MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORP
8-K, 1995-02-16
TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS (NO RADIOTELEPHONE)
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<PAGE>                                  PAGE 1


                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.  20549

                                      FORM 8-K

                                  CURRENT REPORT

                         Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of 
                         the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  February 16, 1995
                                                      (January 26, 1995)

                        MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


       Delaware                   0-6457                 52-0886267
    --------------             -----------              ------------
    (State or other            (Commission              (IRS Employer
    jurisdiction of             File Number)          Identification No.)   
    incorporation)                                   


            1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006
            ------------------------------------------------------
                  (Address of Principal Executive Offices) 

      Registrant's telephone number, including area code (202) 872-1600

<PAGE>                                PAGE 2

                             MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
                                      FORM 8-K


                                                                  
                                                                  
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits                                    

Exhibit No.      Description
- ----------       -----------

 1(a)            Form of Distribution Agreement.     

 99(a)           Fourth Quarter and Full Year 1994 Earnings Release dated
                 January 26, 1995, Income Statements for the three and 
                 twelve months ended December 31, 1994 and 1993, 
                 Attachment A, Balance Sheets at December 31, 1994 and
                 1993.    
                                                                
           



<PAGE>                                PAGE 3


                                   SIGNATURE
                                   ---------

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange
         Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report 
         to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
         duly authorized.


                                          MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

         Date:  February 16, 1995          Signed:  BRADLEY E. SPARKS
                                                  ----------------------
                                                    Bradley E. Sparks
                                                    Vice President
                                                    and Controller

 
<PAGE>                                PAGE 4

                        MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
                                     FORM 8-K
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX




Exhibit No.            Description
- ------------           -------------

 1(a)                  Form of Distribution Agreement.

 99(a)                 Fourth Quarter and Full Year 1994 Earnings Release dated 
                       January 26, 1995, Income Statements for the three and 
                       twelve months ended  December 31, 1994 and 1993,
                       Attachment A, Balance Sheets at December 31, 1994 and
                       1993.   





<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 1 of 38)


                      MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
             Senior and/or Subordinated Medium-Term Notes Due
                    9 Months or more from Date of Issue


                          DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT


                             February 17, 1995



MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
World Financial Center
North Tower - 10th Floor
New York, New York  10281-1310

CITICORP SECURITIES, INC.
399 Park Avenue - 7th Floor
New York, New York  10043

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
85 Broad Street
New York, New York  10004

LEHMAN BROTHERS
Lehman Brothers Inc.
3 World Financial Center - 12th Floor
New York, New York  10285-1200

SALOMON BROTHERS INC
Seven World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048


Dear Sirs:

    MCI Communications Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co.,
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citicorp
Securities, Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., Lehman Brothers, Lehman
Brothers Inc. (including its affiliate Lehman Government
Securities Inc.) and Salomon Brothers Inc (each, an "Agent", and
collectively, the "Agents") with respect to the issue and sale by
the Company of its Senior Medium-Term Notes (the "Senior Notes")
and Subordinated Medium-Term Notes (the "Subordinated Notes", and
collectively with the Senior Notes, the "Notes").  The Senior
Notes are to be issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 2 of 38)

February 17, 1995 (the "Senior Indenture"), between the Company
and Citibank, N.A., as trustee (the "Senior Trustee").  The
Subordinated Notes are to be issued pursuant to an indenture,
dated as of October 15, 1989 (the "Subordinated Indenture", and
collectively with the Senior Indenture, the "Indentures"),
between the Company and Bankers Trust Company, as trustee (the
"Subordinated Trustee", and collectively with the Senior Trustee,
the "Trustees").  As of the date hereof, $1,502,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of Senior Notes and no Subordinated Notes are
outstanding, and the Company has made available for issuance up
to an additional U.S. $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount
(or its equivalent, based upon the applicable exchange rate at
the time of issuance, in such foreign currency or currency unit
as the Company shall designate at the time of issuance) of Notes
through or to the Agents pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. 
It is understood, however, that the Company may from time to time
authorize the issuance of additional Notes and that such Notes
may be distributed through or sold to the Agents pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement, all as though the issuance of such Notes
were authorized as of the date hereof.

    This Agreement provide for the sale of Notes through the
Agents acting as agents of the Company in soliciting purchases of
the Notes, or (as may from time to time be agreed to by the
Company and one or more Agents) to such Agent or Agents as prin-

cipal for resale to investors and other purchasers.

    Subject to (a) the terms and conditions stated herein and
(b) the reservation by the Company of the right to sell Notes
directly to investors on its own behalf in those jurisdictions
where it is authorized to do so and to appoint, upon 30 days'
prior written notice to the Agents, additional persons to serve
as Agents hereunder (provided that each such additional person
agrees to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of this
Agreement (including the schedule of commissions set forth in
Schedule A hereto)), the Company hereby (i) appoints the Agents
as the exclusive agents of the Company for the purpose of
soliciting purchases of the Notes from the Company by others and
(ii) agrees that whenever the Company determines to sell Notes
directly to one or more of the Agents as principal for resale to
others, it will enter into a Terms Agreement (as hereafter
defined) relating to such sale in accordance with the provisions
of Section 2(b) hereof.  Each Agent will make reasonable efforts
to assist the Company in obtaining performance by each purchaser
whose offer to purchase Notes from the Company has been solicited
by such Agent as agent and accepted by the Company, but such
Agent shall not have any liability to the Company in the event
any such purchase is not consummated for any reason.



<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 3 of 38)

    The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on
Form S-3 (No. 33-57155) for the registration of debt securities,
including the Notes, and common stock, par value $0.10 per share,
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"),
and the offering thereof from time to time in accordance with
Rule 415 of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the
1933 Act (the "1933 Act Regulations").  Such registration
statement has been declared effective by the Commission and the
Indentures have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of
1939, as amended (the "1939 Act").  Such registration statement
(and any further registration statements which may be filed by
the Company for the purpose of registering additional debt
securities and in connection with which this Agreement is
included as an exhibit) and the prospectus constituting a part
thereof, and any prospectus supplement relating to the Notes,
including all documents incorporated therein by reference, as
from time to time amended or supplemented by the filing of
documents pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "1934 Act"), the 1933 Act or otherwise, are referred
to herein as the "Registration Statement" and the "Prospectus",
respectively, except that if any revised prospectus shall be
provided to the Agents by the Company for use in connection with
the offering of the Notes which is not required to be filed by
the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations,
the term "Prospectus" shall refer to such revised prospectus from
and after the time it is first provided to each Agent for such
use.

    The Company may accept offers to purchase Notes through or
from a person other than an Agent, provided that (i) the Company
shall not have solicited such offers, (ii) the Company and such
person shall have executed an agreement with respect to such
purchases having the same terms and conditions (including,
without limitation, commission and discount rates) with respect
to such purchases as the terms and conditions that would apply to
such purchases under this Agreement if such person were an Agent
hereunder (which may be accomplished by incorporating by
reference in such agreement the terms and conditions of this
Agreement) and (iii) the Company shall notify the Agents prior to
the execution of any such agreement and shall provide the Agents
with a copy of such agreement promptly following the execution
thereof.

SECTION 1.  Representations and Warranties.

    (a)  The Company represents and warrants to each of the
Agents as of the date hereof, as of the date of each acceptance
by the Company of an offer for the purchase of Notes (whether

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 4 of 38)

through an Agent as agent or to an Agent as principal), as of the
date of each delivery of Notes (whether through an Agent as agent
or to an Agent as principal) (the date of each such delivery to
an Agent as principal being hereafter referred to as a "Settle-
ment Date"), and as of the times referred to in Section 6(a)
hereof (each of the times referenced above being referred to
hereafter as a "Representation Date"), as follows:

         (i)  Due Incorporation and Qualification.  The Company
    has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
    corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of
    its incorporation with corporate power and authority to own,
    lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business
    as described in the Prospectus; and the Company is duly
    qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and
    is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
    qualification is required, whether by reason of the owner-    
    ship or leasing of property or the conduct of business,
    except where the failure to so qualify would not have a
    material adverse effect on the condition, financial or
    otherwise, or the earnings or business affairs of the
    Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

        (ii)  Subsidiaries.  Each subsidiary of the Company
    which is a significant subsidiary, as defined in Rule 405 of
    Regulation C of the 1933 Act Regulations (each, a
    "Significant Subsidiary"), has been duly incorporated and is
    validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
    laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate
    power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
    and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus,
    and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact
    business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
    which such qualification is required, whether by reason of
    the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of busi-  
    ness, except where the failure to so qualify would not have
    a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or
    otherwise, or the earnings or business affairs of the
    Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise;
    and all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each
    Significant Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly
    issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and all such shares
    owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, are
    owned free and clear of any security interest, mortgage,
    pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or security (except for any
    lien or encumbrance permitted pursuant to Article VI of the
    Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of June 8, 1994, among
    the Company and Bank of America National Trust and Savings
    Association, as agent for the financial institutions party
    thereto, Articles X and XII of the Senior Indenture,

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 5 of 38)

Article X of the Subordinated Indenture and Article XIII of the
Indenture, dated as of October 15, 1989, between the Company and
Bankers Trust Company, as trustee).

       (iii)  Registration Statement and Prospectus.  At the
    time the Registration Statement became effective, the Regis- 
    tration Statement complied, and as of the applicable Repre-  
    sentation Date will comply, in all material respects with
    the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regula-    
    tions and the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of the
    Commission promulgated thereunder.  The Registration State-
    ment, at the time it became effective, did not, and at each
    time thereafter at which any amendment to the Registration
    Statement becomes effective and any Annual Report on Form
    10-K is filed by the Company with the Commission and as of
    the applicable Representation Date will not, contain an
    untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
    material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
    make the statements therein not misleading; and the
    Prospectus, as of the date hereof, does not, and as of the
    applicable Representation Date will not, include an untrue
    statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
    fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
    the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
    not misleading; provided, however, that the representations
    and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to state-
    ments in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the
    Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with
    information furnished to the Company in writing jointly by
    the Agents expressly for use in the Registration Statement
    or the Prospectus or to that part of the Registration
    Statement which constitute the Statements of Eligibility of
    the Trustees on Form T-1.

        (iv)  Incorporated Documents.  The documents incorpo-
    rated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were
    or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and
    will comply, as the case may be, in all material respects
    with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and
    regulations promulgated thereunder (the "1934 Act
    Regulations"), and, when read together and with the other
    information in the Prospectus, did not and will not, as the
    case may be, include an untrue statement of a material fact
    or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
    therein or necessary in order to make the statements there-
    in, in light of the circumstances under which they were or
    are made, not misleading.

         (v)  Accountants.  The accountants who certified the
    financial statements included or incorporated by reference

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 6 of 38)

    in the Prospectus are independent public accountants as
    required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

        (vi)  Financial Statements.  The financial statements of
    the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or
    incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and
    the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial
    position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as
    of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of their
    operations for the periods specified; and, except as stated
    therein, said financial statements have been prepared in
    conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in
    the United States applied on a consistent basis.

       (vii)  Material Changes.  Since the respective dates as
    of which information is given in the Registration Statement
    and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein or
    contemplated thereby, there has been no material adverse
    change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
    earnings or business affairs of the Company and its subsidi-
    aries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising
    in the ordinary course of business.

       (viii) No Defaults.  Neither the Company nor any of its
    subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or in default in
    the performance or observance of any material obligation,
    agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
    indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other
    instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of
    them or their properties is bound, except where such viola-
    tion or default would not have a material adverse effect on
    the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings or
    business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries con-
    sidered as one enterprise; and the execution and delivery of
    this Agreement and the Indentures and the consummation of
    the transactions contemplated herein and therein have been
    duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not
    conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under,
    or result in the creation or imposition or violation of any
    lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of
    the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (A) the
    charter or by-laws of the Company, (B) any law, administra-
    tive regulation or administrative or court order or decree
    applicable to the Company, or (C) any contract, indenture,
    mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to
    which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or by
    which it or any of them is bound or to which any of the
    property or assets of the Company or any such subsidiary is
    subject where, in the case of clause (c), such conflict,
    breach or default, or lien, charge or encumbrance, would

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 7 of 38)

    have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial
    or otherwise, or the earnings or business affairs of the
    Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

        (ix)  Legal Proceedings; Contracts.  Except as included
    or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, there is no
    action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or govern-
    mental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or,
    to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or
    affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which
    might, in the opinion of the Company, result in any material
    adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or
    in the earnings or business affairs of the Company and its
    subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or might materi-
    ally and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof
    or might materially and adversely affect the consummation of
    the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the
    Indentures; and there are no contracts or documents of the
    Company or any of its subsidiaries which are required to be
    filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the 1933
    Act or by the 1933 Act Regulations which have not been so
    filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto.

         (x)  No Authorization, Approval or Consent Required. 
    No authorization, approval, consent, order or decree of any
    court or governmental authority or agency is necessary in
    connection with the sale by the Company of the Notes, except
    those which have been previously obtained.

        (xi)  Regulatory Certificates, Authorities and Permits. 
    The Company and its subsidiaries possess such certificates,
    authorities or permits issued by the appropriate state,
    federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary
    to conduct the business now operated by them, except where
    the failure to possess such certificates, authorities or
    permits would not have a material adverse effect on the
    condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings or busi-
    ness affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered
    as one enterprise; and neither the Company nor any of its
    subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating
    to the revocation or modification of any such certificate,
    authority or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if
    the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding,
    would materially and adversely affect the condition, finan-
    cial or otherwise, or the earnings or business affairs of
    the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enter-
    prise.




<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 8 of 38)

       (xii)  Authorization and Validity of Indentures.  Each of
    the Indentures has been duly and validly authorized, exe-
    cuted and delivered by the Company and (assuming each of the
    Indentures has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
    by the applicable Trustee) constitutes a valid and binding
    agreement of the Company, enforceable against it in accor-
    dance with its terms, except in each case that enforcement
    thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorgani-
    zation, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors' rights
    generally and by general principles of equity, and except
    further as enforcement thereof may be limited by (A) re-
    quirements that a claim with respect to any Note denominated
    other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign currency or foreign
    currency unit judgment in respect of such claim) be
    converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing
    on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or (B) any
    statute, law, judgment, decree, order, regulation or rule of
    any court or governmental authority that limits, delays, or
    prohibits the making of payments in a foreign currency or
    currency unit or payments outside the United States.

       (xiii) Authorization and Validity of the Notes.  The
    Notes have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pur-
    suant to this Agreement and, when issued, authenticated and
    delivered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and
    the applicable Indenture against payment of the considera-
    tion therefor specified pursuant to this Agreement, the
    Notes will constitute valid and binding obligations of the
    Company, enforceable against it in accordance with their
    terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by
    bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting
    creditors' rights generally or by general principles of
    equity, and except further as enforcement thereof may be
    limited by (A) requirements that a claim with respect to any
    Note denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign
    currency or currency unit judgment in respect of such claim)
    be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange
    prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law
    or (B) any statute, law, judgment, decree, order, regulation
    or rule of any court or governmental authority that limits,
    delays or prohibits the making of payments in a foreign
    currency or currency unit or payments outside the United
    States; the Notes will be substantially in the forms
    heretofore delivered to the Agents, and the Notes and the
    applicable Indenture conform in all material respects to all
    statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus; and
    the Notes will be entitled to the benefits provided by the
    applicable Indenture.



<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  ( 9 of 38)

      (xiv)   Authorization of this Agreement.  This Agreement
    has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
    Company.

       (xv)   Doing Business with Cuba.  The Company has com-
    plied, and as of each Representation Date will comply, with
    all of the provisions of Section 517.075 of the Florida
    Statutes, and all rules and regulations promulgated there-
    under, relating to issuers doing business in Cuba.

    (b)  Additional Certification.  Any certificate signed by
any officer of the Company and delivered to the Agents or to
counsel for the Agents in connection with an offering of Notes
shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to
the Agents or the applicable Agent or Agents, as the case may be,
as to the matters covered thereby as of the date of such
certificate and, except as otherwise may be provided in such
certificate, at each Representation Date subsequent thereto.


SECTION 2.  Solicitations as Agent; Purchases as Principal.

    (a)  Solicitations as Agent.  On the basis of the represen-
tations and warranties contained herein, and subject to the terms
and conditions set forth herein, each of the Agents agrees, as an
agent of the Company, to use its best efforts to solicit offers
to purchase the Notes upon the terms and conditions set forth
herein and in the Prospectus.  The Agents are not authorized to
appoint sub-agents in connection with such solicitations.

    The Company reserves the right, in it sole discretion, to
suspend solicitation of purchases of the Notes through the
Agents, as agents, commencing at any time for any period of time
or permanently.  Upon receipt of instructions from the Company,
the Agents will forthwith suspend solicitation of purchases on
behalf of the Company until such time as the Company has advised
the Agents that such solicitation may be resumed.  The Agents
acknowledge that the Company reserves the right to sell Notes
directly to investors on it own behalf and, in the case of any
such sale not resulting from a solicitation made by any Agent, no
commission will be payable to any Agent with respect to such
sale.

    The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission, in the
form of a discount, equal to the applicable percentage of the
principal amount of each Senior Note or Subordinated Note, as the
case may be, sold by the Company as a result of a solicitation
made by such Agent as set forth in Schedule A hereto. 
Commissions with respect to Notes sold through an Agent having
maturities in excess of 30 years shall be agreed upon by the

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (10 of 38)

Company and such Agent at the time of the related sale.  All
Notes through an Agent as agent will be sold at 100% of their
principal amount unless otherwise agreed to by the Company and
the applicable Agent.

    As agent, each Agent is authorized to solicit offers to
purchase the Notes.  Each Agent shall communicate to the Company,
orally or in writing, each reasonable offer to purchase Notes
received by such Agent as agent.  Each Agent shall have the
right, in its discretion reasonably exercised, to reject any
offer to purchase Notes received by such Agent which it does not
deem reasonable, and any such rejection shall not be deemed a
breach of such Agent's agreement contained herein.  The Company
shall have the sole right to accept offers to purchase Notes and
may reject any such offer in whole or in part.

    (b)  Purchases as Principal.  Each sale of Notes to one or
more Agents as principal shall be made in accordance with the
terms contained herein and pursuant to a separate agreement which
will provide for the sale of such Notes to, and the purchase and
reoffering thereof by, such Agent or Agents.  Each such separate
agreement (which may be an oral agreement between the applicable
Agent or Agents and the Company confirmed in writing, which may
be by facsimile transmission) is herein referred to as a "Terms
Agreement".  Unless the context otherwise requires, each
reference contained herein to "this Agreement" shall be deemed to
include any applicable Terms Agreement.  Each such Terms Agree-
ment, whether oral (and confirmed in writing, which may be by
facsimile transmission) or in writing, shall be with respect to
such information (as applicable) as is specified in Exhibit A
hereto.  Each Agent's commitment to purchase Notes pursuant to
any applicable Terms Agreement shall be deemed to have been made
on the basis of the representations and warranties of the Company
contained herein and shall be subject to the terms and conditions
set forth herein.  Each Terms Agreement shall specify the princi-
pal amount of Notes to be purchased by the applicable Agent or
Agents pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for
such Notes (which, if not as specified in such Terms Agreement,
shall be at a discount equivalent to the applicable commission
set forth in Schedule A hereto), the time and place of delivery
of and payment for such Notes, any provisions relating to a
default by one or more applicable Agents and such other provi-
sions (including further terms of the Notes) as may be mutually
agreed upon.  The applicable Agent or Agents may utilize a
selling or dealer group in connection with the resale of the
Notes purchased as principal.  The applicable Terms Agreement
shall also specify the requirements for the officers' certifi-
cates, opinions of counsel, comfort letter and stand-off
agreement pursuant to Sections 6(a), 6(b), 6(c) and 3(j) hereof.


<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (11 of 38)

    (c)  Administrative Procedures.  The purchase price,
interest rate or formula, stated maturity date and other terms of
the Notes shall be agreed upon by the Company and the applicable
Agent or Agents at the time of pricing such Notes.  Except as may
be otherwise agreed, the Notes will be issued in denominations of
U.S. $1,000 or integral multiples thereof.  Administrative proce-
dures with respect to the sale of the Notes shall be agreed upon
from time to time by the Company, the Agents and the Trustees
(the "Administrative Procedures").  The Company and the Agents
agree, and the Company agrees to cause each of the Trustees to
agree, to perform the respective duties and obligations specifi-
cally provided to be performed by them herein and in the
Administrative Procedures, as applicable.

SECTION 3.  Covenants of the Company.

    The Company covenants with each Agent as follows:

    (a)  Notice of the Certain Events.  The Company will notify
each Agent immediately of (i) the effectiveness of any amendment
to the Registration Statement, (ii) the transmittal to the
Commission for filing of any supplement to the Prospectus or any
document to be filed pursuant to the 1934 Act which will be
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, (iii) the receipt of
any comments from the Commission with respect to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, (iv) any request by the Commission
for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment
or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information,
and (v) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspend-
ing the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
initiation of any proceedings for that purpose.  The Company will
make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop
order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting
thereof at the earliest possible moment.

    (b)  Notice of Certain Proposed Filings.  The Company will
give each Agent notice of its intention to file or prepare any
additional registration statement with respect to the registra-
tion of additional Notes, any amendment to the Registration
Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (other
than a Pricing Supplement (as hereafter defined) relating solely
to the establishment of the specific terms of Notes sold through
or to another Agent), whether by the filing of documents pursuant
to the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or otherwise, and will furnish each
Agent with copies of any such amendment or supplement or other
documents proposed to be filed or prepared a reasonable time in
advance of such proposed filing or preparation, as the case may
be, and will not file or use any such amendment, supplement or
other document to which the Agents shall reasonably object.


<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (12 of 38)

    (c)  Copies of the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.  The Company will deliver to each Agent one signed
and as many conformed copies of the Registration Statement (as
originally filed) and of each amendment thereto (including
exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and
documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) as such
Agent may reasonably request.  The Company will furnish to each
Agent as many copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supple-
mented) as such Agent shall reasonably request so long as such
Agent is required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with
sales or solicitations of offers to purchase the Notes.

    (d)  Revisions of Prospectus -- Material Changes.  Except as
otherwise provided in subsection (k) of this Section 3, if any
event shall occur or condition exist as result of which it is
necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Agents or
counsel for the Company, to further amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered
to a purchaser, not misleading or if it shall be necessary, in
the opinion of either such counsel, to amend or supplement the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to comply with
the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations,
then, after receipt by he Company of any such opinion, immediate
notice shall be given, and confirmed in writing, to each Agent to
cease the solicitation of offers to purchase the Notes in the
capacity as agent and to cease sales of any Notes the Agents may
then own as principal, and the Company will promptly prepare and
file with the Commission such amendment or supplement, whether by
filing documents pursuant to the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or other-
wise, as may be necessary to correct such untrue statement or
omission or to make the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
comply with such requirements.

    (e)  Prospectus Revisions -- Periodic Financial Information. 
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (k) of this Section 3,
on or prior to the date on which there shall be released to the
general public interim financial statement information related to
the Company with respect to each of the first three quarters of
any fiscal year or preliminary financial statement information
with respect to any fiscal year, the Company shall furnish such
information to each Agent, confirmed in writing, and promptly
after such release shall cause the Prospectus to be amended or
supplemented to include or incorporate by reference capsule
financial information with respect thereto and corresponding
information for the comparable period of the preceding fiscal
year, as well as such other information and explanations as shall


<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (13 of 38)

be necessary for an understanding thereof or as shall be required
by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations.

    (f)  Prospectus Revisions -- Audited Financial Information. 
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (k) of this Section 3,
on or prior to the date on which there shall be released to the
general public financial information included in or derived from
the audited financial statements of the Company for the preceding
fiscal year, the Company shall cause the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus to be amended, whether by the filing of docu-
ments pursuant to the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or otherwise, to
include or incorporate by reference such audited financial state-
ments and the report or reports, and consent or consents to such
inclusion or incorporation by reference, of the independent
accountants with respect thereto, as well as such other informa-
tion as shall be required by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act
Regulations.

    (g)  Earnings Statements.  The Company will make generally
available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not
later than 90 days after the close of the period covered thereby,
an earnings statement (in form complying with the provisions of
Rule 158 under the 1933 Act) covering each twelve month period
beginning, in each case, not later than the first day of the
Company's fiscal quarter next following the "effective date" (as
defined in such Rule 158) of the Registration Statement with
respect to each sale of Notes.

    (h)  Blue Sky Qualifications.  The Company will endeavor, in
cooperation with the Agents, to qualify the Notes for offering
and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and
other jurisdictions of the United States as the Agents may desig-
nate, and will maintain such qualifications in effect for as long
as may be required for the distribution of the Notes; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any
general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign
corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified. 
The Company will file such statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Notes have
been qualified as provided above.  The Company will promptly
advise the Agents of the receipt by the Company of any notifi-
cation with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the
Notes for sale in any such state or jurisdiction or the initia-
ting or the threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.

    (i)  1934 Act Filings.  The Company, during the period when
the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act,
will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act on
or before the time such documents are required to be filed.

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (14 of 38)

    (j)  Stand-Off Agreement.  If required pursuant to the terms
of a Terms Agreement, between the date of any Terms Agreement and
the Settlement Date with respect to such Terms Agreement, the
Company will not, without the prior written consent of the
applicable Agent or Agents, as the case may be, offer or sell, or
enter into any agreement to sell, any debt securities of the
Company (other than the Notes that are to be sold pursuant to
such Terms Agreement, commercial paper in the ordinary course of
business and borrowings under the Company's revolving credit
facilities).

    (k)  Suspension of Certain Obligations.  The Company shall
not be required to comply with the provisions of subsections (d),
(e) or (f) of this Section 3 during any period from the time (i)
the Agents shall have suspended solicitation of purchases of the
Notes in their capacity as agents pursuant to a request from the
Company and (ii) the Agents shall not then hold any Notes
purchased as principal, to the time the Company shall determine
that solicitation of purchases of the Notes should be resumed or
shall subsequently enter into a Terms Agreement with one or more
of the Agents.

    (l)  Preparation of Pricing Supplements.  The Company shall
prepare, with respect to any Notes sold through or to an Agent
pursuant to this Agreement, a supplement to the Prospectus (each,
a "Pricing Supplement"), in a form previously approved by the
Agents, and will file such Pricing Supplement pursuant to Rule
424(b)(3) under the 1933 Act not later than the close of business
of the Commission on the fifth business day after the date on
which such Pricing Supplement is first used.


SECTION 4.  Payment of Expenses.

    Except as may otherwise be provided in a Terms Agreement,
the Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of
its obligations under this Agreement, including:

         (a)  The preparation and filing of the Registration
    Statement and all amendments thereto and the Prospectus and
    any amendments or supplements thereto;

         (b)  The preparation, filing and reproduction of this
    Agreement;

         (c)  The preparation, printing, issuance and delivery
    of the Notes, including any fees and expenses relating to
    the issuance of Notes in book-entry form;



<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (15 of 38)

         (d)  The fees and disbursements of the Company's
    accountants and counsel, of the Trustees and their counsel,
    and of any calculation agent or exchange rate agent;

         (e)  The reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
    to the Agents incurred from time to time in connection with
    the transactions contemplated hereby;

         (f)  The qualification of the Notes under securities
    laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(h),
    including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
    to the Agents in connection therewith and in connection with
    the preparation of any Blue Sky Survey and any Legal
    Investment Survey up to a maximum of $10,000 in the
    aggregate and filing fees;

         (g)  The printing and delivery to each Agent in quanti-  
    ties as hereinabove stated of copies of the Registration
    Statement and any amendment thereto, and of the Prospectus
    and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the delivery
    by an Agent of the Prospectus and any amendments or supple-
    ments thereto in connection with solicitations or confirma-
    tions of sales of Notes;

         (h)  The preparation, reproduction and delivery to each
    Agent of copies of the Indentures;

         (i)  Any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating
    of the Notes;

         (j)  The fees and expenses, if any, incurred with
    respect to any filing with the National Association of
    Securities Dealers, Inc.;

         (k)  Any advertising and other out-of-pocket expenses
    of an Agent incurred with the approval of the Company; and

         (l)  The cost of providing any CUSIP or other
    identification numbers for the Notes.


SECTION 5.    Conditions of Obligations.

    The obligations of each Agent to solicit offers to purchase
the Notes as agent of the Company, the obligations of any pur-
chaser of the Notes sold through each Agent as agent and the
obligation of an Agent to purchase Notes as principal will be
subject at all times to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties on the part of the Company herein and to the accuracy
of the statements of the Company's officer made in any

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (16 of 38)

certificate furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance and observance in all material respects by the
Company of all covenants and agreements herein contained and to
the following additional conditions precedent:

    (a)  Legal Opinions.  On the date hereof, the Agents shall
have received the following legal opinions, dated as of the date
hereof and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Agents:

         (1)  Opinion of Company Counsel.  The opinion of
    Kramer, Levin, Nessen, Kamin & Frankel, counsel to the
    Company, to the effect that:

              (i)  The Company has been duly incorporated and is
         validly existing as a corporation in good standing
         under the laws of the State of Delaware.

             (ii)  The Company has the corporate power and
         authority to own, lease and operate its properties and
         conduct its business as described in the Prospectus.

            (iii)  This Agreement (and, if the opinion is being
         given pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof on account of the
         Company having entered into a Terms Agreement, the
         applicable Terms Agreement) has been duly authorized,
         executed and delivered by the Company.

             (iv)  Each of the Indentures has been duly and
         validly authorized, executed and delivered by the
         Company and (assuming each of the Indentures has been
         duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
         applicable Trustee thereunder) constitutes a valid and
         binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against
         it in accordance with its terms, except in each case
         that (A) enforcement thereof may be limited by
         bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
         other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by
         general principles of equity and (B) the remedy of
         specific performance and injunctive and other forms of
         equitable relief are subject to certain equitable
         defenses and to the discretion of the court before
         which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and
         except further as enforcement thereof may be limited by
         (Y) requirements that a claim with respect to any Note
         denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign
         currency or foreign currency unit judgment in respect
         of such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate
         of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to
         applicable law or (Z) any statute, law, judgment,

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (17 of 38)

         decree, order, regulation or rule of any court or
         governmental authority that limits, delays or prohibits
         the making of payments in a foreign currency or
         currency unit or payments outside the United States.

              (v)  The Notes, in the forms certified by the
         Company to be true and correct copies, are in the forms
         prescribed in or pursuant to the applicable Indenture,
         have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary
         corporate action and, when executed and authenticated
         as specified in or pursuant to the applicable Indenture
         and delivered against payment of the consideration
         therefor determined in accordance with this Agreement
         and any applicable Terms Agreement, will be valid and
         binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against
         it in accordance with their terms, except in each case
         that (A) enforcement thereof may be limited by
         bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
         other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by
         general principles of equity and (B) the remedy of
         specific performance and injunctive and other forms of
         equitable relief are subject to certain equitable
         defenses and to the discretion of the court before
         which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and
         except further as enforcement thereof may be limited by
         (Y) requirements that a claim with respect to any Notes
         denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign
         currency or foreign currency unit judgment in respect
         of such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate
         of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to
         applicable law or (Z) any statute, law, judgment,
         decree, order, regulation or rule of any court or
         governmental authority that limits, delays or prohibits
         the making of payments in a foreign currency or cur-
         rency unit or payments outside the United States, and
         each holder of Notes will be entitled to the benefits
         of the applicable Indenture.

              (vi)  The statements in the Prospectus under the
         captions "Description of Medium-Term Notes", "The
         Securities", "Description of Senior Securities",
         "Description of Subordinated Securities" and "Federal
         Income Tax Consequences", insofar as they purport to
         summarize certain provisions of documents specifically
         referred to therein, are accurate summaries of such
         provisions in all material respects.

              (vii)  Each of the Indentures is qualified under
         the 1939 Act.


<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (18 of 38)

             (viii)  The Registration Statement is effective
         under the 1933 Act and, to the best of such counsel's
         knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness
         of the Registration Statement has been issued under the
         1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or
         threatened by the Commission.

              (ix)  At the time the Registration Statement
         became effective, the Registration Statement (other
         than the financial statements and notes thereto and
         related schedules and other financial and statistical
         data included or incorporated by reference therein or
         omitted therefrom and the Statements of Eligibility of
         the Trustees on Form T-1) complied as to form in all
         material respects with the requirements of the 1933
         Act, the 1939 Act and the regulations promulgated under
         each of those Acts.

              (x)  No authorization, approval, consent, order or
         decree of any United States or Delaware court or
         governmental authority or agency is necessary in con-
         nection with the sale of the Notes, except such as may
         be required under the 1933 Act, the 1939 Act, the
         regulations promulgated under each of those Acts or
         state securities or Blue Sky laws.

             (xi)  Each document filed pursuant to the 1934 Act
         and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (other
         than the financial statements and notes thereto and
         related schedules and other financial and statistical
         data included or incorporated by reference therein or
         omitted therefrom) complied when filed as to form in
         all material respects with the 1934 Act and the 1934
         Act Regulations thereunder.

            (xii)  The execution and delivery of this Agreement,
         any applicable Terms Agreement and the Indentures and
         the consummation of the transactions contemplated
         herein and therein do not conflict with or result in
         any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-
         laws of the Company.

         (2)  Opinion of John R. Worthington, Esq., Senior Vice
    President and General Counsel.  The opinion of John R. 
    Worthington, Esq., Senior Vice President and General Counsel
    of the Company, to the effect that:

              (i)  To the best of such counsel's knowledge, the
         Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
         transact business and is in good standing in each

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (19 of 38)

         jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
         except where the failure to so qualify would not have a
         material adverse effect on the Company and its
         subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

             (ii)  Each Significant Subsidiary of the Company
         has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
         corporation in good standing under the laws of the
         jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate
         power and authority to own, lease and operate its
         properties and conduct its business as described in the
         Prospectus, and, to the best of such counsel's
         knowledge, is duly qualified as a foreign corporation
         to transact business and is in good standing in each
         jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
         except where the failure to so qualify would not have a
         material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidi-
         aries considered as one enterprise; all of the issued
         and outstanding capital stock of each Significant
         Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued
         and is fully paid and non-assessable, and all of such
         capital stock owned by the Company, directly or through
         subsidiaries, is owned free and clear of any mortgage,
         pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity (except for
         any lien or encumbrance permitted pursuant to
         Article VI of the Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as
         of June 8, 1994, among the Company and Bank of America
         National Trust and Savings Association, as agent for
         the financial institutions party thereto, Articles X
         and XII of the Senior Indenture, Article X of the
         Subordinated Indenture and Article XIII of the
         Indenture, dated as of October 15, 1989, between the
         Company and Bankers Trust Company, as trustee).

              (iii)  To the best of such counsel's knowledge,
         there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending
         or threatened which are required to be disclosed in the
         Prospectus, other than those disclosed therein, and all
         pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the
         Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of
         their property is the subject which are not described
         in the Prospectus, including ordinary routine
         litigation incidental to the business, are, in the
         aggregate, not material to the Company and its
         subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.






<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (20 of 38)

              (iv) To the best of such counsel' knowledge, there
         are no contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agree-
         ments, notes, leases or other instruments or documents
         required to be described or referred to in the Regis-
         tration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto
         other than those described or referred to therein or
         filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto,
         the descriptions thereof or references thereto are
         correct in all material respects, and no default exists
         in the due performance or observance of any material
         obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained
         in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement,
         note, lease or other instrument so described, referred
         to, filed or incorporated by reference which would have
         a material adverse effect on the Company and its
         subsidiaries considered as one enterprise. 

              (v)  To the best of such counsel's knowledge, the
         execution and delivery of this Agreement, any
         applicable Terms Agreement and the Indentures and the
         consummation of the transactions contemplated herein
         and therein do not conflict with or constitute a breach
         of, or default under, or result in the creation or
         imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
         material property or assets of the Company or any of it
         subsidiaries pursuant to, any material contract,
         indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or
         other instrument known to such counsel and to which the
         Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by
         which it or any of them is bound or to which any of the
         material property or assets of the Company or any of
         its subsidiaries is subject, or any United States or
         Delaware law, administrative regulation or
         administrative or court order or decree known to such
         counsel to be applicable to the Company of any United
         States or Delaware court or governmental agency,
         authority or body or any arbitrator having jurisdiction
         over the Company.

         (3)  Opinion of Counsel to the Company Relating to the
    Communications Act.  The opinion of John R. Worthington,
    Esq., Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the
    Company, or other counsel to the Company satisfactory to the
    Agents, relating to the Communications Act of 1934, as
    amended (the "Communications Act") (as to which matters the
    opinions required pursuant to subsection (a)(1) (and (a)(2),
    if John R. Worthington, Esq., is not rendering the opinions
    required by this subsection (a)(3)) of this Section 5 shall
    not cover), to the effect that:


<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (21 of 38)

              (i)  Nothing in the Communications Act prevents,
         impairs, limits or otherwise adversely affects (A) the
         due and valid authorization, execution and delivery of
         the Notes or the Indentures, (B) the valid and binding
         nature or enforceability of any of the provisions of
         the Notes or the Indentures or (C) any holder of Notes
         from being entitled to the benefits of the applicable
         Indenture.

              (ii)  To the best of such counsel's knowledge,
         under the Communications Act there are no legal or
         governmental proceedings pending or threatened which
         are required to be disclosed in the Prospectus, other
         than those disclosed therein, and all pending legal or
         governmental proceedings to which the Company or any
         subsidiary is a party or of which any of their property
         is the subject which are not described in the
         Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation
         incidental to the business, are, in the aggregate, not
         material to the Company and its subsidiaries considered
         as one enterprise.

              (iii)  Insofar as such relates to the Communica-
         tions Act, no authorization, approval, consent, order
         or decree of any court or governmental authority or
         agency is necessary in connection with the sale of the
         Notes; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge,
         the execution and delivery of this Agreement, any
         applicable Terms Agreement and the Indentures and the
         consummation of the transactions contemplated herein
         and therein do not conflict with, violate or result in
         the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
         encumbrance upon any material property or assets of the
         Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, the
         Communications Act or any administrative regulations
         thereunder.
     

         (4)  Opinion of Counsel to the Agents.  The opinion of
    Brown & Wood, counsel to the Agents, covering the matters
    referred to in subsection (a)(1) of this Section 5 under the
    subheadings (i) and (iii) to (ix), inclusive.

         (5)  Rule 10b-5 Opinion.  In giving their opinions
    required by subsection (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3) and (a)(4) of
    this Section 5, Kramer, Levin, Nessen, Kamin & Frankel, John
    R. Worthington, Esq., counsel rendering the opinions
    required by subsection (a)(3) (as to any matters under the
    Communications Act) and Brown & Wood shall each additionally
    state that nothing has come to their attention that has

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (22 of 38)

    caused them to believe that the Registration Statement
    (other than the financial statements and notes thereto and
    related schedules and other financial and statistical data
    included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted
    therefrom and the Statements of Eligibility of the Trustees
    on Form T-1, as to which counsel need not comment), at the
    time it became effective or (if an amendment to the
    Registration Statement or an Annual Report on Form 10-K has
    been filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to
    the effectiveness of the Registration Statement) at the time
    such amendment became effective or at the time of the most
    recent such filing, or at the date of this Agreement or any
    applicable Terms Agreement, contained or contains an untrue
    statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a
    material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
    make the statements therein not misleading or that the
    Prospectus (other than the financial statements and notes
    thereto and related schedules and other financial and
    statistical data included or incorporated by reference
    therein or omitted therefrom, as to which counsel need not
    comment), as amended or supplemented at the date hereof or
    at the date of any applicable Terms Agreement and at the
    Settlement Date with respect thereto, as the case may be,
    included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact
    or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in
    order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
    circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

    (b)  Officers' Certificates.  At the date hereof and at each
Settlement Date with respect to any applicable Terms Agreement,
there shall not have been, since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus or since the date of such Terms Agreement, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise,
of the Company and its subsidiaries considered a one enterprise,
or in the earnings or business affairs of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising
in the ordinary course of business; and on the date hereof the
Agents shall have received a (1) certificate of the President and
the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the date
hereof, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material
adverse change, (ii) the other representations and warranties of
the Company contained in Section 1 are true and correct with the
same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the
date of such certificate, (iii) the Company has in all material
respects complied with all agreements and satisfied all condi-
tions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the
date of such certificate and (iv) to such officers' knowledge, no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (23 of 38)

have been initiated or threatened by the Commission and (2) a
certificate of the Chief Financial Officer or the Controller of
the Company, dated the date hereof, to the effect that there was
no material decrease, on a consolidated basis, in the net assets
of the Company at a specified date not more than five days prior
to the date of such certificate, as compared with the amounts
shown on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the
Company incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus or, during the period from the date of such
balance sheet to a specified date not more than five days prior
to the date of such certificate, there were no material
decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the
preceding year, on a consolidated basis, in the revenue or net
income of the Company, except in each such case as set forth in
or contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
and except for such exceptions enumerated in such certificate as
shall have been agreed to by the Agents and the Company.

    (c)  Comfort Letter.  On the date hereof, the Agents shall
have received a letter from Price Waterhouse, dated the date
hereof and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Agents, to the effect that:

          (i)  They are independent accountants with respect to
    the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the
    1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

         (ii)  In their opinion, the consolidated financial
    statements of the Company audited by them and incorporated
    by reference in the Registration Statement and the
    Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with
    the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act and
    the 1933 Act Regulations with respect to registration
    statements on Form S-3 and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act
    Regulations.

         (iii)  They have performed specified procedures, not
    constituting an audit, including a reading of the latest
    available interim unaudited consolidated financial infor-
    mation of the Company, a reading of the minute books of the
    Company since the end of the most recent year with respect
    to which an audit report has been issued, inquiries of and
    discussions with certain officials of the Company responsi-
    ble for financial and accounting matters with respect to the
    unaudited consolidated financial statements incorporated by
    reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
    and the latest available interim unaudited consolidated
    financial information of the Company, and such other
    inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter,
    and on the basis of such inquiries and procedures nothing

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (24 of 38)

    came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
    (A) the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the
    Company incorporated by reference in the Registration
    Statement and the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all
    material respects with the applicable accounting require-
    ments of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations or that
    any material modifications should be made to such unaudited
    consolidated financial statements for them to be in
    conformity with generally accepted accounting principles,
    (B) at the date of the latest available interim unaudited
    consolidated financial information, there was any change in
    the consolidated capital stock or any increase in
    consolidated long-term debt of the Company or any decrease
    in the consolidated net assets of the Company, in each case
    as compared with the amounts shown on the most recent
    consolidated balance sheet of the Company incorporated by
    reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
    or, during the period from the date of such balance sheet to
    the date of the latest available interim unaudited consoli-
    dated financial information, there were any decreases, as
    compared with the corresponding period in the preceding
    year, in consolidated revenues or net income of the Company,
    except in each such case as set forth in or contemplated by
    the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or except for
    such exceptions enumerated in such letter as shall have been
    agreed to by the Agents and the Company or (C) at a speci-
    fied date not more than five days prior to the date of such
    letter, there was any decrease of 5% or more in the
    consolidated capital stock or any increase of 5% or more in
    the consolidated debt of the Company consisting of
    commercial paper, bank borrowings or publicly registered
    debt, in each case as compared with the amounts shown on the
    most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company,
    except in each such case as set forth in or contemplated by
    the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or except for
    such exceptions enumerated in such letter as shall have been
    agreed to by the Agents and the Company.

         (iv)  The letter shall also state that they have:

              (a)  Compared the dollar amounts set forth under
              the columns under the captions "Capitalization"
              and "Selected Consolidated Financial Data" to the
              appropriate consolidated statements of operations
              included in the Company's Annual Reports to Stock-
              holders and the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, or
              to accounts in the Company's accounting records
              subject to its system of internal accounting
              controls and to schedules prepared by the Company
              therefrom, as appropriate;




<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (25 of 38)

              (b)  Compared the dollar amounts set forth under
              the caption "Recent Developments", if any, to the
              appropriate unaudited consolidated statements of
              operations of the Company; and

              (c)  Compared the ratios set forth under the
              caption "Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges" and
              the dollar amounts set forth under the columns in
              the exhibit "Computation of Ratio of Earnings to
              Fixed Charges" to the appropriate consolidated
              statements of operations and disclosures included
              in the Company's Annual Reports to Stockholders
              and the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, or to
              accounts in the Company's accounting records and
              to schedules prepared by the Company therefrom, as
              appropriate, and computed the ratios set forth in
              the same exhibit.

         (v)  In addition to the examination referred to in
    their report included or incorporated by reference in the
    Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the limited
    procedures referred to in clauses (iii) and (iv) above, they
    have carried out certain other specified procedures, not
    constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts,
    percentages and financial information which are included or
    incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and
    the Prospectus and which are specified by the Agents, and
    have found such amounts, percentages and financial informa-
    tion to be in agreement with the relevant accounting, finan-
    cial and other records of the Company and its subsidiaries
    identified in such letter.


     (d) Other Documents.  On the date hereof and on each
Settlement Date with respect to any applicable Terms Agreement,
counsel to the Agents shall have been furnished with such docu-
ments and opinions as such counsel may reasonably require for the
purpose of enabling such counsel to pass upon the issuance and
sale of Notes as herein contemplated and related proceedings, or
in order to evidence the accuracy and completeness of any of the
representations and warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the
conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the
Company in connection with the issuance and sale of Notes as
herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and
substance to the Agents and to counsel to the Agents.






<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (26 of 38)

    If any condition specified in this Section 5 shall not have
been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agree-
ment or any applicable Terms Agreement may be terminated by the
Agents or the applicable Agent or Agents, as the case may be, by
notice to the Company at any time and any such termination shall
be without liability of any party to any other party, except that
the covenants set forth in Section 3(g) hereof, the provisions of
Section 4 hereof, the indemnity and contribution agreement set
forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, and the provisions of Sections
9, 12 and 13 hereof shall remain in effect.


SECTION 6.  Subsequent Documentation Requirements of the Company.

    The Company covenants and agrees that:

    (a)  Subsequent Delivery of Certificates.  (1) Each time
that (i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be
amended or supplemented (other than by any Pricing Supplement
relating solely to the establishment of the specific terms of any
Notes, or, unless the Agents shall otherwise specify, by an
amendment or supplement which relates exclusively to an offering
of debt securities other than the Notes), (ii) there is filed
with the Commission any document incorporated by reference into
the Prospectus (other than any proxy statement or any Current
Report on Form 8-K relating exclusively to the issuance of debt
securities other than the Notes, unless the Agents shall
otherwise specify), (iii) if required pursuant to the terms of a
Term Agreement, the Company sells Notes to one or more of the
Agents pursuant to a Terms Agreement or (iv) the Company sells
Notes in a form not previously certified to the Agents by the
Company, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to
each Agent or, in the event of a sale of Notes pursuant to the
terms of a Terms Agreement, only to each applicable Agent,
forthwith a certificate, dated the date of effectiveness of such
amendment or the date of such supplement, the date of filing such
document with the Commission, or the date of such sale, as the
case may be, in form reasonably satisfactory to such Agent or
Agents to the effect that the statements contained in the
certificate referred to in Section 5(b)(1) hereof which were last
furnished to such Agent or Agents are true and correct at the
time of such amendment, supplement, filing or sale, as the case
may be, as though made at and as of such time (except that such
statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such
time) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same


<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (27 of 38)

tenor as the certificate referred to in said Section 5 (b)(1),
modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of
delivery of such certificate.

    (2)  Each time that (i) the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented to include additional
financial information, (ii) there is filed with the Commission
any document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus which
contains additional financial information, (iii) if required
pursuant to the terms of a Terms Agreement, the Company sells
Notes to one or more of the Agents pursuant to a Terms Agreement
or (iv) the Company sells Notes in a form not previously
certified to the Agents by the Company, the Company shall furnish
or cause to be furnished each Agent or, in the event of a sale of
Notes pursuant to the terms of a Terms Agreement, only to each
applicable Agent, a certificate, dated the date of effectiveness
of such amendment or the date of such supplement, the date of
filing such document with the Commission, or the date of such
sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory to such Agent or
Agents, of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in
Section 5(b)(2) hereof but modified to relate to the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date
of such letter, with such changes as may be necessary to reflect
changes in the financial statements and other information derived
from the accounting records of the Company.

    (b)  Subsequent Delivery of Legal Opinions.  Each time that
(i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended
or supplemented (other than by any Pricing Supplement relating
solely to the establishment of the specific terms of any Notes,
by an amendment or supplement providing solely for the inclusion
of additional financial information, or, unless the Agents shall
otherwise specify, by an amendment or supplement which relates
exclusively to an offering of debt securities other than the
Notes), (ii) there is filed with the Commission any document
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus (other than any
proxy statement or any Current Report on Form 8-K or Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q, unless the Agents shall otherwise specify),
(iii) if required pursuant to the terms of a Terms Agreement, the
Company sells Notes to one or more Agents pursuant to a Terms
Agreement or (iv) the Company sells Notes in a form not
previously certified to the Agents by the Company, the Company
shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to each Agent
or, in the event of a sale of Notes pursuant to the terms of a
Terms Agreement, only to each applicable Agent, and to counsel to
such Agent or Agents, a letter from each counsel last furnishing
the opinion referred to in Section 5(a) hereof, dated the date of
effectiveness of such amendment or the date of such supplement,


<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (28 of 38)

the date of filing such document with the Commission, or the date
of such sale, as the case may be, to the effect that such Agent
or Agents may rely on such last opinion to the same extent as
though it was dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance
(except that statements in such last opinion shall be deemed to
relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such letter
authorizing reliance) or, in lieu of such letter, each such
counsel, or other counsel chosen by the Company and reasonably
satisfactory to such Agent or Agents, shall furnish an opinion,
dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or the date of
such supplement, the date of filing such document with the
Commission, or the date of such sale, as the case may be, in form
reasonably satisfactory to such Agent or Agents, of the same
tenor as the opinion referred to in Section 5(a) hereof, but
modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of
delivery of such opinion.

    (c) Subsequent Delivery of Comfort Letters.  Each time that
(i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended
or supplemented to include additional financial information, (ii) 
there is filed with the Commission any document incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus which contains additional financial
information or (iii) if required pursuant to the terms of a Terms
Agreement, the Company sells Notes to one or more of the Agents
pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall cause Price
Waterhouse, or any successor entity, or another nationally
recognized independent public accounting firm chosen by the
Company and reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, forthwith to
furnish each Agent or, in the event of a sale of Notes pursuant
to the terms of a Terms Agreement, only to each applicable Agent,
a letter, dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or
the date of such supplement, the date of filing such document
with the Commission, or the date of such sale, as the case may
be, in form satisfactory to such Agent or Agents, of the same
tenor as the portions of the letter referred to in clauses (i)
and (ii) of Section 5(c) hereof but modified to relate to the
Registration Statement and Prospectus as amended and supplemented
to the date of such letter, and of the same general tenor as the
portions of the letter referred to in clauses (iii) and (iv) of
said Section 5(c) with such changes as may be necessary to
reflect changes in the financial statements and other information
derived from the accounting records of the Company; provided,
however, that if the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is
amended or supplemented solely to include financial information
as of and for a fiscal quarter, Price Waterhouse, or its
successor entity, or such other nationally recognized independent
public accounting firm, as the case may be, may limit the scope
of such letter to the unaudited financial statements included in

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (29 of 38)


such amendment or supplement unless any other information
included therein of an accounting, financial or statistical
nature is of such a nature that, in the reasonable judgment of
such Agent or Agents and as agreed to by the Company, which
agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld, such letter should
cover such other information.


SECTION 7. Indemnification.

    (a)  Indemnification of the Agents.  The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each of the Agents and each person,
if any, who controls any Agent within the meaning of Section 15
of the 1933 Act as follows:

         (i)  against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
    and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any
    untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
    fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amend-
    ment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom
    of a material fact required to be stated therein or neces-
    sary to make the statements therein not misleading or aris-
    ing out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
    of a material fact included in the Prospectus (or any amend-
    ment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged
    omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to
    make the statements therein, in the light of the circum-
    stances under which they were made, not misleading;

        (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
    and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the
    aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or
    any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency
    or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
    based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any
    such alleged untrue statement or omission, if such
    settlement is effected with the written consent of the
    Company; and

       (iii)  against any and all expense whatsoever (including,
    subject to Section 7(c) hereof, the reasonable fees and
    disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agents), as incurred,
    reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
    against any litigation, or investigation or proceeding by
    any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
    any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or
    omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission,
    to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or
    (ii) above;

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (30 of 38)


provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply
to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent
arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company jointly by the
Agents expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supple-
ment thereto), or made in reliance upon the Statements of
Eligibility of the Trustees filed on Form T-1 as exhibits to the
Registration Statement; and provided further that if it shall
ultimately be determined that one or more of the Agents is not
entitled to be indemnified by the Company, such Agent or Agent
shall repay to the Company any sums paid to such Agent or Agents
by the Company pursuant to this Section.

    (b)  Indemnification of Company.  Each of the Agents sever-
ally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against any and
all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the
indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section 7, as
incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omis-
sions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the Prospec-
tus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information furnished to the Company
jointly by the Agents expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto); provided, however, that if it
shall ultimately be determined that the Company is not entitled
to be indemnified by the Agents, the Company shall repay to the
Agents any sums paid to the Company by the Agents pursuant to
this Section 7.

    (c)  General.  Each indemnified party shall give notice as
promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may
be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying
party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liabil-
ity which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement.  An indemnifying party may participate at its own
expense in the defense of such action.  In no event shall the
indemnifying parties be liable for the fees and expenses of more
than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from
their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with
any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the
same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances.

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (31 of 38)

SECTION 8.  Contribution.

    In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in
Section 7 is for any reason held to be unenforceable by the
indemnified parties although applicable in accordance with its
terms, the Company and the Agents shall contribute to the aggre-
gate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses the nature
contemplated by said indemnity agreement incurred by the Company
and the Agents, as incurred, in such proportions that each Agent
is responsible for that portion represented by the percentage
that the total commissions and underwriting discounts received by
such Agent bear to the total sales price received by the Company
from the sale of the relevant Notes through or to such Agent, and
the Company is responsible for the balance; provided, however,
that no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudu-
lent misrepresentation.  For purposes of this Section 8, each
person, if any, who controls any Agent within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act shall have the same rights to contri-
bution as such Agent, and each director of the Company, each
officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and
each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company.


SECTION 9.    Representations, Warranties and Agreements to
              Survive Delivery.

    All representations, warranties and agreements contained in
this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company
submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full
force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on
behalf of the Agents or any controlling person of each Agent, or
by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive each delivery
of and payment for any of the Notes.


SECTION 10.  Termination.

    (a)  Termination of this Agreement.  This Agreement (exclud-
ing any Terms Agreement) may be terminated for any reason, at any
time by either the Company or any Agent upon the giving of 30
days' written notice of such termination to the other party
hereto; provided, however, that the termination of this Agreement
by one Agent shall terminate this Agreement only between such
Agent and the Company.


<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (32 of 38)


    (b)  Termination of Terms Agreement.  Unless otherwise
provided in a Terms Agreement, the applicable Agent or Agents may
terminate any Terms Agreement, immediately upon notice to the
Company, at any time at or prior to the Settlement Date relating
thereto (i) if there has been, since the date of such Terms
Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise,
or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or
(ii) if there shall have occurred any material adverse change in
the financial markets in the United States or any outbreak or
escalation of hostilities or other national or international
calamity or crisis the effect of which shall be such as to make
it, in the reasonable judgment of such Agent or Agents, imprac-
ticable to market the Notes or enforce contracts for the sale of
the Note, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company
shall have been suspended by the Commission or a national securi-
ties exchange, or if trading generally on either the American
Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been
suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have
been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall
have been required, by either of said exchanges or by order of
the Commission or any other governmental authority, or if a
banking moratorium shall have been declared by either Federal or
New York authorities, or if a banking moratorium shall have been
declared by the relevant authorities in the country issuing any
foreign currency in which the Notes to be sold pursuant to such
Terms Agreement are denominated or payable, or (iv) if the rating
assigned by any nationally recognized securities rating agency to
any debt securities of the Company as of the date of such Terms
Agreement shall have been lowered since that date or if any such
rating agency shall have publicly announced that it has placed
any debt securities of the Company on what is commonly termed a
"watch list" for possible downgrading, or (v) if there shall have
come to any applicable Agent's attention any facts that would
cause such Agent reasonably to believe that the Prospectus, at
the time it was required to be delivered to a purchaser of Notes,
included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances existing at the time of
such delivery, not misleading.







<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (33 of 38)

    (c)  General.  In the event of any such termination, neither
party will have any liability to the other party hereto, except
that (i) each Agent shall be entitled to any commissions earned
in accordance with the third paragraph of Section 2(a) hereof,
(ii) if at the time of termination (a) each Agent shall own any
Notes purchased as principal or (b) an offer to purchase any of
the Notes has been accepted by the Company but the time of
delivery to the purchaser or his agent of the Note or Notes
relating thereto has not occurred, the covenants set forth in
Section 3 and 6 hereof shall remain in effect until such Notes
are so resold or delivered, as the case may be, and (iii) the
covenant set forth in Section 3(g) hereof, the provisions of
Section 4 hereof, the indemnity and contribution agreement set
forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, and the provision of Sections
9, 12 and 13 hereof shall remain in effect.


SECTION 11.  Notices.

    All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or
transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices
to the Agents shall be directed to Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, World Financial
Center, North Tower, New York, New York 10281, attention of MTN
Product Management, Citicorp Securities, Inc., 399 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10043, attention of _______________, Goldman,
Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, attention
of Credit Department, Lehman Brothers, Lehman Brothers Inc., 3
World Financial Center, New York, New York 10285, attention of
___________________ and Salomon Brothers Inc, Seven World Trade
Center, New York, New York 10048, attention of Medium-Term Note
Group, respectively; notices to the Company shall be directed to
it at 1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006,
attention of General Counsel.


SECTION 12.  Parties.

    This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the Agents and the Company and their respective successors. 
Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or
shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other
than the parties hereto and their respective successors and the
controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in
Sections 7 and 8 and their heirs and legal representatives, any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of
this Agreement or any provision herein contained.  This Agreement
and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for
the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (34 of 38)


respective successors and said controlling persons and officers
and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for
the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation.  No
purchaser of Notes shall be deemed to be a successor by reason
merely of such purchase.


SECTION 13.  Governing Law; Jurisdiction.

    This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties
created hereby shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements
made and to be performed entirely in such State.  Any suit,
action or proceeding brought by the Company against an Agent in
connection with or arising under this Agreement shall be brought
solely in the state or federal court of appropriate jurisdiction
located in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.

































<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (35 of 38)

    If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counter-
part hereof, whereupon this instrument along with all counter-
parts will become a binding agreement between the Agents and the
Company in accordance with its terms.

                                  Very truly yours,

                                  MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION


                                  By:___________________________
                                     Title:


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of 
  the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
           INCORPORATED

By:                                  
   Title:


CITICORP SECURITIES, INC.

By:                                  
   Title:


                                     
      (GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.)


LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.

By:                                  
   Title:


SALOMON BROTHERS INC

By:                                   
   Title:






<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (36 of 38)

                                SCHEDULE A


    The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission, in the
form of discount, equal to the applicable percentage of the
principal amount of each Note sold by the Company as a result of
a solicitation made by such Agent, as set forth below:

<TABLE>
<S>                                         <C>       <C>
                                             PERCENT OF
MATURITY RANGES                           PRINCIPAL AMOUNT

                                           Senior   Subordinated

From 9 months but less than 1 year.....     .125%     .150%

From 1 year but less than 18 months....     .150      .175

From 18 months but less than 2 years...     .200      .225

From 2 years but less than 3 years.....     .250      .300

From 3 years but less than 4 years.....     .350      .400

From 4 years but less than 5 years.....     .450      .500

From 5 years but less than 6 years.....     .500      .550

From 6 years but less than 7 years.....     .550      .625

From 7 years but less than 10 years....     .600      .675

From 10 years but less than 15 years...     .625      .700

From 15 years but less than 20 years...     .700      .775

From 20 years to and including 30 years     .750      .825



</TABLE>










<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (37 of 38)


                                                     EXHIBIT A


The following terms, if applicable, shall be agreed to by one or
more of the Agents and the Company pursuant to the applicable
Terms Agreement:

        Senior/Subordinated Status:
        Principal Amount: $       
         (or principal amount of foreign currency or currency
         unit)

        Interest Rate:
           If Fixed Rate Note, Interest Rate:

           If Floating Rate Note:

              Interest Rate Basis or Bases:
              Initial Interest Rate:
              Initial Interest Reset Date:
              Interest Rate Reset Period:
              Interest Rate Reset Date(s):
              Spread and/or Spread Multiplier:
              Interest Payment Period:
              Interest Payment Date(s):
              Index Maturity:
              Maximum Interest Rate:
              Minimum Interest Rate:
              Fixed Rate Commencement Date:
              Fixed Interest Rate:
              Calculation Agent:

         If Redeemable:

              Initial Redemption Date:
              Initial Redemption Percentage:
              Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction:

         If Repayable:

              Repayment Date(s):

         If Indexed:

              Specified Currency:
              Indexed Currency:
              Base Rate:
              Other Index or Indices:

<PAGE>                                           Exhibit 1(a)
                                                 ------------
                                                  (38 of 38)

        Date of Stated Maturity:
        Purchase Price:     %
        Settlement Date and Time:
        Currency of Denomination:
        Denomination (if other than in U.S. dollars):
        Currency of Payment:
        Additional Terms:


Also, agreement as to whether the following will be required:

         Officer's Certificates pursuant to Section 6(a) of the
         Distribution Agreement.
         Legal Opinions pursuant to Section 6(b) of the
         Distribution Agreement.
         Comfort Letter pursuant to Section 6(c) of the
         Distribution Agreement.
         Stand-off Agreement pursuant to Section 3(j) of the
         Distribution Agreement.

Default provisions:





<PAGE>                                                       Exhibit 99(a)
                                                            ---------------
                                                             (Page 1 of 9)

MCI NET INCOME INCREASES MORE THAN 30 PERCENT IN 1994


 
        WASHINGTON, D.C., January 26, 1995 -- MCI (NASDAQ:MCIC) today reported
1994 revenue increased $1.4 billion to a record high $13.3 billion.  Reflecting
the company's emphasis on higher margin products, MCI generated net income of
$887 million with earnings per share climbing to $1.47, excluding one-time
charges.  Traffic increased 12 percent over 1993.


ANNUAL 1994 RESULTS

     o  MCI reported its revenue increased to $13.3 billion, nearly 12 
percent over 1993 revenue of $11.9 billion.  Including one-time charges,
reported net income increased to $795 million, more than 36 percent over 
1993 net income of $582 million.  On that basis, earnings per share
increased to $1.32, a 27 percent increase over 1993 reported earnings
per share of $1.04.  

     o  Excluding one-time charges in both years, annual net income
was $887 million or $1.47 per share in 1994 versus net income of $719
million or $1.28 per share in 1993. 
                             
<PAGE>                                                          Exhibit 99(a)
                                                               --------------
                                                                (Page 2 of 9)
FOURTH QUARTER 1994 RESULTS
     o  MCI reported revenue of $3.4 billion, an increase of $272
million or nearly nine percent over the fourth quarter of 1993.
Reported net income increased to $151 million, more than 41 percent 
above the year-ago figure of $107 million.  Earnings per share increased 
to 22 cents, a more than 22 percent increase over the 18 cents for the 
year-ago period.  
    
     o Excluding one-time charges in both years, fourth quarter net
income was $243 million or 35 cents per share in the quarter versus
$199 million or 34 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. 
Traffic for the quarter was nearly 8 percent over the year-ago quarter.

       The one-time items in the fourth quarter of 1994 included a previously
announced $25 million charge for settlement of certain 900 number lawsuits and
a $70 million incremental start-up cost associated with the launch of
networkMCI BUSINESS.  MCI also took a $63 million depreciation charge mainly to
recognize the reduced utility of older asynchronous transmission equipment. 
MCI has accelerated its deployment of SONET or synchronous optical network
transmission technology throughout its domestic network.  SONET technology
provides the highest levels of network reliability, performance and efficiency.
    
                             
<PAGE>                                                          Exhibit 99(a)
                                                                --------------
                                                                (Page 3 of 9)
       
 Additionally, MCI recorded a $10 million gain on the saleof its 24.5
percent ownership in AAP Telecommunications, a leading long distance provider
in Australia.
        "MCI had a good year in 1994," said Bert C. Roberts, Jr., MCI chairman
and CEO.  "The company grew revenue, net income and profitability while moving
into new, high-margin industry segments including software, electronic
information and local services.  MCI is well positioned to compete in the new
age of communications and information."
        New services, initiatives and growth in the business, consumer and
global markets drove 1994 results, the company said.
        In the business market, MCI continued to grow its share of the 800,
international, data and carrier markets, MCI said.  Proof Positive, MCI's
program for ensuring its business customers are saving money with the
appropriate plan, resulted in both record customer satisfaction and retention
levels during 1994.
        During 1994, MCI also aggressively moved to provide a portfolio of
integrated services to businesses, introducing networkMCI BUSINESS, the
industry's first communications software package for business that combines
electronic mail, information services, collaborative work, Internet access and
electronic shopping.


                           
<PAGE>                                                          Exhibit 99(a)
                                                                --------------
                                                                (Page 4 or 9)

        In January of this year, recognizing increased
competitive pressure during late 1994, MCI introduced Friends & Family
Connections, which delivers innovative products and services as well as re-
establishes MCI's savings position in the consumer market, the company said.   
     With Friends & Family Connections, MCI is the first long distance carrier
to offer an integrated and economical portfolio of communications services that
packages long distance, electronic mail, paging, personal 800 numbers and
calling card services.  Also during 1994, 1-800-COLLECT continued with strong
growth in the lucrative collect calling market, MCI said.
        In the global market, MCI formally completed its
worldwide alliance with British Telecommunications, plc. (BT), with BT
purchasing 20 percent of MCI for $4.3 billion.  Concert, the joint venture
company formed by MCI and BT in June to provide worldwide services for
multinational customers, is creating the world's most ubiquitous advanced
network and will connect more than 5,000 network access points in 55 
countries by early 1995.  According to industry analysts, Concert puts MCI 
and BT a full year ahead of the competition to provide global communications
services.


                             
<PAGE>                                                          Exhibit 99(a)
                                                               --------------
                                                                (Page 5 of 9)
 
        In North America, MCI and Grupo Financiero
Banamex-Accival (Banacci), Mexico's largest financial group, launched AVANTEL,
a joint venture incorporated to provide competitive long distance services in
Mexico. After receipt of a license to provide competitive long distance
services in Mexico, expected in mid-1995, the joint venture expects to commence
construction of a fiber-optic network connecting the Mexican cities of Mexico
City, Monterrey and Guadalajara, thus allowing MCI to complete the first
integrated North American network.
        To compete in the $90 billion local exchange market, MCI formed a
wholly-owned local access subsidiary, MCI Metro. MCI Metro has turned up local
networks in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.  By the
end of 1995, MCI Metro plans to have operational networks in more than 20 major
U.S. cities.  MCI has committed $500 million to MCI Metro during 1995.  
        During 1994, MCI's all-digital network, the second
largest in the world, surpassed 36,000 route miles, representing nearly 4.7
billion capacity circuit miles. SONET transmission technology is being deployed
throughout MCI's domestic network and will be operational on new international
routes by year-end 1995. MCI is using SONET technology to speed the
availability of high-speed multimedia applications and information services.
The network today represents a gross investment of more than $10 billion by MCI.
                             
<PAGE>                                                          Exhibit 99(a)
                                                                -------------
                                                                (Page 6 of 9)
       
      MCI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., has grown from its core long
distance business to become the world's third largest carrier of international
calling and a premier provider of data communications over the vast Internet
computer network. The company today provides a wide array of consumer and
business long distance and local services, data and video communications, on-
line information, electronic mail, network management services and
communications software.

                              

<PAGE>                                                          Exhibit 99(a)
                                                               --------------
                                                                (Page 7 of 9)  
                 MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                 INCOME STATEMENT
                                  (NASDAQ: MCIC)
                               FOURTH QUARTER, 1994
                                         
                                          Three months         Twelve months
                                             ended                 ended
                                          December 31,         December 31,
                                         (unaudited)            (unaudited)
                                         --------------        -------------- 
                                         1994      1993        1994      1993
                                         ----      ----        ----      ---- 
                                                (In millions, except 
                                                per share amounts)

Revenue                               $3,400    $3,128     $13,338   $11,921

Operating expenses:
 Telecommunications                    1,764     1,659       6,916     6,373
 Sales, operations and general           999       992       3,790     3,310
 Depreciation                            358       256       1,176       970
                                      ------    ------     -------   -------
  Total operating expenses             3,121     2,907      11,882    10,653
                                      ------    ------     -------   -------
Income from operations                   279       221       1,456     1,268

Interest expense                         (39)      (33)       (153)     (178)
Interest income                           47         1          50         8
Other expense, net                       (44)      (15)        (73)      (53)
                                      ------    ------      ------    ------
Income before income taxes and
  extraordinary item                     243       174       1,280     1,045

Income tax provision                      92        67         485       418
                                      ------    ------      ------    ------
Income before extraordinary item         151       107         795       627

Extraordinary loss on early debt
  retirement, less applicable 
  income tax benefit                       0         0           0        45
                                      ------    ------      ------    ------
Net income                            $  151    $  107      $  795    $  582
                                      ------    ------      ------    ------

Dividends on preferred stock               0         0           1         1
                                      ------    ------      ------    ------
Earnings applicable to common 
  stockholders                        $  151    $  107      $  794    $  581
                                      ======    ======      ======    ======
Earnings per common and common 
  equivalent shares:                                              
    Income before extraordinary item  $  .22    $  .18     $  1.32    $ 1.12
    Income after extraordinary item   $  .22    $  .18     $  1.32    $ 1.04


Weighted average number of shares        685       581         604       562

<PAGE>                                                          Exhibit 99(a)
                                                               --------------
                                                                (Page 8 of 9)
                                   ATTACHMENT A
                 MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                  (NASDAQ: MCIC)
                               FOURTH QUARTER, 1994
                                         

                                   Three months ended     Twelve months ended
                                      December 31,           December 31,
                                        (unaudited)             (unaudited)
                                  --------------------------------------------
                                                   %                      % 
                                   1994    1993  Change   1994    1993  Change
                                  --------------------------------------------
                           (In millions, except per share amounts and % change)

Revenue                           $3,400  $3,128   8.7% $13,338 $11,921  11.9%

Net Income                        $  151  $  107  41.1% $   795  $  582  36.6%

Dividends on preferred stock           0       0              1       1

Earnings applicable to common
 stockholders                     $  151  $  107  41.1% $   794  $  581  36.7%


Earnings per common and common
 equivalent shares:
 Income before extraordinary item $  .22  $  .18  22.2%  $ 1.32  $ 1.12  17.9%
 Income after extraordinary item  $  .22  $  .18  22.2%  $ 1.32  $ 1.04  26.9%

Weighted average number of shares    685     581            604     562



Traffic Growth                                     7.9%                  12.0% 


<PAGE>                                                          Exhibit 99(a)
                                                                -------------
                                                                (Page 9 of 9)
              MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                BALANCE SHEET
                                (NASDAQ: MCIC)
                          DECEMBER 31, 1994 AND 1993
 (In millions)                   (unaudited)
ASSETS                                              1994      1993
                                                    ----      ----
CURRENT ASSETS                     
Cash and cash equivalents                      $   1,429   $   165     
Marketable securities                                839         -
Receivables, net                                   2,266     2,131   
Other current assets                                 354       305
                                                  ------    ------
  TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS                             4,888     2,601
                                                  ------    ------
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
System in service                                  9,766     8,563   
Other property and equipment                       2,452     2,172
                                                  ------    ------
  TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM IN SERVICE          12,218    10,735  
Accumulated depreciation                          (4,349)   (4,297) 
Construction in progress                           1,190       883     
                                                  ------    ------
  TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM, NET                 9,059     7,321   
                                                  ------    ------
OTHER ASSETS
Goodwill                                           1,103     1,093   
Noncurrent marketable securities                     824         -
Investment in affiliates                             199        30
Other assets and deferred charges, net               293       231     
                                                  ------    ------
  TOTAL OTHER ASSETS                               2,419     1,354   
                                                  ------    ------
  TOTAL ASSETS                                   $16,366   $11,276   
                                                 =======   =======
 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accrued telecommunications expense               $ 1,505    $1,507    
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities     1,502     1,479  
Long-term debt due within one year                   130       215  
                                                  ------    ------
  TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES                        3,137     3,201     
                                                  ------    ------
NONCURRENT LIABILITIES
Long-term debt                                     2,997     2,366     
Deferred taxes and other                           1,228       996  
                                                  ------   -------
  TOTAL NONCURRENT LIABILITIES                     4,225     3,362     
                                                  ------   -------
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                            
Preferred Stock, Series D                              -         1    
Class A common stock                                  14         -
Common stock                                          60        60   
Additional paid in capital                         6,227     2,493     
Retained earnings                                  3,548     2,785     
Treasury stock at cost                              (845)     (626)     
                                                  ------   -------
  TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                       9,004     4,713     
                                                  ------   -------
 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY      $16,366   $11,276   
                                                  ======    ======


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