy is Victor Reis assistant Secretary of Energy for defense programs said in an interview Friday but he admitted the precise amount of plutonium that was produced probably wont be known for years a until we go through the process of taking apart everything and finding All the plutonium that is in duct work in chemical solution and at waste facilities As a result of 43 years of production at Hanford the debate Over plutonium has plagued Energy Secretary Hazel of Leafy As she has pursued her a openness campaigns at the on Ltd highly secretive department. In a statement Friday following a new York times tory on the discrepancies the department acknowledged that the plutonium production figures disclosed by of Leary at a news conference dec. 7 were accurate and fell Short of what Doe now believes has been produced. Those same figures also were provided to the russians As part of an Effort by both countries to be More open about each others weapons program. At the time of Leary said plutonium production was 102 metric tons including 66 metric tons at Hanford where Over the years nine reactors produced plutonium for the nation v nuclear warheads and bombs. It is the production at Hanford that is giving the department fits in attempting to compile accurate figures. Doe said Friday that shortly after the december announcement senior officials became concerned about the Hanford production estimates. After a review officials came up with a new figure of 67.4 metric tons similar to the estimate by a scientist for the private natural resources defense Council. But that figure probably is not Correct either. Officials said the actual amount produced at Hanford could Range up or Down by  As. 1.2 metric tons the precise Range not yet known. Malcolm x Art draws anger ism a i student government member Tharon Weighill left and two unidentified students sit in front of a vandalized mural of Malcolm x at san Francisco state University on Friday. San Francisco apr a mural honouring Malcolm x was splattered with red paint Friday a Day after it was unveiled at a College Campus and criticized As anti semitic by some jewish students. Several shouting matches erupted at san Francisco state University on thursday and Friday Over the right of free expression is what some people called symbols of bigotry. A Black teacher was arrested thursday for trying to paint Oyer part of the mural. The right Border of the mural a which is largely a portrait of Malcolm x a contains a blend of yellow Green and red and the outline of Africa. The left Border features a . Flag several Dollar signs. Stars of David a Skull and crossbones and the words a african  a it makes me want to vomit Quot said David Bergman president of the san Francisco Hillel student Center. �?o1 done to have a problem with a mural of Malcolm a but 1 do have problem when it comes at the expense of jews a jewish student to last week demanded that the left part of the mural be repainted. But when the mural was unveiled thursday on Malcolm xes birthday the symbols were still there. A student government committee had approved the mural but did not know it would contain the symbols said Tharon Weighill a student government member. Early Friday morning the painting was splattered with red paint most of it covering the offending symbols. No one has claimed responsibility. Campus police were investigating. English teacher Lois Lyles was arrested thursday afternoon after she tried to write a Stop fascism next to the mural and to cover the controversial symbols with dark paint. She expressed no regrets Friday. A the Harmony and the ideals of a University Are being destroyed overtly attacked by this a mural said Lyles who is Black a bigotry and intolerance  be allowed to exist  claims of kids faking ailments disputed Washington a the social Security administration says it has found Little evidence to allegations that parents Are coaching their children to misbehave in school to qualify for Federal disability benefits. The Agency in a report released Friday said investigators determined that a Small number of children with mild impairments Are being declared disabled and wrongly allowed to collect a monthly Cash Benefit from supplemental Security income. The study appears to contradict allegations by some educators and members of Congress that parents Are encouraging their children to feign behavioural and learning disorders so they can receive ssi. The welfare program pays Low in come children a maximum of $446 a month. Sen. Robert Byrd d-w.va., chairman of the Senate appropriations committee contended last week that ssi is teaching children a that their future lies not in hard work but in ripping off the Federal government for  social Security a study of ssi and coaching is not the last word. The general accounting office the congressional investigative Agency and the inspector general at the department of health and human services social Security a Parent Agency Are conducting separate inquiries. Ssi serves 771,000 children at an annual Cost of More than $4 billion. The payments Are now Are so widespread in some parts of the country such As Rural Arkansas that they Are known As a a crazy  y sen. Herbert Kohl d-wis., who pressed social Security and the inspector general to launch their investigations last year said that based on the Agency a report a More thorough review is necessary. A this program is leaking Money at a fast and unsustainable rate Quot Kohl said. Rep. Rick Santorum r-pa., said he is sceptical of the Agency s findings Given the anecdotal information he has heard and the difficulty of proving what parents Are teaching their children. Social Security a study was based on a review of 617 claims for benefits from children ranging in age from 5 to 18, with behavioural emotional and learning disorders. The cases include 325 children who were approved for benefits and 292 who were turned Down