PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND INC
485APOS, 1997-09-12
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                                              Registration No. 33-59474

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
                                    --------

                        POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 6 TO

                                    FORM N-1A

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      under

                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                       and

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      under

                       THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
                                    --------

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
               (Exact name of Registrant as specified in Charter)

                          The Principal Financial Group
                             Des Moines, Iowa 50392
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
                                    --------

                         Telephone Number (515) 248-3842
                                    --------

MICHAEL D. ROUGHTON                      Copy to:
The Principal Financial Group            JOHN W. BLOUCH, L.L.P.
Des Moines, Iowa  50392                  Suite 405 West
                                         1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W.
                                         Washington, DC  20007-0805

                     (Name and address of agent for service)
                                   ----------

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box) 
              immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)of Rule 485 
              on April 1, 1997 pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
              60 days after filing  pursuant to paragraph  (a)(1) of Rule 485 
              on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485 
       X      75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485 
              on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

If appropriate, check the following box:
              This post-effective  amendment designates a new effective date for
              a previously filed post-effective amendment.
                                   ----------

     Pursuant to the provisions of Rule 24f-2 under the  Investment  Company Act
of 1940,  Registrant  has  registered an  indefinite  number of shares under the
Securities Act of 1933;  Registrant  filed a Rule 24f-2 Notice for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1996 on February 27, 1997.
<PAGE>

   
                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                    International Emerging Markets Portfolio
                       International Securities Portfolio
                        International SmallCap Portfolio
                      Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio
    



                        The Principal Financial Group(R)
                           Des Moines, Iowa 50392-0200
                                 1-800-451-5447



Principal  Special  Markets  Fund,  Inc.  (the  "Fund") is a  no-load,  open-end
management   investment   company,   currently   consisting   of   four   series
("Portfolios"), each of which is classified as a diversified investment company.
Each  Portfolio  is  designed  to meet the  investment  needs  of  institutions,
corporations and high net worth  individuals  desiring  professional  investment
management  for the type of  securities  in which each  Portfolio  invests.  The
investment objective of each Portfolio is as follows:

   
International  Emerging  Markets  Portfolio:  Long-term  growth  of  capital  by
investing   primarily  in  equity  securities  of  issuers  in  emerging  market
countries.
    

International Securities Portfolio:  Long-term growth of capital by investing in
a portfolio of  securities  of companies  domiciled in any of the nations of the
world.

   
International  SmallCap  Portfolio:  Long-term  growth of capital  by  investing
primarily in equity securities of non-United States companies with comparatively
smaller market capitalizations.
    

Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio:  A total investment return consisting of
current income and capital  appreciation while maintaining  liquidity and safety
of principal.  The Portfolio seeks to achieve its objective through the purchase
of mortgage-backed  securities and other obligations issued or guaranteed by the
United States Government or its agencies or instrumentalities.  Portfolio shares
are not guaranteed by the United States Government.

   
This  Prospectus  concisely  states  information  that an investor ought to know
before  investing.  It  should  be  read  and  retained  for  future  reference.
Additional  information  about the Fund has been filed with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission,  including  a document  called a Statement  of  Additional
Information dated _______________ which is incorporated by reference herein. The
Statement of Additional Information can be obtained free of charge by writing or
telephoning Princor Financial Services Corporation,  P.O. Box 10423, Des Moines,
Iowa 50306-0423. Telephone 1-800-451-5447.






         THESE   SECURITIES  HAVE  NOT  BEEN  APPROVED  OR  DISAPPROVED  BY  THE
         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES  COMMISSION
         NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
         COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
         REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

                 The date of this Prospectus is_______________.
    


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS



                                                                            Page

   
     Summary.................................................................  3

     Financial Highlights....................................................  5

     Investment Objectives, Policies and Restrictions........................  6

     Certain Investment Policies and Restrictions............................ 10

     Risk Factors............................................................ 11

     Manager and Investment Sub-Advisor ..................................... 11

     Duties Performed by the Manager and Sub-Advisor......................... 12

     Managers' Comments...................................................... 13

     Determination of Net Asset Value ....................................... 14

     Performance Calculation ................................................ 15

     Shareholder Rights...................................................... 15

     Distribution of Income Dividends and Realized Capital Gains ............ 16

     Tax Treatment, Dividends and Distributions ............................. 16

     How to Invest .........................................................  17

     Offering Price of Shares ..............................................  17

     Minimum Investment Requirement.........................................  18

     Open Account System....................................................  18

     Redemption of Shares...................................................  18

     Periodic Withdrawal Plan...............................................  20

     Additional Information.................................................  20
    




     This  Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of
an offer to buy, the  securities of any Portfolio in any  jurisdiction  in which
such sale,  offer to sell, or solicitation  may not be lawfully made. No dealer,
salesperson,  or other person has been  authorized to give any information or to
make any  representations,  other than those  contained in this  Prospectus,  in
connection with the offer contained in this  Prospectus,  and, if given or made,
such other information or representations must not be relied upon as having been
authorized  by  Principal   Special   Markets  Fund,  Inc.  or  its  Manager  or
Sub-Advisor.

SUMMARY

     The following summarized information should be read in conjunction with the
detailed information appearing elsewhere in the Prospectus.

What benefits are offered investors?

     Professional Investment Management: Experienced securities analysts provide
each Portfolio with professional investment management.

     Diversification:  Each  Portfolio will diversify by investing in securities
issued by a number of issuers. Diversification reduces investment risk.

   
     Economies of Scale:  Pooling  individual  shareholder's  investments in the
Portfolios  creates  administrative  efficiencies  and in certain  circumstances
saves on  brokerage  commissions  through  the  purchase  of  larger  blocks  of
securities.
    

     Liquidity:  Upon request each Portfolio will redeem its shares and promptly
pay the  investor  the  current net asset  value next  determined  of the shares
redeemed. See "Redemption of Shares."

     Dividends:  Each  Portfolio will normally  declare a dividend  payable from
investment income in accordance with its distribution  policy. See "Distribution
of Income Dividends and Realized Capital Gains."

     Convenient Investment and Recordkeeping Services: Shareholders will receive
a statement of account each time there is activity in their account.

     No Sales  Charge:  Each  Portfolio  offers its  shares at net asset  value,
without a sales charge.

What are the Portfolio investment objectives?

   
     The investment objective of the International Emerging Markets Portfolio is
to seek long-term growth of capital by investing  primarily in equity securities
of issuers in emerging market countries.
    

     The investment  objective of the International  Securities  Portfolio is to
seek  long-term  growth of capital by investing in a portfolio of  securities of
companies domiciled in any of the nations of the world.

   
     The investment objective of the International SmallCap Portfolio is to seek
long-term growth of capital by investing in a portfolio of equity  securities of
non-United States companies with comparatively smaller market capitalizations.
    

     The investment objective of the Mortgage-Backed  Securities Portfolio is to
generate a total  investment  return  consisting  of current  income and capital
appreciation while maintaining liquidity and safety of principal.  The Portfolio
seeks  to  achieve  its  objective  through  the  purchase  of   mortgage-backed
securities  and other  obligations  issued or  guaranteed  by the United  States
Government  or its  agencies  or  instrumentalities.  Portfolio  shares  are not
guaranteed by the United States Government.

     There can be no assurance that the investment  objectives will be realized.
See "Investment Objectives, Policies and Restrictions."

What are the risk factors?

     Because each Portfolio has a different investment objective, each Portfolio
is subject to different financial and market risks. Financial risk refers to the
earnings  stability  and overall  financial  soundness of an issuer of an equity
security and to the ability of an issuer of a debt  security to pay interest and
principal  when due.  Market  risk  refers to the degree to which the price of a
security  will react to  changes in  securities  markets  in general  and,  with
particular  reference  to debt  securities,  to changes in the overall  level of
interest rates.  See "Risk Factors",  and "Investment  Objectives,  Policies and
Restrictions."

What minimum amount may be invested?

   
     The  minimum  initial  purchase  in the Fund is $1.0  million.  The minimum
initial  purchase of $1.0  million may be  invested  over a three month  period.
Investments  in any of the  Portfolios  by an  investor,  investor's  spouse and
dependent children, or a trustee may be combined to meet this minimum.  There is
no minimum for subsequent  investments.  Each Portfolio may involuntarily redeem
all shares in an account  which,  after a  redemption,  has a value of less than
$5,000  and mail the  proceeds  of such  redemption  to the  shareholder  at the
address of record. See "Minimum Investment Requirement."
    


How may investments be withdrawn?

     Withdrawals, which are also known as redemptions, may be made by mail or by
telephone if telephone  transaction  services apply to the account.  Upon proper
authorization  certain  redemptions may be processed  through a selected dealer.
Redemptions may also be made through a Periodic Withdrawal Plan. Withdrawals are
made at net asset value without charge. See "Redemption of Shares."

Who manages each Portfolio?

     Princor  Management  Corporation,   a  corporation  organized  in  1969  by
Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  is the  Manager  for  each  of the
Portfolios.  It  is  also  the  dividend  disbursing  and  transfer  agent.  See
"Manager."   Invista  Capital   Management,   Inc.   ("Invista"),   an  indirect
wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company and an
affiliate of the Manager,  has executed an agreement  with the Manager to assume
the obligations of the Manager to provide investment  advisory services for each
Portfolio.

What fees and expenses apply to ownership of shares?

     The following  table  depicts fees and expenses  applicable to the purchase
and ownership of shares of each Portfolio.

                               Shareholder Transaction Expenses
                                  Maximum Sales Load Imposed
                                         on Purchases
                Portfolio     (as a percentage of offering price) Redemption Fee

   
   International Emerging Markets Portfolio  None                    None
   International Securities Portfolio        None                    None
   International SmallCap Portfolio          None                    None
   Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio      None                    None
    

                                Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
                              (as a percentage of average net assets)

                                     Management  12b-1   Other   Total Operating
                Portfolio               Fee       Fee  Expenses*    Expenses

   
   International Emerging Markets 
     Portfolio                           1.15%   None     None        1.15%
   International Securities Portfolio     .90%   None     None         .90%
   International SmallCap Portfolio      1.00%   None     None        1.00%
   Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio   .45%   None     None         .45%
    

   * In addition to brokerage and extraordinary  expenses,  a Portfolio will pay
   only taxes and interest expenses,  which it is anticipated will be minimal or
   nonexistent under normal circumstances.

   
     The purpose of the above table is to assist the  investor in  understanding
the various  expenses that an investor in each  Portfolio  will bear directly or
indirectly. The fee payable by the International Emerging Markets, International
Securities and  International  SmallCap  Portfolios are higher than that paid by
most funds to their  advisors,  but not higher  than the fees paid by many funds
with similar investment objectives and policies and does cover substantially all
expenses of the  Portfolios,  unlike many other  funds.  See "How to Invest" and
"Duties Performed by the Manager and Sub-Advisor."
    

   Examples

     You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000  investment,  assuming (1)
5% annual return and (2) redemption at the end of each time period:

                                                  Period (in years)
                 Portfolio                    1       3       5      10

   
   International Emerging Markets Portfolio  $12     $37     N/A      N/A
   International Securities Portfolio         $9     $29     $50     $111
   International SmallCap Portfolio          $10     $32     N/A      N/A
   Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio       $5     $14     $25      $57
    

     The  Examples  are  based on each  Portfolio's  Annual  Operating  Expenses
described above. The Examples should not be considered a representation  of past
or future expenses; actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

     The  following  financial  highlights  have  been  derived  from  financial
statements  which have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP,  independent  auditors
whose report thereon has been  incorporated by reference  herein.  The financial
highlights should be read in conjunction with the financial statements,  related
notes  and  other  financial  information  for each  portfolio  incorporated  by
reference  herein.  The financial  statements  may be obtained by  shareholders,
without charge, by telephoning 1-800-451-5447.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                       International Securities Portfolio



                                                                Year               Year              Year              Period
                                                                Ended              Ended             Ended              Ended
                                                             December 31,       December 31,      December 31,       December 31,
                                                                 1996               1995              1994              1993(a)


<S>                                                             <C>                <C>               <C>                <C>   
Net Asset Value at Beginning of Period...................       $11.70             $11.29            $12.87             $10.01

Income from Investment Operations:
   Net Investment Income.................................          .31                .19               .13                .07
   Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses)
      on Investments.....................................         2.46               1.11              (.95)              2.91

                        Total from Investment Operations          2.77               1.30              (.82)              2.98
Less Distributions:
   Dividends (from net investment income)................         (.16)              (.10)             (.12)              (.10)
   Excess distribution of net investment income..........         (.07)              (.07)             (.13)              --
   Distributions (from capital gains)....................         (.57)              (.72)             (.51)              (.02)


                                      Total Distributions         (.80)              (.89)             (.76)              (.12)


Net Asset Value at End of Period.........................       $13.67             $11.70            $11.29             $12.87



Total Return.............................................        24.12%             12.02%            (6.45)%            29.95%(c)

Ratios/Supplemental Data:
   Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands)..............       $28,161            $17,251           $15,542            $16,838
   Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets...............          .90%               .90%              .90%               .90%(b)
   Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average
      Net Assets.........................................         1.90%              1.79%              .94%              1.21%(b)
   Portfolio Turnover Rate...............................        25.52%             46.0%             37.0%               6.9%(b)
   Average Commission Rate Paid..........................       $.0187                --                --                 --


<FN>
(a)Period from May 7, 1993,  date shares  first  offered to the public,  through
   December 31, 1993. Net investment income,  aggregating $.01 per share for the
   International Securities Portfolio and $.01 per share for the Mortgage-Backed
   Securities  Portfolio  for the period from the initial  purchase of shares on
   April  26,  1993  through  May 6,  1993,  was  recognized,  none of which was
   distributed from the International  Securities Portfolio and all of which was
   distributed  from  the  Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio  to  the  sole
   shareholder,  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company,  during the period.
   Additionally,  the Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio incurred unrealized
   gains on  investments  of $.01 per share during the initial  interim  period.
   This represented activities of each portfolio prior to the initial offering.

(b)Computed on an annualized basis.

(c)Total return amounts have not been annualized.
</FN>
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                      Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio



                                                                Year               Year              Year              Period
                                                                Ended              Ended             Ended             Ended
                                                              December 31,      December 31,       December 31,      December 31,
                                                                 1996               1995              1994              1993(a)


<S>                                                             <C>                <C>               <C>                <C>   
Net Asset Value at Beginning of Period...................       $10.17             $ 9.11            $10.10             $10.01
Income from Investment Operations:
   Net Investment Income.................................          .64                .65               .63                .34
   Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses)
      on Investments.....................................         (.24)              1.06              (.99)               .09

                        Total from Investment Operations           .40               1.71              (.36)               .43
Less Distributions:
   Dividends (from net investment income)................         (.64)              (.65)             (.63)              (.34)


Net Asset Value at End of Period.........................       $ 9.93             $10.17            $ 9.11             $10.10


Total Return.............................................         4.20%             19.26%            (3.60)%             4.47%(c)
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
   Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands)..............       $14,968            $14,253           $14,714            $24,309
   Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets...............          .45%               .45%              .45%               .45%(b)
   Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average
      Net Assets.........................................         6.51%              6.66%             6.56%              5.23%(b)
   Portfolio Turnover Rate...............................        28.7%               9.9%             41.8%               9.6%(b)

<FN>
(a)Period from May 7, 1993,  date shares  first  offered to the public,  through
   December 31, 1993. Net investment income,  aggregating $.01 per share for the
   International Securities Portfolio and $.01 per share for the Mortgage-Backed
   Securities  Portfolio  for the period from the initial  purchase of shares on
   April  26,  1993  through  May 6,  1993,  was  recognized,  none of which was
   distributed from the International  Securities Portfolio and all of which was
   distributed  from  the  Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio  to  the  sole
   shareholder,  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company,  during the period.
   Additionally,  the Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio incurred unrealized
   gains on  investments  of $.01 per share during the initial  interim  period.
   This represented activities of each portfolio prior to the initial offering.

(b)Computed on an annualized basis.

(c)Total return amounts have not been annualized.
</FN>
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

     The  investment  objectives  and policies of the  Portfolios  are described
below. There can be no assurance that the objectives will be realized.

   
     The  International  Emerging Markets  Portfolio,  International  Securities
Portfolio and  International  SmallCap  Portfolio  (together the  "International
Portfolios")  each seek to be fully  invested  under  normal  conditions  in the
following equity securities: common stocks; preferred stocks and debt securities
that are  convertible  into  common  stock,  that carry  rights or  warrants  to
purchase common stock or that carry rights to participate in earnings; rights or
warrants  to  subscribe  to or purchase  any of the  foregoing  securities;  and
sponsored and unsponsored  American  Depository  Receipts (ADRs) based on any of
the foregoing securities.  Unsponsored ADRs are not created by the issuer of the
underlying security, may be subject to fees imposed by the issuing bank that, in
the case of sponsored  ADRs,  would be paid by the issuer of a sponsored ADR and
may involve  additional risks such as reduced  availability of information about
the issuer of the underlying security.

     Each Portfolio may invest in the securities of other  investment  companies
but may not invest more than 10% of its assets in securities of other investment
companies,  invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one
investment company, or acquire more than 3% of the outstanding voting securities
of any one investment company except in connection with a merger,  consolidation
or plan of  reorganization.  The Manager  will waive its  management  fee on the
portfolio's   assets  invested  in  securities  of  other  open-end   investment
companies.  The  Portfolio  will  generally  invest  only  in  those  investment
companies  that have  investment  policies  requiring  investment  in securities
comparable in quality to those in which the Portfolio invests.

     When in the  opinion  of  Invista  current  market or  economic  conditions
warrant, the Portfolios each may for temporary defensive purposes place all or a
portion of its assets in cash, on which the Portfolio would earn no income, cash
equivalents,  bank  certificates  of deposit,  bankers  acceptances,  repurchase
agreements,  commercial paper,  commercial paper master notes which are floating
rate debt  instruments  without a fixed  maturity,  government  securities,  and
preferred stock and investment grade debt securities, whether or not convertible
into or carrying  rights for common  stock.  These  securities  may be issued by
domestic  or  foreign  corporations,   governments  or  governmental   agencies,
instrumentalities  or political  subdivisions  and may be  denominated in United
States dollars or some other  currency.  When investing for temporary  defensive
purposes,  the  Portfolio  is not  investing  so as to  achieve  its  investment
objective.  The  Portfolio  may  also  maintain  reasonable  amounts  in cash or
short-term debt securities (rated by a nationally recognized  statistical rating
organization  in one of the two highest rating  categories  for short-term  debt
obligations)  for  daily  cash  management  purposes  or  pending  selection  of
particular long-term investments.

International Emerging Markets Portfolio

     The investment objective of the International Emerging Markets Portfolio is
long-term  growth of capital.  The Portfolio  seeks to achieve this objective by
investing   primarily  in  equity  securities  of  issuers  in  emerging  market
countries. As used in this Prospectus,  the term "emerging market country" means
any country which, in the opinion of Invista,  is generally  considered to be an
emerging  country  by  the  international  financial  community,  including  the
International  Bank for  Reconstruction  and Development (more commonly known as
the World Bank) and the  International  Financial  Corporation.  These countries
generally  include every nation in the world except the United  States,  Canada,
Japan,  Australia,  New  Zealand  and most  nations  located in Western  Europe.
Currently,  investing in many emerging  countries is not feasible or may involve
unacceptable  political  risks.  The Portfolio  focuses on those emerging market
countries  in which it believes the  economies  are  developing  strongly and in
which the markets are becoming more sophisticated.

     Investments in emerging market  countries  involve  special risks.  Certain
emerging market  countries have  historically  experienced,  and may continue to
experience,  high  rates  of  inflation,  high  interest  rates,  exchange  rate
fluctuations, large amounts of debt, balance of payments and trade difficulties,
and extreme  poverty and  unemployment.  In  addition,  there are certain  risks
associated with investments in foreign securities (see "Risk Factors").

     Under normal  conditions at least 65% of the Portfolio's  total assets will
be invested in emerging market country equity securities.  The Portfolio invests
in securities of (1) issuers with their principal place of business or principal
office in emerging  market  countries,  or (2)  issuers for which the  principal
securities  trading  market  is an  emerging  market  country,  or (3)  issuers,
regardless  of where the  security  is traded,  that derive 50% or more of their
total  revenue  from  either  goods or  services  produced  in  emerging  market
countries or sales made in emerging market countries.

     A small portion of the Portfolio  assets may also be invested in closed end
country  specific   investment   companies  and  sovereign  debt  of  developing
countries.  Closed end  investment  companies  provide a way to gain exposure to
countries  where the  mechanics of trading  securities  are not cost  effective.
Investment in sovereign  debt may have the potential for returns that are higher
than returns on stocks within the country.
    

International Securities Portfolio

   
     The investment  objective of the International  Securities  Portfolio is to
seek long-term growth of capital through investment in a portfolio of securities
of  companies  domiciled  in any of  the  nations  of  the  world.  In  choosing
investments,  which  will  consist  primarily  of equity  securities  of foreign
corporations,  Invista intends to pay particular attention to long-term earnings
prospects  and the  relationship  of  then-current  prices  to  such  prospects.
Short-term trading is not generally intended,  but occasional investments may be
made for the purpose of seeking  short-term or  medium-term  gain. The Portfolio
expects its  investment  objective to be met over long periods which may include
several market cycles.  For a description  of certain  investment  risks and tax
implications  associated with foreign  securities,  see "Risk Factors," and "Tax
Treatment, Dividends and Distributions."
    

     The Portfolio intends that its investments normally will be allocated among
various  countries.  Although there is no limitation on the percentage of assets
that may be invested in any one country or denominated in any one currency,  the
Portfolio  intends  under normal  market  conditions to have at least 65% of its
assets invested in securities issued by corporations of at least three countries
other than the United States. Investments may be made anywhere in the world, but
it is expected  that  primary  consideration  will be given to  investing in the
securities  issued  by  corporations  of  Western  Europe,   North  America  and
Australasia  (Australia,  Japan  and Far  East  Asia)  that  have  developed  or
developing economies. Changes in investments may be made as prospects change for
particular countries, industries or companies.

   
International SmallCap Portfolio

     The  investment  objective  of  the  International  SmallCap  Portfolio  is
long-term  growth  of  capital.  The  strategy  of this  Portfolio  is to invest
primarily in equity securities of non-United States companies with comparatively
smaller market  capitalizations.  Under normal market conditions,  the Portfolio
invests at least 65% of its assets in  securities  of  companies  having a total
market capitalization of $1 billion or less.

     The Portfolio diversifies its investments geographically. Although there is
no  limitation  on the  percentage  of assets  that may be  invested  in any one
country or denominated in any one currency,  the Portfolio intends, under normal
market  conditions,  to have at least 65% of its assets  invested in  securities
issued by corporations of at least three countries. For a description of certain
investment risks associated with foreign securities, see "Risk Factors."
    

Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio

   
     The investment objective of the Mortgage-Backed  Securities Portfolio is to
generate a total  investment  return  consisting  of current  income and capital
appreciation while maintaining liquidity and safety of principal.
    

     The  Portfolio  will  invest  in   mortgage-backed   securities  and  other
obligations  issued or  guaranteed  by the United  States  Government  or by its
agencies or instrumentalities  ("U.S.  Government Securities") and in repurchase
agreements  collateralized by such obligations.  Under normal market conditions,
the  Portfolio  intends to invest at least 65% of its assets in  mortgage-backed
securities.  The U.S.  Government  Securities in which the Portfolio  intends to
invest include Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") Certificates of
the modified  pass-through type, Federal National Mortgage  Association ("FNMA")
Obligations,  Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC")  Certificates and
Student Loan Marketing  Association  ("SLMA")  Certificates  and  collateralized
mortgage  obligations  issued  by  private  issuers  for  which  the  underlying
mortgage-backed  securities  serving as  collateral  are  guaranteed by the U.S.
Government  or  its  agencies  or  instrumentalities.  GNMA  is  a  wholly-owned
corporate  instrumentality  of the United States whose securities and guarantees
are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.  FNMA, a federally
chartered and privately-owned  corporation,  FHLMC, a federal  corporation,  and
SLMA,   a   government    sponsored    stockholder-owned    organization,    are
instrumentalities  of the United States.  The securities and guarantees of FNMA,
FHLMC and SLMA are backed by the credit of the issuing  organization but are not
backed,  directly  or  indirectly,  by the full  faith and  credit of the United
States.  Although  the  Secretary  of the  Treasury  of the  United  States  has
discretionary  authority  to lend FNMA up to $2.25  billion  outstanding  at any
time,  neither the United States nor any agency  thereof is obligated to finance
the operations of FNMA, FHLMC or SLMA or to assist them in any other manner. The
Portfolio may maintain  reasonable amounts of cash or short-term debt securities
for daily cash management purposes or pending selection of particular  long-term
investments.

     GNMA Certificates are mortgage-backed  securities  representing an interest
in a pool of  mortgage  loans.  Such loans are made by lenders  such as mortgage
bankers,   insurance   companies,   commercial   banks  and   savings  and  loan
associations.   Then,   they  are  either   insured  by  the   Federal   Housing
Administration (FHA) or they are guaranteed by the Veterans  Administration (VA)
or Farmers Home  Administration  (FmHA).  The lender or other prospective issuer
creates a specific  pool of such  mortgages,  which it submits  for  approval to
GNMA, a United States  Government  corporation  within the Department of Housing
and Urban Development.  After approval,  a GNMA Certificate is typically offered
by the issuer to investors through securities dealers.

     GNMA  Certificates  differ from bonds in that the principal is scheduled to
be paid back by the borrower on a monthly basis over the life of the loan rather
than returned in a lump sum at maturity. Modified pass-through GNMA Certificates
entitle the holder to receive all interest and  principal  payments  owed on the
mortgages in the pool whether or not the mortgagor  has made such  payment.  The
timely  payment of interest and  principal is  guaranteed  by the full faith and
credit of the United States Government.

     Although the payment of interest and principal is guaranteed, the guarantee
does not extend to the value of a GNMA Certificate or the value of the shares of
the Portfolio.  The market value of a GNMA Certificate  typically will fluctuate
to reflect  changes in prevailing  interest  rates. It falls when rates increase
(as does the  market  value of other  debt  securities)  and it rises when rates
decline  (but it may not rise on a comparable  basis with other debt  securities
because of its prepayment feature), and, therefore, may be more or less than the
face amount of the GNMA  Certificate,  which  reflects the  aggregate  principal
amount of the  underlying  mortgages.  As a result the net asset value of shares
will fluctuate as interest rates change.

     Mortgagors  may pay off their  mortgages  at any time.  Prepayments  of the
mortgages  can affect the market  value of the GNMA  Certificate  and the return
ultimately  received.  Prepayments,  like scheduled  payments of principal,  are
reinvested by the Portfolio at prevailing  interest rates which may be less than
the rate on the GNMA  Certificate.  Prepayments  are likely to  increase  as the
interest  rate  for  new  mortgages  moves  lower  than  the  rate  on the  GNMA
Certificate.  Moreover,  if the GNMA Certificate had been purchased at a premium
above principal  because its rate exceeded  prevailing rates, the premium is not
guaranteed  and a decline  in value to par may  result in a loss of the  premium
especially in the event of prepayment.

     The FNMA and FHLMC  securities  in which  the  Portfolio  invests  are very
similar to GNMA  certificates  as described  above but are not guaranteed by the
full faith and credit of the United States but rather by the agency itself. FNMA
and FHLMC  securities  are rated Aaa by  Moody's  and AAA by  Standard & Poor's.
These ratings  reflect the status of FNMA and FHLMC as federal  agencies as well
as the important role each plays in financing purchases of homes in the U.S.

     Student   Loan   Marketing    Association   is   a   government   sponsored
stockholder-owned  organization  whose goal is to provide liquidity to financial
and  educational  institutions.  SLMA provides  liquidity by purchasing  student
loans,  which are  principally  government  guaranteed  loans  issued  under the
Federal Guaranteed Student Loan Program and the Health Education Assistance Loan
Program.  SLMA  securities  are not  guaranteed by the U.S.  Government  but are
obligations  solely of the  agency.  SLMA  senior  debt issues in which the Fund
invests are rated AAA by Standard & Poor's and Aaa by Moody's.

     There are other  obligations  issued or  guaranteed  by the  United  States
Government   (such  as  U.S.   Treasury   securities)  or  by  its  agencies  or
instrumentalities  that are either supported by the full faith and credit of the
U.S. Treasury or the credit of a particular agency or instrumentality.  Included
in the  latter  category  are  Federal  Home  Loan Bank and Farm  Credit  Banks.
Obligations  not  guaranteed  by the United States  Government  are highly rated
because they are issued by indirect branches of government. Such obligations are
issued as needs  arise by an agency and are traded  regularly  in  denominations
similar to those in which government obligations are traded.

   
     The Portfolio may enter into contracts  with dealers in securities  whereby
the Portfolio agrees to purchase or sell an agreed-upon  principal amount of the
securities at a specified  price on a certain date. The Portfolio may enter into
similar  purchase  agreements  with issuers of securities  other than  Principal
Mutual Life Insurance Company. The Portfolio may also purchase optional delivery
standby  commitments  which  give the  Portfolio  the  right to sell  particular
securities at a specified price on a specified date.  Failure of the other party
to such a contract or commitment to abide by the terms thereof could result in a
loss to the  Portfolio.  When the  Portfolio  enters  into a forward  commitment
contract to purchase securities,  it assumes the rights and risks of an owner of
the securities, including the risk of price and yield fluctuation. The Portfolio
accrues no interest until the securities are delivered, and although payment for
and  delivery  of the  securities  will occur at a later  date,  it records  the
purchase  price as a liability and  segregates  portfolio  assets having a value
equal to the purchase price.  The availability of liquid assets for this purpose
and the  effect of asset  segregation  on the  Portfolio's  ability  to meet its
current obligations, to honor requests for redemption and to have its investment
portfolio  managed  properly  will limit the extent to which the  Portfolio  may
engage in  forward  commitment  agreements.  Except as may be  imposed  by these
factors,  there is no limit on the percent of the Portfolio's  total assets that
may be committed to transactions in such agreements. The Portfolio intends to be
active in the forward  commitment  market when the return from  holding  forward
positions  appears  to be  greater  than the  return  from  holding  the  actual
securities.  The  Portfolio  will enter into  forward  commitment  contracts  to
purchase  securities for the purpose of acquiring  those  securities and not for
the purpose of investment leverage or to speculate on interest rate changes, but
as  delivery  dates  approach,  a  determination  will be made  whether  to take
delivery of a specific  forward  position,  or sell that  position  and purchase
another forward position.  Because of this strategy,  it is anticipated that its
annual  portfolio  turnover rate should generally exceed 100% and may be as much
as 600% or more,  although  this rate  should  not be  construed  as a  limiting
factor.  The effect of a high turnover  rate would be to incur more  transaction
expenses  than  would be  incurred  at a lower  turnover  rate,  and there is no
assurance that the additional  transactions  that cause the higher turnover rate
would  result in gains for the  Portfolio or in  sufficient  gains to offset the
increased transaction expenses.
    

CERTAIN INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

     Following  is a  discussion  of  certain  investment  practices  that  each
Portfolio may use in an effort to achieve its investment objective.

   
     Each Portfolio may enter into repurchase  agreements with, and may lend its
portfolio  securities to,  unaffiliated  broker-dealers  and other  unaffiliated
qualified   financial   institutions.   These   transactions   must   be   fully
collateralized  at all times,  but  involve  some credit risk if the other party
should  default on its  obligations,  and the  Portfolio is delayed or prevented
from recovering on the collateral.  See the Statement of Additional  Information
for further  information  regarding the credit risks  associated with repurchase
agreements  and the  standards  adopted by the Board of  Directors  to deal with
those  risks.  The  Portfolios  do not  intend  (i)  to  enter  into  repurchase
agreements that mature in more than seven days if any such investment,  together
with any other illiquid  securities held by the Portfolio,  would amount to more
than 15% of its total assets or (ii) to lend  securities in excess of 33% of its
total assets.

     From time to time, a Portfolio may enter into forward commitment agreements
which call for it to purchase or sell a security on a future date and at a price
fixed at the time the Portfolio  enters into the  agreement.  Each Portfolio may
acquire rights to sell its investments to other parties,  either on demand or at
specific intervals.  The International Portfolios each may invest in warrants up
to 5% of its assets,  of which not more than 2% may be invested in warrants that
are not listed on the New York,  American  or  Toronto  Stock  Exchanges  or the
Chicago Board Options Exchange.

     As a matter of fundamental  policy, each Portfolio may borrow money (a) for
temporary  or  emergency  purposes in an amount not to exceed 5% of the value of
the  Portfolio's  total  assets  at the  time of the  borrowing  and (b) for any
purpose from banks in an amount not to exceed one-third of the Portfolio's total
assets  (including the amount  borrowed) less all liabilities  and  indebtedness
other  than  borrowings  deemed  to be  senior  securities  and  while  any such
borrowing exceeds 5% of the Portfolios total assets, no additional  purchases of
investment securities will be made.
    

     Each Portfolio may purchase  covered spread  options,  which would give the
Portfolio  the right to sell a security that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or
yield spread in  relationship  to another  security that the Portfolio  does not
own, but which is used as a benchmark. Each Portfolio may also purchase and sell
covered financial futures contracts,  options on financial futures contracts and
options on securities and securities  indices,  but will not invest more than 5%
of its assets in initial margin and premiums on financial  futures contracts and
options  thereon.  Each Portfolio may write options on securities and securities
indices to generate  additional  revenue and for hedging  purposes and may enter
into  transactions in financial futures contracts and options on those contracts
for hedging purposes.  The use of futures contracts and options involves certain
risks,  including  their  failure  as  hedges  when the price  movements  of the
securities  underlying the futures and options do not follow the price movements
of the  portfolio  securities  subject to the hedge;  the  inability  to control
losses by closing a position when a liquid  secondary market does not exist; and
the  ability of Invista to predict  correctly  the  direction  of stock  prices,
interest  rates and other market and economic  factors.  Additional  information
about risks is included in the Statement of Additional Information.

   
     The   International   Portfolios  each  may  enter  into  forward  currency
contracts,  currency  futures  contracts  and  options  thereon  and  options on
currencies for hedging and other  non-speculative  purposes.  A forward currency
contract  involves a  privately  negotiated  obligation  to  purchase  or sell a
specific currency at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract. A
Portfolio  will not enter into a transaction  to hedge  currency  exposure to an
extent greater in effect than the aggregate  market value of the securities held
or to be purchased by the Portfolio that are denominated or generally  quoted in
or  currently  convertible  into the  currency.  When a Portfolio  enters into a
contract to buy or sell a foreign currency,  it generally will hold an amount of
that  currency,  liquid  securities  denominated  in that  currency or a forward
contract for such  securities  equal to the Portfolio's  obligation,  or it will
segregate  liquid  high  grade  debt  obligations  equal  to the  amount  of the
Portfolio's obligations. The use of currency contracts involves many of the same
risks as  transactions  in futures  contracts and options as well as the risk of
government action through exchange controls or otherwise that would restrict the
ability of the Portfolio to deliver or receive currency.
    

     Each  Portfolio  may from time to time execute  transactions  for portfolio
securities with, and pay related brokerage  commissions to, Principal  Financial
Securities,  Inc.  a  broker-dealer  that is an  affiliate  of the  Distributor,
Manager and Sub-Advisor for each of the Portfolios.

     The Statement of Additional  Information  includes  additional  information
concerning  the  investment   policies  and   restrictions   applicable  to  the
Portfolios.  Certain investment policies and restrictions are designated in this
Prospectus or in the Statement of Additional  Information as fundamental and may
not be changed as to any Portfolio without approval by the holders of the lesser
of: (i) 67% of the shares of that  Portfolio  represented  at a meeting at which
more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio are represented or (ii)
more  than  50% of the  outstanding  shares  of the  Portfolio.  The  investment
objectives of the Portfolios and all other investment  policies and restrictions
described in this Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information are not
fundamental  and may be changed by the Board of  Directors  without  shareholder
approval.  A change of an investment  objective may result in a Portfolio having
an  investment  objective  different  from  the  objective  which a  shareholder
considered appropriate at the time of investment in the Portfolio.  Shareholders
must be given 30 days prior written notice before the  investment  objectives of
the Portfolios may be changed at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

RISK FACTORS

   
     An  investment  in an  International  Portfolio  involves the financial and
market  risks that are inherent in any  investment  in  securities.  These risks
include changes in the financial  condition of issuers,  in economic  conditions
generally and in the  conditions in  securities  markets.  They also include the
extent to which the prices of securities will react to those changes. Investment
in foreign  securities  presents certain risks which may affect net asset value.
These risks include,  but are not limited to, those resulting from  fluctuations
in currency exchange rates, revaluation of currencies, the imposition of foreign
taxes, the withholding of taxes on dividends at the source, future political and
economic  developments  including  war,  expropriations,   nationalization,  the
possible imposition of currency exchange controls and other foreign governmental
laws or  restrictions,  reduced  availability of public  information  concerning
issuers,  and the fact that foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform
accounting,  auditing and financial  reporting  standards or to other regulatory
practices and requirements  comparable to those applicable to domestic  issuers.
Moreover, securities of many foreign issuers may be less liquid and their prices
more  volatile  than  those  of  comparable   domestic  issuers.   In  addition,
transactions in foreign  securities may be subject to higher costs, and the time
for  settlement of  transactions  in foreign  securities  may be longer than the
settlement  period for domestic  issuers.  Investment in foreign  securities may
also result in higher  custodial  costs and the costs  associated  with currency
conversions.

     Securities of many foreign issuers may be less liquid and their prices more
volatile than those of comparable  domestic issuers.  In particular,  securities
markets in emerging market countries are known to experience long delays between
the trade and  settlement  dates of securities  purchased and sold,  potentially
resulting  in a lack  of  liquidity  and  greater  volatility  in the  price  of
securities on those markets.  In addition,  investments in smaller companies may
present greater  opportunities  for capital  appreciation,  but may also involve
greater  risks than large,  mature  issuers.  Such  companies  may have  limited
product  lines  and  financial  resources.  Their  securities  may trade in more
limited volume than larger companies and may therefore experience  significantly
more price volatility and less liquidity than securities of larger companies. As
a result of these factors,  the Board of Directors of the Fund has adopted Daily
Pricing and Valuation  Procedures for the Portfolios  which sets forth the steps
to be followed by the Manager and  Sub-Advisor to establish a reliable market or
fair value if a reliable  market value is not  available  through  normal market
quotations.  Oversight of this process is provided by the Executive Committee of
the Board of Directors.
    

      An investment in the Mortgage-Backed  Securities Portfolio involves market
risks  associated  with  movements  in  interest  rates.  The  market  value  of
investments  will  fluctuate in response to changes in interest  rates and other
factors.  During periods of falling  interest  rates,  the values of outstanding
long-term fixed-income securities generally rise. Conversely,  during periods of
rising interest rates, the values of such securities generally decline.  Changes
by recognized rating agencies in their ratings of any fixed-income  security and
in the ability of an issuer to make  payments of interest and principal may also
affect  the  value of  these  investments.  Changes  in the  value of  portfolio
securities  will  affect  the net asset  value but will not affect  cash  income
derived from the securities  unless a change results from a failure of an issuer
to pay interest or principal when due.

MANAGER AND INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISOR

   
     The  Manager  for  the  Funds  is  Princor   Management   Corporation  (the
"Manager"),  an  indirectly  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of Principal  Mutual Life
Insurance  Company,  a mutual life insurance company organized in 1879 under the
laws of the State of Iowa. The address of the Manager is The Principal Financial
Group,  Des Moines,  Iowa 50392.  The Manager was organized on January 10, 1969,
and since that time has managed  various  mutual  funds  sponsored  by Principal
Mutual Life  Insurance  Company.  As of  ________,  1997 the  Manager  served as
investment  advisor for 28 such funds with assets  totaling  approximately  $_._
billion.

     The Manager has executed an agreement with Invista Capital Management, Inc.
("Invista")  under  which  Invista has agreed to assume the  obligations  of the
Manager  to provide  investment  advisory  services  for each  Portfolio  and to
reimburse  the  Manager  for the  other  costs it incurs  under  the  Management
Agreement.  Invista, an indirectly  wholly-owned  subsidiary of Principal Mutual
Life Insurance Company and an affiliate of the Manager,  was founded in 1985 and
manages  investments for  institutional  investors,  including  Principal Mutual
Life.  Assets under  management at  ___________,1997  were  approximately  $__._
billion.  Invista's  address is 1500 Hub Tower,  699 Walnut,  Des  Moines,  Iowa
50309.

     Invista has assigned certain individuals the primary responsibility for the
day-to-day   management  of  each  Fund's   portfolio.   The  persons  primarily
responsible  for the  day-to-day  management of each Portfolio are identified in
the table below:
    
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                           Primarily
            Fund                       Responsible Since                     Person Primarily Responsible

<S>                                     <C>                      <C>
   
International Emerging Markets          _______, 1997            Kurtis D. Spieler, CFA (MBA degree, Drake University).
   Portfolio                            (Fund's inception)       Vice President, Invista Capital Management, Inc. since
                                                                 1995; Investment Officer, 94-95. Prior Thereto, Investment
                                                                 Manager, Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company.
    

International Securities                April, 1994              Scott D. Opsal, CFA (MBA degree, University of
   Portfolio                                                     Minnesota). Executive Vice President and Chief Investment
                                                                 Officer,  Invista Capital Management, Inc. since 1997. 
                                                                 Vice President, 1986-1997.

   
International SmallCap                  _______, 1997            Darren K. Sleister, CFA (MBA degree, University of Iowa).
   Portfolio                            (Fund's inception)       Investment Officer, Invista Capital Management, Inc. since
                                                                 1995; Prior thereto, Security Analyst.
    

Mortgage-Backed Securities              May, 1993                Martin J. Schafer (BBA degree, University of Iowa). Vice
   Portfolio                           (Fund's inception)        President, Invista Capital Management, Inc.  since 1992.
                                                                 Director - Securities Trading, Principal Mutual Life 
                                                                 Insurance Company 1992; Prior thereto, Associate Director.
</TABLE>
DUTIES PERFORMED BY THE MANAGER AND SUB-ADVISOR

     Under  Maryland law, the business and affairs of the Fund are managed under
the direction of its Board of  Directors.  The  investment  services and certain
other services referred to under the heading "Cost of Manager's Services" in the
Statement of Additional  Information  are furnished to each Portfolio  under the
terms  of a  Management  Agreement  between  the  Fund  and  the  Manager  and a
sub-advisory  agreement  between the Manager and Invista.  Invista  advises each
Portfolio on investment  policies and on the composition of each  Portfolio.  In
this  connection,  Invista  furnishes  to the Board of  Directors a  recommended
investment  program  consistent with each Portfolio's  investment  objective and
policies.  Invista is  authorized,  within the scope of the approved  investment
program,  to determine  which  securities  are to be bought or sold, and in what
amounts.

   
     The Management Fees are computed at the following annual rates:

                                Fees Computed On        Fees as a Percent of
               Portfolio   Net Asset Value of Portfolio Average Daily Net Assets
     International Emerging
       Markets Portfolio         First $250 million              1.15%
                                  Next $250 million              1.05%
                                  Over $500 million              0.95%
     International Securities
       Portfolio                   Entire Portfolio              0.90%
     International SmallCap
       Portfolio                 First $250 million              1.00%
                                  Next $250 million              0.90%
                                  Over $500 million              0.80%
     Mortgage-Backed Securities
       Portfolio                   Entire Portfolio              0.45%

     The fee payable by the  International  Portfolios are higher than that paid
by most funds to their advisors, but it is not higher than the fees paid by many
funds  with  similar   investment   objectives   and  policies  and  does  cover
substantially  all expenses of the Portfolio,  unlike many other funds. The only
expenses  paid  by  each  Portfolio  are  brokerage   commissions  on  portfolio
transactions, taxes, interest (if any) and extraordinary expenses.
    

     The Manager and Invista may purchase at their own expense  statistical  and
other information or services from outside sources,  including  Principal Mutual
Life Insurance  Company.  An Investment  Service Agreement between the Fund, the
Manager,  and Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company  provides that Principal
Mutual Life  Insurance  Company will  furnish  certain  personnel,  services and
facilities   required  by  the  Manager  and  Invista  in  connection  with  the
performance  of their  services  for each  Portfolio  and that the Manager  will
reimburse Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company for its costs incurred in this
regard.  The Manager serves as dividend  disbursing agent and transfer agent for
each Portfolio.

MANAGERS' COMMENTS

     Princor Management  Corporation and Invista, the adviser and sub-advisor to
the Fund, are staffed with investment  professionals  who manage each Portfolio.
Comments by these individuals in the following  paragraphs  summarize in capsule
form the general  strategy and recent results of each  Portfolio  throughout the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1996. The accompanying charts display results for
the life of the Fund  through  December 31,  1996.  Average  Annual Total Return
figures  provided for each fund in the graphs below  reflect all expenses of the
Fund and  assume all  distributions  are  reinvested  at net asset  value.  Past
performance  is not  predictive  of future  performance.  Returns  and net asset
values fluctuate. Shares are redeemable at current net asset value, which may be
more or less than original cost.

International Securities Portfolio

The International Portfolio had a strong quarter to finish off an equally strong
year.  The  Portfolio's  7.8% fourth  quarter  total return  outpaced the Lipper
average of 3.9% and EAFE's 1.6%.  International  equity markets  continued their
progress with double-digit  gains in Europe and most other markets finishing the
quarter in positive  territory.  Japan and the troubled  Asian  markets were the
only poor performers.  The Portfolio's strong relative returns resulted from its
large  exposure  to Europe  and minor  exposures  to Japan and other  weak Asian
markets.

Europe continues to reap the benefits of falling interest rates,  solid economic
growth and low inflation.  Markets  received an added boost as many  governments
tried to tame budget deficits, inflation, and interest rates in order to qualify
for entry into the European  Monetary  Union.  EMU will only admit  countries in
sound fiscal  position and these  widespread  moves toward sound fiscal decision
making has clearly given equity markets added  optimism.  Japan fell recently as
our skepticism over its economic upsurge early in the year proved correct. Japan
is once again facing weak economic conditions and low confidence. Asia remains a
mixed bag as Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia all performed well recently,  but
South  Korea and  Thailand  lagged on the news of economic  slowdowns  and trade
problems.  Asian  economies  which have remained  strong still command  investor
attention and have kept up with Europe's run.

Our current strategy is focused on stable growth stocks.  We feel Europe's large
outperformance  relative  to emerging  markets  over the last few  quarters  has
caused the valuation  spread on emerging  markets to become  attractive.  We are
therefore  making an effort to obtain  some of our new  growth  names in markets
outside of Europe. We hope the weaker Asian economies will provide opportunities
someday but we remain in a  wait-and-see  mode.  We also sense that  smaller cap
names have  become more  attractive  and will  consider  using  midcap  names to
capture  better  forward-looking  returns.  Although  the  dollar  continues  to
strengthen to the disadvantage of U.S. investors,  we do not see economic forces
in place today which will cause a large and widespread shift worthy of hedging.

The International  Securities  Portfolio is subject to specific risks associated
with foreign currency rates, foreign taxation and foreign economies.

Graphic Representation

                 Comparison of Change in Value of $1.0 Million
           Investment in the International Securities Portfolio, EAFE
                     and Lipper International Fund Average

                           Fund   Morgan Stanley     Lipper          
                           Total       EAFE       International      
Year Ended December 31    Return      Index           Index         
                        1,000,000   1,000,000       1,000,000
        1993            1,299,450   1,081,100       1,225,000        
        1994            1,215,602   1,165,101       1,216,303        
        1995            1,361,697   1,295,826       1,330,757        
        1996            1,690,200   1,374,223       1,487,520        


                Total Returns *
             As of December 31, 1996

1 Year    Since Inception Date 5/7/93    10 Year
24.12%                15.46%                --

Note:  Past performance is not predictive of future performance.

Important Notes:

Lipper  International Fund Average:  this average consists of mutual funds which
invest in  securities  whose  primary  trading  markets  are  outside the United
States. The one year average currently contains 331 funds.

Morgan  Stanley  Capital  International  EAFE (Europe,  Australia and Far East )
Index:  an unmanaged  index  consisting of stocks of 1,920  companies  traded in
twenty major world stock markets.

Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio

Interest rates rose in 1996, which dampened  absolute fixed income returns,  but
did not disadvantage us against our  competitors.  We maintained our competitive
position  as  measured  by the Lipper U.S.  Mortgage  Fund  Average in 1996.  We
underperformed  the Lehman  Brothers  Mortgage  Index in 1996 due  primarily  to
operating  expenses  inherent  in all  mutual  funds  and  our  slightly  longer
duration.However,   since  the   portfolio   was   organized  we  have  slightly
outperformed this Index.

We  added  to our  results  last  year  by  identifying  and  selecting  certain
undervalued  sectors  of  mortgage-backed   securities  for  a  portion  of  the
portfolio.  These  securities  have now become very popular with Wall Street and
other investors, resulting in our securities increasing in value.

We believe our current  portfolio to be well positioned for the period ahead. We
have a number of securities  that are "seasoned"  (e.g.,  original 30 year loans
that have been  outstanding  for three years or more) and therefore  valued more
highly in the  marketplace.  There  are few  securities  priced  above  par,  so
prepayment risk is negligible.  If the future continues to be an era of economic
prosperity we should continue to see strong housing markets and housing turnover
that will cause prepayments on our securities to exceed market expectations.  We
welcome these  repayments,  as our portfolio is priced at a discount and we will
be paid-off at par.

Graphic Representation

                 Comparison of Change in Value of $1.0 Million
             Investment in the Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio
                       Lehman Brothers Mortgage Index and
                       Lipper U.S. Mortgage Fund Average

                                        Lehman Brothers         Lipper U.S.
                             Fund           Mortgage           Mortgage Fund
Year Ended December 31,      Value           Index                Average
                           1,000,000       1,000,000            1,000,000
       1993                1,044,651       1,032,308            1,033,900
       1994                1,006,746       1,015,723              990,786
       1995                1,200,601       1,186,333            1,151,591
       1996                1,251,002       1,249,802            1,196,158


              Total Returns *
          As of December 31, 1996

1 Year    Since Inception Date 5/7/93    10 Year
 4.20%               6.32%                  --

Note:  Past performance is not predictive of future performance.

Important Notes:

Lehman Brothers Mortgage Index: an unmanaged index of 15- and 30-year fixed rate
securities  backed  by  mortgage  pools  of  the  Government  National  Mortgage
Association (GNMA),  Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), and Federal
National Mortgage Association (FNMA).

Lipper U.S.  Mortgage  Fund  Average:  this  average  consists  of mutual  funds
investing  at least  65% of  their  assets  in  mortgages/securities  issued  or
guaranteed  as to  principal  and  interest by the U.S.  Government  and certain
federal agencies. The one year average currently contains 59 mutual funds.

Note: Mutual fund data from Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

     The net asset value of each Portfolio is determined  daily,  Monday through
Friday, as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange except on days
on which changes in the value of the portfolio  securities  will not  materially
affect the current net asset value of the redeemable securities,  on days during
which a Portfolio  receives no order for the purchase or sale of its  redeemable
securities  and no tender of such a security  for  redemption,  and on customary
national business  holidays.  The net asset value per share of each Portfolio is
determined by dividing the value of the  Portfolios'  securities  plus all other
assets, less all liabilities, by the number of Portfolio shares outstanding.

     Securities  for which market  quotations  are readily  available are valued
using those quotations.  Other securities are valued by using market quotations,
prices  provided by market  makers or estimates of market  values  obtained from
yield data and other factors  relating to instruments or securities with similar
characteristics  in accordance with procedures  established in good faith by the
Board of Directors.  Securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less are
valued at amortized cost. Other assets are valued at fair value as determined in
good faith through procedures established by the Board of Directors of the Fund.

   
     Trading  of  foreign  securities  is  substantially  completed  each day at
various times prior to the close of the New York Stock  Exchange.  The values of
such  securities  used in  computing  net asset  value  per  share  are  usually
determined  as of such times.  Occasionally,  events  which affect the values of
such securities and foreign currency  exchange rates may occur between the times
at which  they are  generally  determined  and the  close of the New York  Stock
Exchange and would  therefore  not be reflected  in the  computation  of the net
asset value. If events  materially  affecting the value of such securities occur
during such period,  then these securities will be valued at their fair value as
determined in good faith by the Manager or Invista under procedures  established
and  regularly   reviewed  by  the  Board  of  Directors.   To  the  extent  the
International   Portfolios  invest  in  foreign  securities  listed  on  foreign
exchanges which trade on days on which the Portfolios do not determine net asset
value, for example Saturdays and other customary national U.S. holidays, the net
asset value could be significantly  affected on days when  shareholders  have no
access to the Portfolios.
    

PERFORMANCE CALCULATION

     From  time  to  time,  the  Fund  may  publish  advertisements   containing
information   (including  graphs,   charts,   tables  and  examples)  about  the
performance of one or more of its Portfolios. The yield and total return figures
described below will vary depending upon market  conditions,  the composition of
portfolios and operating expenses. These factors and possible differences in the
methods used in  calculating  yield and total return should be  considered  when
comparing   performance  figures  for  the  Portfolios  to  performance  figures
published  for other  investment  vehicles.  Any  performance  data quoted for a
Portfolio represents only historical performance and is not intended to indicate
future performance. For further information on how the Fund calculates yield and
total  return  figures  for its  Portfolios,  see the  Statement  of  Additional
Information.

   
     The  Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio  may  advertise  its  yield and
average annual and cumulative  total return.  The  International  Portfolios may
advertise  average  annual and cumulative  total return.  Yield is determined by
annualizing  a  Portfolio's  net  investment  income  per share for a  specific,
historical  30-day  period and dividing the result by the ending net asset value
of the  Portfolio  for the same  period.  Average  annual  total return for each
Portfolio  is computed by  calculating  the average  annual  compounded  rate of
return over the stated period that would equate an initial $1,000  investment to
the ending  redeemable  value  assuming the  reinvestment  of all  dividends and
capital  gains  distributions  at net asset  value.  Cumulative  total return is
computed by dividing the ending  redeemable  value by the initial  investment on
the basis of the same  assumptions.  Each  Portfolio  may also  quote  rankings,
yields  or  returns  as  published  by  independent   statistical   services  or
publishers, and information regarding the performance of certain market indices.
    

SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS

     Each  share is  entitled  to one vote  either  in person or by proxy at all
shareholder  meetings.  This  includes  the  right  to vote on the  election  of
directors,  selection of independent  accountants and other matters submitted to
meetings  of  shareholders.  Shares  of  each  Portfolio  generally  vote in the
aggregate  without  regard to series,  except  where  otherwise  required by the
Investment Company Act of 1940 in which case any matter being voted upon must be
approved  by each  Portfolio  affected by the matter  being voted upon.  Matters
required by the Investment Company Act of 1940 to be voted upon by each affected
Portfolio include changes to the Management  Agreement,  a subadvisory agreement
and fundamental investment policies and restrictions.  Each share of a Portfolio
has equal  rights  with every  other share of that  Portfolio  as to  dividends,
earnings,   voting,   assets   and   redemption.   Shares  are  fully  paid  and
non-assessable,  have  no  preemptive  or  conversion  rights,  and  are  freely
transferable.  Shares  may be  issued  as full or  fractional  shares,  and each
fractional share has proportionately  the same rights,  including voting, as are
provided for a full share. Shareholders of the Fund may remove any director with
or without cause by the vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at a
meeting  of  shareholders.   Shareholders  will  be  assisted  with  shareholder
communication  in connection with such matter,  and the Fund will hold a meeting
of  shareholders  for such  purpose  when  requested  to do so in writing by the
holders of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

     The  articles  of  incorporation  of the Fund  provide  that  the  Board of
Directors may increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares which the Fund
has  authority to issue and may create  additional  series of shares at any time
without a shareholder vote.

     The Fund intends to hold meetings of shareholders only when required by law
and at such other times as may be deemed  appropriate by the Board of Directors.
The Fund will hold annual  meetings of  shareholders  only when the  election of
directors by shareholders  is required under the Investment  Company Act of 1940
and special  meetings of shareholders  when the approval by shareholders of such
matters  as  investment  advisory  agreements  and  distribution  agreements  is
required under that Act.

     Shareholder  inquiries  should  be  directed  to the Fund at The  Principal
Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa 50392.

     NON-CUMULATIVE  VOTING: The shares have non-cumulative  voting rights which
means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of
directors  can elect 100% of the  directors if they choose to do so, and in such
event,  the holders of the remaining shares voting for the election of directors
will not be able to elect any directors.

   
     As of  ________________,  Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company and its
subsidiaries  and  affiliates  owned the following  number and percentage of the
outstanding shares of each Portfolio of the Fund:
                                                                Percentage of
                                                Number of     Outstanding Shares
                  Portfolio                   Shares Owned          Owned

   International Emerging Markets Portfolio                             %
   International Securities Portfolio                                   %
   International SmallCap Portfolio
   Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio                                 %
    

DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME DIVIDENDS AND REALIZED CAPITAL GAINS

   
     Any dividends from the net income of the International  Portfolios normally
will be  distributed  to  shareholders  annually and any dividends  from the net
income of the Mortgage-Backed  Securities Portfolio will normally be distributed
monthly.  Distributions  from the  International  Portfolios will be made on the
last  business  day of  December  to  shareholders  of record  on the  preceding
business day.  Distributions from the Mortgage-Backed  Securities Portfolio will
normally be declared  daily and payable on the first  business day of each month
to  shareholders  of record at the close of business on the last business day of
the preceding  month. A shareholder who redeems the entire balance of an account
during the month will  receive the  dividends  declared  through the date of the
redemption.  Net realized capital gains for each of the Portfolios, if any, will
be  distributed  annually,  generally  the  last  business  day of  December  to
shareholders of record on the preceding  business day. In the  application,  the
shareholder  authorizes  income dividends and capital gains  distributions to be
invested in additional shares at net asset value as of the payment date, but the
shareholder  at any  time on ten days  written  notice  to the Fund and  without
charge may have future dividends (or dividends and capital gains  distributions)
paid in cash.  Any dividends or  distributions  paid shortly after a purchase of
shares by an investor  will have the effect of reducing  the per share net asset
value by the  amount of the  dividends  or  distributions.  These  dividends  or
distributions  are subject to taxation like other  dividends and  distributions,
even though they are in effect a return of capital.
    

TAX-TREATMENT, DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

     It is the policy of each  Portfolio  to  distribute  substantially  all net
investment  income and net realized gains.  Through such  distributions,  and by
satisfying  certain  other  requirements,  the  Fund  intends  to  qualify  each
Portfolio for the tax treatment accorded to regulated investment companies under
the applicable  provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. This means that in each
year in which a Portfolio so  qualifies,  it will be exempt from federal  income
tax upon the amounts so  distributed  to  investors.  The Tax Reform Act of 1986
imposed an excise tax on mutual funds which fail to  distribute  net  investment
income and capital gains by the end of the calendar year in accordance  with the
provisions  of the Act. The Fund  intends to comply with the Act's  requirements
and to avoid this excise tax.

   
     When at the close of a fiscal  year,  more than 50% of each of the value of
the International Portfolio's total assets are invested in securities of foreign
corporations, the Fund may elect pursuant to Section 853 of the Internal Revenue
Code to  permit  International  Portfolio  shareholders  to take a credit  (or a
deduction)   for  foreign   income  taxes  paid  by  the  Fund.  In  that  case,
International  Portfolio shareholders should include in gross income for federal
income tax purposes  both cash  dividends  received from the Fund and the amount
which the Fund  advises is their pro rata  portion of foreign  income taxes paid
with respect to, or withheld from,  dividends and interest paid to the Fund from
its foreign  investments.  International  Portfolio  shareholders  would then be
entitled to subtract  from their  federal  income taxes the amount of such taxes
withheld,  or else treat such foreign taxes as a deduction from gross income, if
that should be more advantageous. As in the case of individuals receiving income
directly from foreign sources,  the above-described tax credit for tax deduction
is subject to certain limitations.
    

     Under the federal income tax law, dividends paid from investment income and
from  realized  short-term  capital  gains,  if any,  are  generally  taxable at
ordinary income rates whether received in cash or additional shares.

   
     Dividends  from  the  International   Portfolios  and  the  Mortgage-Backed
Securities  Portfolio are not expected to qualify for the 70% dividends received
deduction for corporations.  Dividends and capital gains are taxable in the year
in which  distributed,  whether  received in cash or  reinvested  in  additional
shares.  Dividends  declared  with a record date in December and paid in January
will be deemed to have been  distributed to shareholders  in December.  The Fund
will inform  shareholders of the amount and nature of their income dividends and
capital gains  distributions.  Dividends  from net income and  distributions  of
capital gains may also be subject to state and local taxation.
    

     The Fund is required by law to withhold 31% of dividends  paid to investors
who do not furnish their correct taxpayer  identification  number, which, in the
case of most  individuals is their social security  number.  If, at the time the
account is  established  the  investor  does not have a taxpayer  identification
number but  certifies  that one has been applied for, such  withholding  will be
delayed but will commence 60 days after the date of such certification if within
such time the investor has not provided such number to the Fund.

     Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors as to the federal, state
and local tax  consequences  of  ownership  of  shares of a  Portfolio  in their
particular circumstances.

HOW TO INVEST

   
     Investments  by check - An  account  may be  established  by  submitting  a
completed  application  and check made  payable to  Princor  Financial  Services
Corporation  (the  "Distributor")  to the  Distributor or other dealers which it
selects.  An application is attached to this  Prospectus.  All  applications are
subject to acceptance by the Fund and the  Distributor.  If an  application  and
check are properly  submitted to the  Distributor,  the shares will be issued at
the net asset  value next  determined  after the check has been  converted  into
Federal  Funds,  ordinarily  within one  business day  following  receipt of the
check.
    

     Investments  By Wire - Shares may also be purchased by wiring Federal Funds
directly  to  Norwest  Bank  Iowa,  N.A.,  on a day on which the New York  Stock
Exchange,  Norwest  Bank Iowa,  N.A.,  and, in the case of an initial  purchase,
Princor Financial Services Corporation are open for business. It is possible the
shareholder's  bank will  charge a fee for  transmitting  funds by wire.  FOR AN
INITIAL PURCHASE,  FIRST OBTAIN AN ACCOUNT NUMBER BY TELEPHONING THE DISTRIBUTOR
TOLL FREE  1-800-521-1502.  Princor Financial Services  Corporation requests the
following information:

     1.  Name in which the account will be registered 
     2.  Address and Telephone Number
     3.  Tax Identification Number
     4.  Dividend distribution election

     5.  Amount being wired and wiring bank
     6.  Name of Princor Financial Services Corporation
           registered representative, if any.
     7.  Portfolio for which shares are being purchased.

     Princor  Financial  Services  Corporation  will  assign an  account  number
immediately  upon receipt of the above  information.  After an account number is
assigned,  the purchaser should instruct the bank to wire transfer Federal Funds
to: Norwest Bank Iowa, N.A., Des Moines,  Iowa , ABA No.  073000228,  for credit
to: Princor Financial Services Corporation,  Account Number 073-330; for further
credit to: Purchaser's Name and Account Number.

     To make subsequent purchases by wire, the investor should instruct the bank
to wire Federal Funds to:  Norwest Bank Iowa,  N.A.,  Des Moines,  Iowa, ABA No.
073000228,  for  credit  to:  Princor  Management  Corporation,  Account  Number
3000499968,  for further credit to:  Investor's Name and Fund Account Number. It
is  the  shareholder's  responsibility  to  advise  Princor  Financial  Services
Corporation when a subsequent  purchase has been wired so that proper credit can
be given.

     Payment of Federal  Funds  normally must be received by Norwest Bank before
3:00 p.m.  Central  Time for an order to be  accepted on that day. If payment is
received after that time, the order will not be accepted until the next business
day. Wire  transfers may take two hours or more to complete.  Investors may make
special  arrangements to transmit orders for Portfolio shares to the Distributor
prior to 3:00 p.m.  (Central  Time) on a day when the Fund is open for  business
with the  investor's  assurance  that  payment  for such  shares will be made by
wiring  Federal Funds  directly to Norwest Bank Iowa,  N.A.  prior to 10:00 a.m.
(Central Time) the following  regular business day. Such orders will be effected
at the Portfolio's net asset value per share next determined after such purchase
order is received by the Distributor.

     Promptly after the initial  purchase,  INVESTORS SHOULD COMPLETE AN ACCOUNT
APPLICATION and mail to Princor Financial Services Corporation,  P.O. Box 10423,
Des Moines, Iowa 50306-0423.

     Investments  through a Selected  Dealer - If the application and settlement
funds are  submitted  through a selected  dealer,  the shares  will be issued in
accordance  with the following:  An order accepted by a dealer on any day before
the  close  of the  Exchange  and  received  by  the  Distributor  as  principal
underwriter before the close of its business on that day will be executed at the
net asset value  computed as of the close of the  Exchange on that day. An order
accepted  by such dealer  after the close of the  Exchange  and  received by the
Distributor before its closing on the following business day will be executed at
the net asset value  computed as of the close of the Exchange on such  following
business  day.  Dealers  have  the  responsibility  to  transmit  orders  to the
Distributor  promptly.  After an open  account has been  established  (see "Open
Account  System"),  purchases  will be executed at the price next computed after
receipt of the  investor's  funds at the main  office of the  Distributor.  Wire
purchases through a selected dealer may involve other procedures  established by
that dealer.

OFFERING PRICE OF SHARES

     The Fund  offers  shares of each  Portfolio  continuously  through  Princor
Financial Services  Corporation which is the principal  underwriter for the Fund
and sells  shares as agent for the Fund.  Shares  are sold to the  public at net
asset  value,  subject  to  the  minimum  investment  requirements.  In  certain
circumstances,  Princor  Financial  Services  Corporation  will  compensate  its
registered  representatives or a selected dealer with whom it has entered into a
selling  agreement  for  their  efforts  in  distributing  shares  of the  fund.
Compensation  will be an ongoing  fee in an amount up to 0.10% on an  annualized
basis of the average  net asset  value of shares held in a customer  account the
establishment  of  which  is  attributable  to the  efforts  of  the  registered
representative or selected dealer.

MINIMUM INVESTMENT REQUIREMENT

   
     The  minimum  initial  purchase  in the Fund is $1.0  million.  The minimum
initial  purchase of $1.0  million may be  invested  over a three month  period.
Investments  in any of the  Portfolios by an investor,  the  investor's  spouse,
dependent  children or a trustee may be combined to meet this minimum.  There is
no minimum for additional  investments.  If the total $1.0 million investment is
not  completed  within the three month  period,  the  shareholder  will be given
notice  of the  additional  investment  needed  to meet the  minimum  and if not
remitted within 30 days, the account will be redeemed.
    

OPEN ACCOUNT SYSTEM

     Share   certificates   will  not  ordinarily  be  issued  to  shareholders.
Shareholders  of each  Portfolio  will  receive a statement of account each time
they invest.  The  statement  will record the current  investment  and the total
number of shares then owned.

     The Fund  treats the  statement  of account as  evidence  of  ownership  of
shares.  This is known as an open  account  system.  It avoids the  trouble  and
expense of  safeguarding  share  certificates  and the cost of a lost instrument
bond if certificates are lost or destroyed. Certificates, which can be stolen or
lost, are unnecessary except for special purposes such as collateral for a loan.
A shareholder may obtain a certificate at any time for full shares by requesting
it from the Fund in writing.  The certificate  will be delivered  promptly at no
cost. In cases where  certificates  have been issued,  the  certificate  must be
surrendered in connection with a redemption, transfer or exchange.

     The Fund has  adopted  the  policy of  requiring  signature  guarantees  in
certain  circumstances to safeguard  shareholder accounts. A signature guarantee
is necessary under the following circumstances:

     1.  If a redemption payment is to be made payable to a payee other than the
         registered  shareholder or joint  shareholders,  or to Principal Mutual
         Life Insurance Company or any of its affiliated companies;

     2.  To change the ownership of the account;

     3.  If a  redemption  payment is to be mailed to an address  other than the
         address  of record or to an  address  of record  that has been  changed
         within the preceding three months.

     4.  To add telephone  transaction  services to an account after the initial
         application is processed.

     5.  To change the designated  commercial bank account  authorized to accept
         redemption proceeds.

     A shareholder's  signature must be guaranteed by a commercial  bank,  trust
company,  credit  union,  savings  and  loan  association,  national  securities
exchange member, or brokerage firm. A signature guaranteed by a notary public is
not acceptable.

     Although   there   currently   is  no   minimum   balance,   due   to   the
disproportionately  high cost of maintaining  small accounts,  the Fund reserves
the right to redeem all shares in an  account  with a value of less than  $5,000
and to mail the proceeds to the shareholder. Involuntary redemptions will not be
triggered solely by market activity.  Shareholders will be notified before these
redemptions  are to be made  and will  have  thirty  days to make an  additional
investment to bring their accounts up to the required minimum. The Fund reserves
the right to increase the required minimum.

     All orders are subject to acceptance by the Fund and the  Distributor.  The
Fund's  Board of  Directors  reserves  the  right  to  change  or waive  minimum
investment  requirements at any time, which would be applicable to all investors
alike.

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

     Each Portfolio will redeem its shares upon request.  There is no charge for
redemptions.    Princor   Financial   Services   usually   requires   additional
documentation  for the sale of shares by a  corporation,  partnership,  agent or
fiduciary,  or a surviving joint owner.  Contact Princor Financial  Services for
details. Shareholders may redeem in one of two ways:

     By Mail - If no certificates have been issued, a shareholder  simply writes
a letter to the Fund, at Princor Financial Services Corporation, P.O. Box 10423,
Des Moines,  Iowa  50306-0423,  requesting  redemption of any part or all of the
shares  owned by  specifying  either a dollar or share  amount.  The letter must
provide  the  account  number,   shareholder  social  security  number,  or  tax
identification  number and be signed by a registered owner. If certificates have
been issued,  they must be properly  endorsed and forwarded  with the redemption
request.  If  redemption  proceeds  are to be sent by  wire  transfer  to a bank
account  previously  designated as authorized to accept a wire  transfer,  or if
payment is to be mailed to the  address of  record,  which has not been  changed
within the three month period  preceding  the  redemption  request,  and is made
payable to the  registered  shareholder or joint  shareholders,  or to Principal
Mutual Life Insurance Company or any of its affiliated companies,  the Fund will
not require a signature guarantee as a part of a proper  endorsement;  otherwise
the  shareholder's  signature  must be guaranteed  by either a commercial  bank,
trust company,  credit union, savings and loan association,  national securities
exchange  member,  or by a brokerage  firm. A signature  guaranteed  by a notary
public or savings bank is not acceptable.

     By  Telephone  -  Shareholders  may, by  telephone,  direct  proceeds  from
redemptions from the shareholder's  account to be sent to the address of record,
if such address has not changed within the three month period preceding the date
of the request, or transferred to a commercial bank account in the United States
previously  authorized in writing by the shareholder.  The telephone  redemption
privilege  is  available  only if telephone  transaction  services  apply to the
account from which shares are redeemed.  Telephone transaction services apply to
all accounts,  unless the shareholder has specifically  declined this service on
the account  application  or in writing to the Fund. If  certificates  have been
issued, the telephone  redemption privilege will not be allowed on those shares.
Shareholders  may exercise the  telephone  redemption  privilege by  telephoning
1-800-521-1502.  If all telephone lines are busy, shareholders might not be able
to request  telephone  redemptions  and would have to submit written  redemption
requests.  Redemption proceeds may be sent to the previously  designated bank by
check or wire  transfer.  A wire charge of up to $6.00 will be deducted from the
account from which the  redemption is made for all wire  transfers.  If proceeds
are to be used to  settle  a  securities  transaction  with a  selected  dealer,
telephone  redemptions may be requested by the  shareholder or upon  appropriate
authorization from an authorized  representative of the dealer, and the proceeds
will be wired to the dealer.

     Telephone  redemption requests must be received by the Fund by the close of
the New York Stock  Exchange  on a day when the Fund is open for  business to be
effective  that day.  Requests made after that time or on a day when the Fund is
not open for business will be effective the next business day. Although the Fund
and the transfer agent are not  responsible  for the  authenticity of redemption
requests  received  by  telephone,  the right is  reserved  to refuse  telephone
redemptions  when in the  opinion  of the  Fund or the  transfer  agent it seems
prudent to do so. The shareholder  bears the risk of loss caused by a fraudulent
telephone  redemption request which the Fund reasonably  believes to be genuine.
The  Fund  will  employ  reasonable  procedures  to  confirm  that  instructions
communicated  by telephone are genuine and if such  procedures are not followed,
the  Fund  may  be  liable  for  losses  due  to   unauthorized   or  fraudulent
transactions.  Such  procedures  include  requiring  the caller to  provide  the
shareholder's social security number or tax identification number, date of birth
(if an individual)  and current  address;  mailing  written  confirmation of the
transaction to the address of record; and recording telephone  instructions.  In
addition,  the Fund  directs  redemption  proceeds  made payable to the owner or
owners of the account  only to the  address of record that has not been  changed
within the three month period prior to the date of the telephone request or to a
previously authorized bank account.

     General -  Redemptions,  whether in writing or by telephone or other means,
by any joint owner shall be binding  upon all joint  owners.  The price at which
the shares are redeemed will be the net asset value per share as next determined
after the  request is  received  by the Fund in proper and  complete  form.  The
amount  received for shares upon redemption may be more or less than the cost of
such  shares  depending  upon the net  asset  value  at the time of  redemption.
Accurate  records  should  be  kept  for the  duration  of the  account  for tax
purposes.

     Redemption  proceeds will be sent within three  business days after receipt
of a request for  redemption in proper form.  However,  the Fund may suspend the
right of  redemption  during any period  when (a)  trading on the New York Stock
Exchange is restricted as determined by the Securities  and Exchange  Commission
or such  Exchange  is closed  for  other  than  weekends  and  holidays;  (b) an
emergency exists, as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission,  as a
result  of  which  (i)  disposal  by the Fund of  securities  owned by it is not
reasonably  practicable,  or (ii) it is not reasonably  practicable for the Fund
fairly to determine the value of its net assets;  or (c) the Commission by order
so permits for the protection of security holders of the Fund.

     The Fund will redeem only  Portfolio  shares for which it has received good
payment.  To avoid the  inconvenience  of such a delay,  shares may be purchased
with a certified check, bank cashier's check or money order.

     The Fund  reserves the right to modify any of the methods of  redemption or
to  charge  a  fee  for  providing   these   services  upon  written  notice  to
shareholders.

PERIODIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN

     A  shareholder  may request  that a fixed  number of shares  ($100  initial
minimum  amount)  or enough  shares to  produce  a fixed  amount of money  ($100
initial  minimum  payment)  be  withdrawn  from an account  monthly,  quarterly,
semi-annually  or annually.  The Fund makes no  recommendation  as to either the
number of shares or the fixed amount that the investor may withdraw. An investor
may initiate a Periodic  Withdrawal  Plan by signing an  Agreement  for Periodic
Withdrawal Form and depositing any share  certificates that have been issued or,
if no certificates have been issued and telephone  transaction services apply to
the account, by telephoning the Fund.

     Cash  withdrawals  are made out of the  proceeds of  redemption  on the day
designated  by the  shareholder,  so long as the day is a trading  day, and will
continue  until  cancelled.  If the  designated  day is not a trading  day,  the
redemption  will occur on the next trading day occurring  during that month.  If
the next trading day occurs in the following month, the redemption will occur on
the day prior to the  designated  day.  Withdrawal  payments  will be sent on or
before the third  business day  following  such  redemption.  The  redemption of
shares to make payments under this Plan will reduce and may  eventually  exhaust
the account.

     Each  redemption  of  shares  may  result  in a gain or loss,  which may be
reportable for income tax purposes.  An investor  should keep an accurate record
of any gain or loss on each  withdrawal.  Any income  dividends or capital gains
distributions on shares held under a Periodic  Withdrawal Plan are reinvested in
additional  shares at net asset  value.  Withdrawals  may be stopped at any time
without penalty, subject to notice in writing which is received by the Fund.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     Organization: The Fund was incorporated in the state of Maryland on January
28, 1993.

   
     Custodian:  Bank of New York, 48 Wall Street,  New York, New York 10286, is
custodian of the  portfolio  securities  and cash assets of the  Mortgage-Backed
Securities  Portfolio.  The custodian  for the  International  Emerging  Markets
Portfolio,  International  Securities  Portfolio and the International  SmallCap
Portfolio is Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., Global Security  Services,  Chase Metro
Tech Center,  Brooklyn,  New York 11245. The custodians perform no managerial or
policymaking functions for the Fund.
    

     Capitalization:  The authorized capital stock of each Portfolio consists of
100,000,000 shares of common stock, $.01 par value.

     Financial  Statements:  Copies of the financial statements of the Fund will
be mailed to each shareholder  semi-annually.  At the close of each fiscal year,
the  Fund's  financial  statements  will be  audited  by a firm  of  independent
auditors.  The  firm of  Ernst & Young  LLP has  been  appointed  to  audit  the
financial statements of the Fund.

     Registration Statement: This Prospectus omits some information contained in
the  Statement  of  Additional   Information  (also  known  as  Part  B  of  the
Registration  Statement) and Part C of the Registration Statement which the Fund
has filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission.  The Fund's Statement of
Additional Information is hereby incorporated by reference into this Prospectus.
A copy of this Statement of Additional Information can be obtained upon request,
free  of  charge,  by  writing  or  telephoning   Princor   Financial   Services
Corporation. You may obtain a copy of Part C of the Registration Statement filed
with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,   Washington,  D.C.  from  the
Commission upon payment of the prescribed fees.

     Principal  Underwriter:  Princor Financial Services  Corporation,  P.O. Box
10423, Des Moines, Iowa 50306-0423, is the principal underwriter for the Fund.

     Transfer  Agent  and  Dividend   Disbursing   Agent:   Princor   Management
Corporation, The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa, 50392-0200, is the
transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.


   
FV 76A-6
    


                                     PART B

   
                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                   INTERNATIONAL EMERGING MARKETS PORTFOLIO
                       INTERNATIONAL SECURITIES PORTFOLIO
                        INTERNATIONAL SMALLCAP PORTFOLIO
                      MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES PORTFOLIO
    


                       Statement of Additional Information


   
                              dated _______________


         This Statement of Additional  Information  provides  information  about
each  Portfolio  in  addition  to  the  information  that  is  contained  in the
Prospectus, dated _______________.
    

         This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus. It should
be read in conjunction with the Prospectus, a copy of which can be obtained free
of charge by writing or telephoning:



                     Princor Financial Services Corporation
                                 P.O. Box 10423
                           Des Moines, Iowa 50306-0423
                            Telephone: 1-800-451-5447

   
FV 76 B-6
    

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

Investment Policies and Restrictions ........................................  2
Investments .................................................................  4
Directors and Officers of the Fund........................................... 14
Manager and Sub-Advisor ..................................................... 16
Cost of Manager's Services .................................................. 17
Brokerage on Purchases and Sales of Securities .............................. 19
Offering Price .............................................................. 21
Determination of Net Asset Value ............................................ 21
Performance Calculation ..................................................... 22
Tax Treatment, Dividends and Distributions .................................. 24
Financial Statements......................................................... 25

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

        The following  information  supplements the information  provided in the
Prospectus under the caption "Investment Objectives, Policies and Restrictions."


INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

        In implementing the investment  policies of the Portfolios,  the Fund is
subject  to  fundamental   and   nonfundamental   restrictions.   Nonfundamental
restrictions  may be  changed  by the  Board of  Directors  without  shareholder
approval.  Fundamental  restrictions may only be changed by a vote of the lesser
of (i) 67% or more of the shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50%
of  the  outstanding  shares  are  represented  or  (ii)  more  than  50% of the
outstanding  shares. The required  shareholder  approval shall be effective with
respect to a Portfolio if a majority of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of
that Portfolio votes to approve the matter,  notwithstanding that the matter has
not been approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund
or of any other Portfolio affected by the matter.

        The investment  objective and investment  policies and  restrictions  of
each  Portfolio  discussed in the  Prospectus  and the  Statement of  Additional
Information, except for those investment restrictions identified below under the
caption  "Fundamental  Restrictions,"  are not fundamental and may be changed by
the Fund's Board of Directors without shareholder approval. Shareholders must be
given 30 days prior  written  notice  before the  investment  objectives  of the
Portfolios may be amended at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

        All  percentage  limitations  apply  at the  time  of  acquisition  of a
security,  and any subsequent change in any applicable percentage resulting from
changes  in the  values or  nature  of a  Portfolio's  assets  will not  require
elimination of the security from the Portfolio.

        Fundamental   Restrictions.   Each  of  the  following  restrictions  is
fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval.  Each Portfolio
will not (unless specifically excepted):

        (1)    With respect to 75% of its total assets,  purchase the securities
               of any  issuer if the  purchase  would  cause more than 5% of the
               total assets of the Portfolio to be invested in the securities of
               any one issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the
               United States Government or its agencies or instrumentalities) or
               cause more than 10% of the outstanding  voting  securities of any
               one issuer to be held by the Portfolio.

        (2)    Borrow money,  except (a) for temporary or emergency  purposes in
               an amount not to exceed 5% of the value of the Portfolio's  total
               assets at the time of the  borrowing and (b) for any purpose from
               banks in an amount  not to exceed  one-third  of the  Portfolio's
               total assets (including the amount borrowed) less all liabilities
               and  indebtedness  other  than  borrowings  deemed  to be  senior
               securities.


        (3)    Issue any senior securities as defined in the Investment  Company
               Act of 1940.  For purposes of this  restriction,  purchasing  and
               selling  securities,  currency and futures  contracts and options
               and borrowing  money in accordance  with  restrictions  described
               herein do not involve the issuance of a senior security.

        (4)    Act as an  underwriter  of  securities,  except to the extent the
               Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter  in connection  with
               the sale of securities held in its portfolio.

        (5)    Concentrate  its  investments  in  any  particular   industry  or
               industries,  except that the  Portfolio  may invest not more than
               25% of the value of its total  assets in a single  industry.  For
               purposes   of   this   restriction,    foreign   government   and
               supranational issuers are not considered members of any industry.

        (6)    Invest in real estate, although it may invest in securities which
               are secured by real estate and securities of issuers which invest
               or deal in real estate.

        (7)    Invest in commodities or commodity contracts, but it may purchase
               and sell currency and financial  futures contracts and options on
               such contracts.

        (8)    Make loans,  except that the  Portfolio may (i) purchase and hold
               debt obligations in accordance with its investment  objective and
               policies,  (ii) enter into repurchase agreements,  and (iii) lend
               its portfolio securities but not in excess of 33% of the value of
               its total assets. The deposit of underlying  securities and other
               assets in escrow and other collateral  arrangements in connection
               with options, currency and futures transactions are not deemed to
               be the making of loans.

        Nonfundamental  Restrictions.  Each  of the  following  restrictions  is
nonfundamental and may be changed by the Board of Directors without  shareholder
approval. Each Portfolio will not (unless specifically excepted):

        (1)    Invest  more  than 15% of its  total  assets  in  securities  not
               readily marketable and in repurchase  agreements maturing in more
               than  seven  days.  The  value of any  options  purchased  in the
               over-the-counter   market  are  included  as  part  of  this  15%
               limitation.

        (2)    Sell  securities  short (except where the Portfolio  holds or has
               the  right to  obtain  at no added  cost a long  position  in the
               securities sold that equals or exceeds the securities sold short)
               or purchase any  securities on margin,  except it may obtain such
               short-term   credits  as  are  necessary  for  the  clearance  of
               transactions. The deposit or payment of margin in connection with
               options,  currency and futures transactions is not considered the
               purchase of securities on margin.

        (3)    Invest  in  companies  for the  purpose  of  exercising  control
               or management.

        (4)    Purchase  puts,  calls,  straddles,  spreads  or any  combination
               thereof  if  by  reason   thereof  the  value  of  its  aggregate
               investment  in such classes of  securities  will exceed 5% of its
               total assets.  Options will be used solely for hedging  purposes;
               not for speculation.

        (5)    Invest more than 5% of its assets in initial  margin and premiums
               on futures contracts and options on such contracts.

        (6)    Purchase securities of other investment companies if the purchase
               would  cause more than 10% of its total  assets to be invested in
               securities of other  investment  companies or more than 5% of its
               total assets to be invested in the  securities of any  investment
               company or would cause the  Portfolio  to own more than 3% of the
               outstanding  voting securities of any investment  company.  These
               restrictions  do not  apply to  purchases  in  connection  with a
               merger, consolidation,  or plan of reorganization.  [For purposes
               of these restrictions,  privately issued collateralized  mortgage
               obligations will not be treated as investment  company securities
               if issued by "Exemptive  Issuers."  Exemptive Issuers are defined
               as unmanaged,  fixed-asset  issuers that (i) invest  primarily in
               mortgage-backed   securities,   (ii)  do  not  issue   redeemable
               securities  as  defined  in section  2(a)(32)  of the  Investment
               Company Act of 1940, (iii) operate under general exemptive orders
               exempting them from "all provisions of the Investment Company Act
               of 1940,"  and (iv) are not  registered  or  regulated  under the
               Investment Company Act of 1940 as investment companies.]

        (7)    Pledge,  mortgage or  hypothecate  its  assets,  except to secure
               permitted  borrowings.  The deposit of underlying  securities and
               other  assets in  escrow  and other  collateral  arrangements  in
               connection with options,  currency and futures  transactions  are
               not deemed to be pledges or other encumbrances.

        (8)    Purchase  warrants in excess of 5% of its total assets,  of which
               2% may be  invested  in  warrants  that are not listed on the New
               York,  American or Toronto  Stock  Exchanges or the Chicago Board
               Options  Exchange.  This  restriction  does not apply to warrants
               included in units or attached to other securities.

        (9)    Invest in interests in oil, gas or other mineral  exploration  or
               development  programs,  although  the  Portfolio  may  invest  in
               securities of issuers which invest in or sponsor such programs.

        (10)   Purchase  securities  of any issuer having less than three years'
               continuous operation  (including  operations of any predecessors)
               if  such  purchase  would  cause  the  value  of the  Portfolio's
               investments  in all such issuers to exceed 5% of the value of its
               total assets.

        (11)   Purchase or retain in its  portfolio  securities of any issuer if
               those  officers or  directors  of the Fund or its Manager  owning
               beneficially more than one-half of 1% (0.5%) of the securities of
               the  issuer  together  own  beneficially  more  than  5% of  such
               securities.

        (12)   Invest in arbitrage transactions.

        (13)   Invest in mineral leases.

        (14)   Invest in real estate limited partnership interests.

        (15)   Invest more than 25% of the value of its total  assets (i) in the
               securities  issued  by a single  foreign  government;  or (ii) in
               securities issued by supranational issuers.

        The Manager will waive its management fee on Portfolio  assets  invested
in securities of other open-end  investment  companies and will generally invest
only in those  open-end  investment  companies  that  have  investment  policies
requiring  investment in  securities  comparable to those in which the Portfolio
invests.

INVESTMENTS

        The following  information  further  supplements  the  discussion of the
investment   objectives  and  policies  in  the  Prospectus  under  the  caption
"INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS."

        In making selections of equity securities,  Invista will use an approach
described  broadly as fundamental  analysis.  Fundamental  analysis  consists of
three  steps.  First is the  continuing  study of basic  economic  factors in an
effort to conclude what the future general economic climate is likely to be over
the next one to two  years.  Second,  given  some  conviction  as to the  likely
economic  climate,  Invista  attempts to identify  the  prospects  for the major
industrial, commercial and financial segments of the economy, by looking at such
factors as demand for products,  capacity to produce,  operating costs,  pricing
structure,  marketing  techniques,  adequacy of raw  materials  and  components,
domestic  and foreign  competition,  and  research  productivity,  to  ascertain
prospects for each industry for the near and intermediate term. Finally, Invista
determines what the earnings prospects are for individual  companies within each
industry  by  considering  the same types of factors  described  above.  Invista
evaluates  these  earnings  prospects  in relation  to the current  price of the
securities of each company.

   
        Although each  Portfolio may pursue the investment  practices  described
under  the  captions   Restricted   Securities,   Foreign   Securities,   Spread
Transactions,   Options  on  Securities  and  Securities  Indices,  and  Futures
Contracts  and  Options on Futures  Contracts,  Currency  Contracts,  Repurchase
Agreements, Lending of Portfolio Securities and When-Issued and Delayed Delivery
Securities,  none of the  Portfolios  currently  intends  to commit  during  the
present fiscal year more than 5% of its net assets to any of the practices, with
the exception that the Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio may commit more than
5% of its net  assets  in  When-Issued  and  Delayed  Delivery  Securities.  The
International Emerging Markets Portfolio, International Securities Portfolio and
International SmallCap Portfolio will each invest more than 5% of its net assets
in foreign  securities.  Each Portfolio may commit more than 5% of its assets to
Currency Contracts.
    
Restricted Securities

        Each Portfolio is subject to an investment  restriction  that limits its
investments in illiquid  securities to 15% of its net asset value.  In computing
the  Portfolio's  net asset value per share,  illiquid  securities are valued at
their fair value as  determined  in good faith by or under the  direction of the
Board of Directors.

        Each  Portfolio  may  acquire  securities  that are  subject to legal or
contractual  restrictions upon resale.  Securities  subject to such restrictions
("restricted securities") are frequently treated as illiquid for purposes of the
15%  restriction.  Such  securities  may be sold only in a public  offering with
respect to which a registration  statement is in effect under the Securities Act
of 1933 ("1933 Act") or in a transaction  which is exempt from the  registration
requirements  of that act. One such exemption is provided by Rule 144A under the
1933 Act,  pursuant  to which  certain  restricted  securities  may be sold at a
readily  ascertainable  price. The Board of Directors has adopted  procedures to
determine  the  liquidity  of  restricted  securities  qualifying  for Rule 144A
treatment,  and any such  securities so determined to be liquid will be excluded
when applying the Portfolio's  limitation on illiquid securities.  To the extent
Rule 144A  securities held by a Portfolio  should become  illiquid  because of a
lack of interest on the part of qualified institutional  investors,  the overall
liquidity of the Portfolio could be adversely affected.

        When registration of a restricted security is required,  a Portfolio may
be  obligated  to  pay  all  or a  part  of  the  registration  expenses  and  a
considerable  period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the
time the  Portfolio  may be permitted  to sell the  security  under an effective
registration  statement.  If during such a period adverse market conditions were
to develop,  the Portfolio  might obtain a less  favorable  price than prevailed
when it decided to sell.

Foreign Securities

        Investment in foreign securities presents certain risks, including those
resulting  from  fluctuations  in  currency   exchange  rates,   revaluation  of
currencies,  the  imposition  of  foreign  taxes,  the  withholding  of taxes on
dividends at the source,  future political and economic  developments  including
war,  expropriations,  nationalization,  the  possible  imposition  of  currency
exchange controls and other foreign  governmental laws or restrictions,  reduced
availability of public information concerning issuers, and the fact that foreign
issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting,  auditing and financial
reporting standards or to other regulatory practices and requirements comparable
to those applicable to domestic  issuers.  Moreover,  securities of many foreign
issuers  may be less  liquid  and  their  prices  more  volatile  than  those of
comparable domestic issuers. In addition, transactions in foreign securities may
be subject to higher  costs,  and the time for  settlement  of  transactions  in
foreign  securities  may be  longer  than the  settlement  period  for  domestic
issuers.  A  Portfolio's  investment  in foreign  securities  may also result in
higher custodial costs and the costs associated with currency conversions.

   
        Securities  of many foreign  issuers may be less liquid and their prices
more  volatile  than  those  of  comparable  domestic  issuers.  In  particular,
securities  markets in emerging  market  countries are known to experience  long
delays between the trade and settlement dates of securities  purchased and sold,
potentially resulting in a lack of liquidity and greater volatility in the price
of securities on those markets.  In addition,  investments in smaller  companies
may present greater opportunities for capital appreciation, but may also involve
greater  risks than large,  mature  issuers.  Such  companies  may have  limited
product  lines  and  financial  resources.  Their  securities  may trade in more
limited volume than larger companies and may therefore experience  significantly
more price volatility and less liquidity than securities of larger companies. As
a result of these  factors,  the Boards of  Directors  of the Funds have adopted
Daily Pricing and Valuation  Procedures  for the Funds which set forth the steps
to be followed by the Manager and  Sub-Advisor to establish a reliable market or
fair value if a reliable  market value is not  available  through  normal market
quotations.  Oversight of this process is provided by the Executive Committee of
the Boards of Directors.
    
Spread  Transactions,  Options on Securities  and  Securities  Indices,  Futures
Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts, and Currency Contracts

        Except as specifically indicated otherwise, each Portfolio may engage in
the  practices  described  under this heading to attempt to hedge market  value,
interest rate and currency risks and, in certain cases, to enhance its income.

        Spread Transactions

        A Portfolio may purchase from securities dealers covered spread options.
Such covered spread  options are not presently  exchange  listed or traded.  The
purchase of a spread  option  gives the  Portfolio  the right to put, or sell, a
security  that it owns at a  fixed  dollar  spread  or  fixed  yield  spread  in
relationship  to another  security that the Portfolio does not own, but which is
used as a benchmark.  The risk to the  Portfolio in  purchasing  covered  spread
options  is the  cost  of the  premium  paid  for  the  spread  option  and  any
transaction costs. In addition,  there is no assurance that closing transactions
will be  available.  The  purchase of spread  options can be used to protect the
Portfolio  against adverse changes in prevailing  credit quality spreads,  i.e.,
the yield spread between high quality and lower quality securities. The security
covering the spread  option will be  maintained  in a segregated  account by the
Portfolio's  custodian.  A security covered by a spread option is not considered
to be  "pledged"  as that term is used in the  Portfolio's  policy  limiting the
pledging or mortgaging of assets.

        Options on Securities and Securities Indices

   
        Each  Portfolio  may write (sell) and  purchase  call and put options on
securities in which it may invest and on securities  indices based on securities
in which the Portfolio may invest.  The Portfolio may write call and put options
to generate additional revenue,  and may write and purchase call and put options
in seeking to hedge  against a decline  in the value of  securities  owned or an
increase in the price of securities which the Portfolio plans to purchase.
    

        Writing  Covered  Call and Put Options.  When a Portfolio  writes a call
option,  it gives the  purchaser  of the  option,  in return for the  premium it
receives,  the right to buy from the  Portfolio  the  underlying  security  at a
specified price at any time before the option expires. When a Portfolio writes a
put option,  it gives the purchaser of the option,  in return for the premium it
receives,  the  right to sell to the  Portfolio  the  underlying  security  at a
specified price at any time before the option expires.

        The  premium  received  by a  Portfolio,  when it  writes  a put or call
option,  reflects,  among  other  factors,  the  current  market  price  of  the
underlying security, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price,
the time period  until the  expiration  of the option and  interest  rates.  The
premium will generate  additional income for the Portfolio if the option expires
unexercised or is closed out at a profit.  By writing a call, a Portfolio limits
its  opportunity  to  profit  from  any  increase  in the  market  value  of the
underlying  security above the exercise price of the option,  but it retains the
risk of loss if the price of the security  should  decline.  By writing a put, a
Portfolio assumes the risk that it may have to purchase the underlying  security
at a price that may be higher than its market value at time of exercise.

        The  Portfolios   write  only  covered  options  and  will  comply  with
applicable regulatory and exchange cover requirements.  A Portfolio will own the
underlying  security  covered by any outstanding call option that it has written
or will be able to acquire  such  security  through the  exercise of  conversion
privileges on convertible  securities or otherwise at no additional  cost.  With
respect to an  outstanding  put option that it has written,  each Portfolio will
deposit and maintain  with its custodian  cash,  U.S.  Government  securities or
other liquid securities with a value at least equal to the exercise price of the
option.

        Once a Portfolio has written an option, it may terminate its obligation,
before the option is  exercised,  by effecting a closing  transaction,  which is
accomplished by the  Portfolio's  purchasing an option of the same series as the
option previously  written.  The Portfolio will have a gain or loss depending on
whether the  premium  received  when the option was written  exceeds the closing
purchase price plus related transaction costs.

        Purchasing  Call and Put  Options.  When a  Portfolio  purchases  a call
option,  it receives,  in return for the premium it pays,  the right to buy from
the writer of the option the  underlying  security at a  specified  price at any
time before the option  expires.  The  Portfolio  may  purchase  call options in
anticipation  of an increase in the market value of  securities  that it intends
ultimately to buy.  During the life of the call option,  the Portfolio  would be
able to buy the  underlying  security at the exercise  price  regardless  of any
increase in the market  price of the  underlying  security.  In order for a call
option to result in a gain,  the market price of the  underlying  security  must
rise to a level that exceeds the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and
transaction  costs. If the option expires  unexercised,  the Portfolio will lose
the premium paid and any transaction costs incurred.

        When a Portfolio purchases a put option, it receives,  in return for the
premium it pays,  the right to sell to the  writer of the option the  underlying
security  at a  specified  price at any time  before  the  option  expires.  The
Portfolio  may purchase put options in  anticipation  of a decline in the market
value  of the  underlying  security.  During  the  life of the put  option,  the
Portfolio  would be able to sell the  underlying  security at the exercise price
regardless  of any decline in the market price of the  underlying  security.  In
order for a put option to result in a gain,  the market price of the  underlying
security  must  decline,  during the option  period,  below the  exercise  price
sufficiently to cover the premium and transaction costs.

        Once a Portfolio has purchased an option,  it may close out its position
by selling an option of the same series as the option previously purchased.  The
Portfolio  will have a gain or loss  depending on whether the closing sale price
exceeds the initial purchase price plus related transaction costs.

        Options on Securities Indices.  Each Portfolio may purchase and sell put
and call  options  on any  securities  index  based on  securities  in which the
Portfolio  may invest.  Securities  index  options are designed to reflect price
fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather
than price fluctuations in a single security.  Options on securities indices are
similar to options on securities,  except that the exercise of securities  index
options  requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale
of securities.  A Portfolio would engage in transactions in put and call options
on securities  indices for the same purposes as it would engage in  transactions
in options on  securities.  When a Portfolio  writes call options on  securities
indices,  it will hold in its  portfolio  underlying  securities  which,  in the
judgment of Invista,  correlate closely with the securities index and which have
a value at least equal to the aggregate amount of the securities index options.

        Risks Associated with Options  Transactions.  An options position may be
closed out only on an exchange which  provides a secondary  market for an option
of the same series.  Although a Portfolio will generally  purchase or write only
those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is
no assurance  that a liquid  secondary  market on an exchange will exist for any
particular  option,  or at any particular  time. For some options,  no secondary
market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If a Portfolio is unable to effect
closing sale transactions in options it has purchased,  the Portfolio would have
to exercise its options in order to realize any profit and may incur transaction
costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying  securities pursuant thereto. If a
Portfolio  is  unable to effect a  closing  purchase  transaction  for a covered
option  that it has  written,  it  will  not be  able  to  sell  the  underlying
securities,  or dispose of the assets held in a  segregated  account,  until the
option  expires or is  exercised.  A  Portfolio's  ability to  terminate  option
positions  established in the  over-the-counter  market may be more limited than
for  exchange-traded  options and may also involve the risk that  broker-dealers
participating in such transactions might fail to meet their obligations.

        A  Portfolio's  hedging  strategy  that employs  options on a securities
index may be unsuccessful due to imperfect correlation between the securities in
the index and the securities owned by the Portfolio.  In addition, if Invista is
incorrect in predicting the direction of stock prices,  interest rates and other
economic  factors,  hedging  through the use of options  could result in a lower
return than if the Portfolio had not hedged its investments.

        Futures Contracts and Options on Futures

        Each  Portfolio may purchase and sell  financial  futures  contracts and
options  on  those  contracts.   Financial  futures  contracts  are  commodities
contracts based on financial instruments such as U.S. Treasury bonds or bills or
on securities indices such as the S&P 500 Index.  Futures contracts,  options on
futures  contracts  and the  commodity  exchanges  on which  they are traded are
regulated by the Commodity  Futures  Trading  Commission  ("CFTC").  Through the
purchase and sale of futures contracts and related options, a Portfolio may seek
to hedge against a decline in  securities  owned by the Portfolio or an increase
in the price of securities which the Portfolio plans to purchase.

        Futures Contracts.  When a Portfolio sells a futures contract based on a
financial  instrument,  the Portfolio  becomes obligated to deliver that kind of
instrument at a specified  future time for a specified  price.  When a Portfolio
purchases  the futures  contract,  it becomes  obligated to take delivery of the
instrument  at a  specified  time  and to  pay  the  specified  price.  In  most
instances,  these  contracts  are  closed  out by  entering  into an  offsetting
transaction before the settlement date, thereby canceling the obligation to make
or take delivery of specific  securities.  The Portfolio realizes a gain or loss
depending on whether the price of an offsetting  purchase plus transaction costs
are less or more than the price of the  initial  sale or on whether the price of
an offsetting  sale is more or less than the price of the initial  purchase plus
transaction costs. Although a Portfolio will usually liquidate futures contracts
on financial instruments in this manner, it may instead make or take delivery of
the underlying  securities whenever it appears  economically  advantageous to do
so.

        A futures contract based on a securities index provides for the purchase
or sale of a group of  securities  at a  specified  future  time for a specified
price. These contracts do not require actual delivery of securities,  but result
in a cash settlement based upon the difference in value of the index between the
time the contract was entered into and the time it is  liquidated,  which may be
at its  expiration or earlier if it is closed out by entering into an offsetting
transaction.

        When a futures  contract is purchased or sold a brokerage  commission is
paid,  but unlike the  purchase  or sale of a  security  or option,  no price or
premium  is paid or  received.  Instead,  an amount  of cash or U.S.  Government
securities,  which varies,  but is generally about 5% of the contract amount, is
deposited by the  Portfolio  with its  custodian  for the benefit of the futures
commission merchant through which the Portfolio engages in the transaction. This
amount is known as "initial  margin." It does not involve the borrowing of funds
by the  Portfolio  to finance the  transaction,  but instead  represents a "good
faith"  deposit  assuring the  performance  of both the purchaser and the seller
under the futures contract.  It is returned to the Portfolio upon termination of
the futures contract, if all the Portfolio's  contractual  obligations have been
satisfied.

        Subsequent payments to and from the broker, known as "variation margin,"
are  required to be made on a daily  basis as the price of the futures  contract
fluctuates,  making the long or short positions in the futures  contract more or
less valuable, a process known as "marking to market." If the position is closed
out by taking an opposite  position prior to the settlement  date of the futures
contract, a final determination of variation margin is made,  additional cash is
required to be paid to or released by the broker,  and the Portfolio  realizes a
loss or gain.

        In using  futures  contracts,  a Portfolio  will seek to establish  more
certainly  than would  otherwise be possible the  effective  price of or rate of
return on portfolio  securities  or securities  that the  Portfolio  proposes to
acquire. A Portfolio, for example, may sell futures contracts in anticipation of
a rise in  interest  rates  which would cause a decline in the value of its debt
investments.  When this kind of hedging is  successful,  the  futures  contracts
should increase in value when the Portfolio's  debt securities  decline in value
and thereby keep the  Portfolio's  net asset value from  declining as much as it
otherwise  would.  A Portfolio  may also sell futures  contracts  on  securities
indices in  anticipation  of or during a stock market  decline in an endeavor to
offset  a  decrease  in the  market  value  of its  equity  investments.  When a
Portfolio  is not fully  invested  and  anticipates  an  increase in the cost of
securities it intends to purchase,  it may purchase financial futures contracts.
When increases in the prices of equities are expected,  a Portfolio may purchase
futures  contracts on securities  indices in order to gain rapid market exposure
that may  partially  or  entirely  offset  increases  in the cost of the  equity
securities it intends to purchase.

        Options on Futures. A Portfolio may also purchase and write call and put
options on futures  contracts.  A call  option on a futures  contract  gives the
purchaser  the right,  in return for the  premium  paid,  to  purchase a futures
contract  (assume a long  position)  at a specified  exercise  price at any time
before the option expires. A put option gives the purchaser the right, in return
for the premium paid, to sell a futures contract (assume a short position),  for
a specified exercise price, at any time before the option expires.

        Upon the  exercise of a call,  the writer of the option is  obligated to
sell the futures  contract (to deliver a long position to the option  holder) at
the option  exercise  price,  which will  presumably  be lower than the  current
market price of the contract in the futures market.  Upon exercise of a put, the
writer of the option is obligated to purchase  the futures  contract  (deliver a
short position to the option holder) at the option  exercise  price,  which will
presumably  be higher  than the  current  market  price of the  contract  in the
futures market. However, as with the trading of futures, most options are closed
out prior to their expiration by the purchase or sale of an offsetting option at
a market  price that will  reflect an  increase  or a decrease  from the premium
originally paid.

        Options on futures can be used to hedge  substantially the same risks as
might be  addressed  by the direct  purchase or sale of the  underlying  futures
contracts.  For example, if a Portfolio anticipated a rise in interest rates and
a decline in the market value of the debt securities in its portfolio,  it might
purchase  put  options or write call  options  on futures  contracts  instead of
selling futures contracts.

        If a Portfolio purchases an option on a futures contract,  it may obtain
benefits  similar  to those that would  result if it held the  futures  position
itself.  But in contrast  to a futures  transaction,  the  purchase of an option
involves the payment of a premium in addition to transaction costs. In the event
of an adverse market movement,  however,  the Portfolio will not be subject to a
risk of loss on the option  transaction  beyond the price of the premium it paid
plus its transaction costs.

        When a  Portfolio  writes an option on a futures  contract,  the premium
paid by the  purchaser  is deposited  with the  Portfolio's  custodian,  and the
Portfolio  must  maintain  with its  custodian  all or a portion of the  initial
margin requirement on the underlying  futures contract.  The Portfolio assumes a
risk of  adverse  movement  in the  price  of the  underlying  futures  contract
comparable to that involved in holding a futures position.  Subsequent  payments
to and from the broker,  similar to variation margin  payments,  are made as the
premium and the  initial  margin  requirement  are marked to market  daily.  The
premium may  partially  offset an  unfavorable  change in the value of portfolio
securities,  if the option is not exercised,  or it may reduce the amount of any
loss incurred by the Portfolio if the option is exercised.

        Risks Associated with Futures Transactions.  There are a number of risks
associated  with  transactions  in futures  contracts  and  related  options.  A
Portfolio's  successful use of futures contracts is subject to Invista's ability
to predict  correctly the factors affecting the market values of the Portfolio's
portfolio  securities.  For  example,  if a  Portfolio  was hedged  against  the
possibility of an increase in interest rates which would  adversely  affect debt
securities held by the Portfolio and the prices of those debt securities instead
increased,  the Portfolio would lose part or all of the benefit of the increased
value of its securities which it hedged because it would have offsetting  losses
in its futures  positions.  Other risks include  imperfect  correlation  between
price movements in the financial  instrument or securities  index underlying the
futures contract, on the one hand, and the price movements of either the futures
contract itself or the securities  held by the Portfolio,  on the other hand. If
the  prices  do not  move in the  same  direction  or to the  same  extent,  the
transaction may result in trading losses.

        Prior to exercise or expiration, a position in futures may be terminated
only by entering into a closing  purchase or sale  transaction.  This requires a
secondary market on the relevant contract market.  The Portfolio will enter into
a futures  contract  or  related  option  only if there  appears  to be a liquid
secondary  market.  There  can be no  assurance,  however,  that  such a  liquid
secondary  market  will exist for any  particular  futures  contract  or related
option at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close out a futures
position once it has been established.  Under such circumstances,  the Portfolio
would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin in
the event of adverse price movements.  In such situations,  if the Portfolio has
insufficient cash, it may be required to sell portfolio securities to meet daily
variation margin

requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, the
Portfolio may be required to perform under the terms of the futures contracts it
holds.  The inability to close out futures  positions also could have an adverse
impact on a Portfolio's ability effectively to hedge its portfolio.

        Most United States  futures  exchanges  limit the amount of  fluctuation
permitted in futures  contract  prices  during a single  trading day. This daily
limit  establishes  the maximum amount that the price of a futures  contract may
vary either up or down from the previous day's  settlement price at the end of a
trading  session.  Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of
contract,  no more trades may be made on that day at a price  beyond that limit.
The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and
therefore  does not limit  potential  losses  because  the limit may prevent the
liquidation of unfavorable positions.  Futures contract prices have occasionally
moved to the daily limit for several  consecutive trading days with little or no
trading,   thereby  preventing  prompt  liquidation  of  futures  positions  and
subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.

        Limitations  on the Use of  Futures  and  Options on  Futures.  The Fund
intends that each Portfolio will come within an exclusion from the definition of
"commodity pool operator" provided by CFTC regulations by complying with certain
limitations  on the use of  futures  and  related  options  prescribed  by those
regulations.

        No Portfolio will purchase or sell futures  contracts or options thereon
if immediately thereafter the aggregate initial margin and premiums exceed 5% of
the fair market  value of the  Portfolio's  assets,  after  taking into  account
unrealized  profits and  unrealized  losses on any such contracts it has entered
into (except that in the case of an option that is  in-the-money  at the time of
purchase,  the  in-the-money  amount  generally may be excluded in computing the
5%).

        The  Portfolios  will enter into futures  contracts and related  options
transactions  only for bona fide  hedging  purposes as permitted by the CFTC and
for other appropriate risk management purposes,  if any, which the CFTC may deem
appropriate for mutual funds excluded from the regulations  governing  commodity
pool  operators.  A Portfolio is not permitted to engage in speculative  futures
trading.  Invista  will  determine  that the price  fluctuations  in the futures
contracts  and options on futures used for hedging or risk  management  purposes
for a Portfolio are  substantially  related to price  fluctuations in securities
held by the Portfolio or which it expects to purchase.  In pursuing  traditional
hedging  activities,  each Portfolio will sell futures contracts or acquire puts
to protect against a decline in the price of securities that the Portfolio owns,
and each Portfolio will purchase futures contracts or calls on futures contracts
to protect the  Portfolio  against an increase  in the price of  securities  the
Portfolio intends to purchase before it is in a position to do so.

        When a  Portfolio  purchases  a futures  contract,  or  purchases a call
option on a futures contract, it will comply with applicable cover requirements,
such as maintaining an amount of cash, cash equivalents or short-term high grade
fixed income securities in a segregated account with the Portfolio's  custodian,
so that the amount so segregated  plus the amount of initial margin held for the
account of its broker equals the market value of the futures contract.

        A Portfolio will not maintain open short positions in futures contracts,
call  options  written  on  futures  contracts,  and  call  options  written  on
securities indices if, in the aggregate, the value of the open positions (marked
to market)  exceeds the current  market value of that portion of its  securities
portfolio being hedged by those futures and options plus or minus the unrealized
gain or loss on those open  positions,  adjusted for the  historical  volatility
relationship  between that portion of the portfolio and the contracts (i.e., the
Beta volatility  factor).  To the extent a Portfolio has written call options on
specific  securities  in that  portion  of its  portfolio,  the  value  of those
securities will be deducted from the current market value of that portion of the
securities  portfolio.  If this  limitation  should be exceeded at any time, the
Portfolio  will take prompt action to close out the  appropriate  number of open
short  positions  to bring its open  futures and options  positions  within this
limitation.

Currency Contracts

   
        The International Emerging Markets Portfolio,  International  Securities
Portfolio  and  International  SmallCap  Portfolio  each may engage in  currency
transactions with securities  dealers,  financial  institutions or other parties
that are  deemed  credit  worthy by  Invista  to hedge  the  value of  portfolio
securities denominated in particular currencies against fluctuations in relative
value. Currency transactions include forward currency contracts, exchange-listed
currency  futures  contracts  and  options  thereon  and   exchange-listed   and
over-the-counter  options on currencies.  A forward currency contract involves a
privately  negotiated  obligation to purchase or sell (with  delivery  generally
required) a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of
days from the date of the contract  agreed upon the  parties,  at a price set at
the time of the contract.
    
        A Portfolio  will engage in currency  transactions  only for hedging and
other  non-speculative  purposes,  including  transaction  hedging and  position
hedging.  Transaction  hedging  is  entering  into a currency  transaction  with
respect to specific  assets or liabilities of a Portfolio,  which will generally
arise in  connection  with the  purchase  or sale of the  Portfolio's  portfolio
securities or the receipt of income from them. Position hedging is entering into
a  currency   transaction  with  respect  to  portfolio   securities   positions
denominated  or generally  quoted in that  currency.  A Portfolio will not enter
into a  transaction  to hedge  currency  exposure  to an extent  greater,  after
netting  all   transactions   intended  wholly  or  partially  to  offset  other
transactions,  than the aggregate market value (at the time of entering into the
transaction)  of the securities  held by the Portfolio  that are  denominated or
generally quoted in or currently convertible into the currency,  other than with
respect to proxy hedging as described below.

        A Portfolio may cross-hedge  currencies by entering into transactions to
purchase or sell one or more currencies that are expected to increase or decline
in value relative to other currencies to which the Portfolio has or in which the
Portfolio   expects  to  have  exposure.   To  reduce  the  effect  of  currency
fluctuations on the value of existing or anticipated holdings of its securities,
a Portfolio may also engage in proxy  hedging.  Proxy hedging is often used when
the  currency to which a  Portfolio's  holding is exposed is  difficult to hedge
generally  or  difficult  to hedge  against the dollar.  Proxy  hedging  entails
entering into a forward contract to sell a currency, the changes in the value of
which are generally considered to be linked to a currency or currencies in which
some or all of a Portfolio's  securities are or are expected to be  denominated,
and to buy dollars. The amount of the contract would not exceed the market value
of the Portfolios's securities denominated in linked currencies.

        Except when a Portfolio  enters  into a forward  contract in  connection
with the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency or for
other  non-speculative  purposes,  which  requires  no  segregation,  a currency
contract that  obligates  the  Portfolio to buy or sell a foreign  currency will
generally  require the  Portfolio  to hold an amount of that  currency or liquid
securities denominated in that currency equal to the Portfolio's  obligations or
to  segregate  liquid  high  grade debt  obligations  equal to the amount of the
Portfolio's obligations.

        Currency hedging involves some of the same risks and  considerations  as
other transactions with similar instruments. Currency transactions can result in
losses to a Portfolio if the  currency  being  hedged  fluctuates  in value to a
degree or in a direction that is not anticipated.  Further, the risk exists that
the perceived  linkage between various  currencies may not be present or may not
be present  during the  particular  time that a  Portfolio  is engaging in proxy
hedging. Currency transactions are also subject to risks different from those of
other portfolio transactions. Because currency control is of great importance to
the issuing governments and influences  economic planning and policy,  purchases
and sale of  currency  and  related  instruments  can be  adversely  affected by
government  exchange  controls,  limitations or  restrictions on repatriation of
currency,  and  manipulations or exchange  restrictions  imposed by governments.
These forms of governmental actions can result in losses to a Portfolio if it is
unable to deliver or receive currency or monies in settlement of obligations and
could also cause hedges it has entered into to be rendered useless, resulting in
full currency exposure as well as incurring transaction costs. Currency exchange
rates may also  fluctuate  based on factors  extrinsic  to a country's  economy.
Buyers and sellers of currency  futures  contracts are subject to the same risks
that apply to the use of futures contracts generally.  Further,  settlement of a
currency  futures  contract for the purchase of most  currencies must occur at a
bank based in the issuing nation.  Trading options on currency futures contracts
is relative  new, and the ability to establish  and close out positions on these
options is subject to the  maintenance of a liquid market that may not always be
available.

Repurchase Agreements

        Each  Portfolio may invest in repurchase  agreements.  No Portfolio will
enter into  repurchase  agreements  that do not mature  within seven days if any
such investment,  together with other illiquid securities held by the Portfolio,
would  amount  to  more  than  15% of its  assets.  Repurchase  agreements  will
typically  involve the  acquisition by the Portfolio of debt  securities  from a
selling  financial  institution such as a bank,  savings and loan association or
broker-dealer. A repurchase agreement provides that the Portfolio will sell back
to the seller and that the seller will repurchase the underlying securities at a
specified price and at a fixed time in the future.  Repurchase agreements may be
viewed  as loans by a  Portfolio  collateralized  by the  underlying  securities
("collateral").  This arrangement  results in a fixed rate of return that is not
subject to market  fluctuation during the Portfolio's  holding period.  Although
repurchase   agreements   involve  certain  risks  not  associated  with  direct
investments in debt securities, each Portfolio follows procedures established by
the  Board of  Directors  which are  designed  to  minimize  such  risks.  These
procedures  include  entering  into  repurchase   agreements  only  with  large,
well-capitalized and well-established  financial  institutions,  which have been
approved by the Board of Directors and which Invista  believes  present  minimum
credit risks. In addition, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase
agreement  will  always be at least  equal to the  repurchase  price,  including
accrued interest. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial
institution,  the  affected  Portfolio  bears  a risk of  loss.  In  seeking  to
liquidate  the  collateral,  a  Portfolio  may be delayed in or  prevented  from
exercising  its rights and may incur certain  costs.  Further to the extent that
proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase  were less
than the repurchase price, the Portfolio could suffer a loss.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

        Each Portfolio may lend its portfolio  securities.  No Portfolio intends
to lend its portfolio securities if as a result the aggregate of such loans made
by the Portfolio would exceed 33% of its total assets.  Portfolio securities may
be  lent  to  unaffiliated   broker-dealers  and  other  unaffiliated  qualified
financial  institutions provided that such loans are callable at any time on not
more than five  business  days'  notice and that cash or  government  securities
equal to at least 100% of the market value of the securities loaned,  determined
daily,  is deposited by the borrower with the  Portfolio and is maintained  each
business day in a segregated  account.  While such  securities  are on loan, the
borrower will pay the Portfolio any income accruing  thereon,  and the Portfolio
may  invest any cash  collateral,  thereby  earning  additional  income,  or may
receive  an  agreed  upon fee from the  borrower.  Borrowed  securities  must be
returned  when the loan is  terminated.  Any gain or loss in the market price of
the borrowed  securities  which occurs during the term of the loan inures to the
Portfolio and its shareholders.  A Portfolio may pay reasonable  administrative,
custodial and other fees in connection  with such loans and may pay a negotiated
portion of the interest earned on the cash or government  securities  pledged as
collateral to the borrower or placing broker.  The Fund does not vote securities
that have been loaned,  but it will call a loan of securities in anticipation of
an important vote. When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities

        Each of the  Portfolios  may from time to time purchase  securities on a
when-issued  basis and may  purchase or sell  securities  on a delayed  delivery
basis.  The price of such a transaction is fixed at the time of the  commitment,
but delivery and payment take place on a later  settlement  date, which may be a
month or more  after the date of the  commitment.  No  interest  accrues  to the
purchaser  during  this  period,  and  the  securities  are  subject  to  market
fluctuation,  which involves the risk for the purchaser that yields available in
the market at the time of  delivery  may be higher  than those  obtained  in the
transaction.  Each Portfolio  will only purchase  securities on a when-issued or
delayed  delivery  basis for the purpose of acquiring the securities and not for
the purpose of investment leverage or to speculate on interest rate changes, but
a Portfolio may sell the securities  before the settlement  date, if such action
is deemed  advisable.  At the time a Portfolio  makes the commitment to purchase
securities on a when-issued or delayed  delivery basis, the Fund will record the
transaction  and  thereafter  reflect the value,  each day, of the securities in
determining  the net asset  value of the  Portfolio.  Each  Portfolio  will also
establish a segregated account with its custodian bank in which it will maintain
cash or cash  equivalents,  United States  Government  securities and other high
grade debt  obligations  equal in value to the Portfolio's  commitments for such
when-issued or delayed  delivery  securities.  The availability of liquid assets
for this purpose and the effect of asset segregation on a Portfolio's ability to
meet its current  obligations,  to honor requests for redemption and to have its
investment  portfolio  managed  properly  will  limit  the  extent  to which the
Portfolio may engage in forward commitment agreements.  Except as may be imposed
by these factors, there is no limit on the percent of a Portfolio's total assets
that may be committed to transactions in such agreements.

Portfolio Turnover

        Portfolio  turnover will normally  differ for each  Portfolio,  may vary
from year to year,  as well as within a year,  and may be affected by  portfolio
sales necessary to meet cash  requirements for redemptions of Portfolio  shares.
The portfolio turnover rate for a Portfolio is calculated by dividing the lesser
of purchases or sales of its portfolio  securities during the fiscal year by the
monthly  average of the value of its portfolio  securities  (excluding  from the
computation all securities,  including  options,  with maturities at the time of
acquisition  of one year or less). A high rate of portfolio  turnover  generally
involves  correspondingly  greater brokerage commission expenses,  which must be
borne directly by the Portfolio.
       

   
        The  Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio  intends to be active in the
forward commitment market when the return from holding forward positions appears
to be greater than the return from holding the actual securities.  The Portfolio
will enter into  forward  commitment  contracts to purchase  securities  for the
purpose of  acquiring  those  securities  and not for the purpose of  investment
leverage  or to  speculate  on interest  rate  changes,  but as  delivery  dates
approach,  a  determination  will be made whether to take delivery of a specific
forward  position,  or sell that position and purchase another forward position.
Because of this strategy,  it is anticipated that its annual portfolio  turnover
rate should generally  exceed 100% and may be as much as 600% or more,  although
this rate should not be  construed  as a limiting  factor.  The effect of a high
turnover rate would be to incur more transaction expenses than would be incurred
at a lower  turnover  rate,  and  there  is no  assurance  that  the  additional
transactions  that cause the higher  turnover rate would result in gains for the
Portfolio or in sufficient gains to offset the increased  transaction  expenses.
The annualized  portfolio  turnover rates for each portfolio for its most recent
and immediately preceding fiscal year were as follows:  International Securities
25.5% and  46.0%;  Mortgage-Backed  Securities  28.7% and  9.9%.  The  portfolio
turnover rate was higher for the Mortgage-Backed Securities portfolio during the
preceding fiscal year due to fund redemption activity.
    
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE FUND

   
        The following  listing  discloses the  principal  occupations  and other
principal business  affiliations of the Fund's Officers and Directors during the
past five years.  All  Directors  and  Officers  listed  here also hold  similar
positions  with each of the other mutual funds  (currently 28 such mutual funds)
sponsored by Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company.  All mailing addresses are
The  Principal  Financial  Group,  Des  Moines,  Iowa  50392,  unless  otherwise
indicated.

        David J. Brown, 37, Assistant  Counsel.  Counsel,  Principal Mutual Life
Insurance  Company since 1995.  Attorney,  1994-1995.  Prior thereto,  Attorney,
Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hogan, P.C..

        Michael W. Cumings,  46, Assistant  Counsel.  Counsel,  Principal Mutual
Life Insurance Company.
    
        @James D. Davis,  63,  Director.  4940 Center Court,  Bettendorf,  Iowa.
Attorney. Vice President, Deere and Company, retired.

   
        Pamela  A.  Ferguson,  54,  Director,  P.O.  Box  805,  Grinnell,  Iowa.
President and Professor of Mathematics, Grinnell College.

        *&J. Barry Griswell,  48, Director and Chairman of the Board.  Executive
Vice President, Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company, since 1996; Senior Vice
President,  1991-1996.  Director and Chairman of the Board, Principal Management
Corporation and Princor Financial Services Corporation.

        *&Stephan  L.  Jones,  62,  Director  and  President.   Vice  President,
Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company.  Director  and  President,  Princor
Financial Services Corporation and Principal Management Corporation.

        @&Barbara A.  Lukavsky,  57,  Director.  3920 Grand Avenue,  Des Moines,
Iowa. President and Chief Operating Officer, Lu San ELITE USA, L.C.

        *Craig L.  Bassett,  45,  Treasurer.  Treasurer,  Principal  Mutual Life
Insurance  Company since 1996. Prior thereto,  Associate  Treasurer.  Treasurer,
Princor  Financial  Services  Corporation and Principal  Management  Corporation
since 1996.

        *Michael J. Beer, 36, Financial Officer. Senior Vice President and Chief
Operating  Officer,   Princor  Financial  Services   Corporation  and  Principal
Management  Corporation,  since 1997.  Prior  thereto,  Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer.

        *Arthur S. Filean,  59, Vice  President and Secretary.  Vice  President,
Princor Financial Services  Corporation.  Vice President,  Principal  Management
Corporation, since 1996.

        *Ernest H. Gillum,  42, Assistant  Secretary.  Assistant Vice President,
Registered  Products,  Princor  Financial  Services  Corporation  and  Principal
Management  Corporation,  since 1995.  Prior thereto,  Product  Development  and
Compliance Officer.

        Jane E. Karli, 40, Assistant  Treasurer.  Senior  Accounting and Custody
Administrator,  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company  since  1994.  Senior
Investment Cost Accountant  1993-1994.  Senior Investment  Accountant 1992-1993.
Prior thereto, Manager-Investment Accounting and Treasury.

        *Michael  D.  Roughton,  46,  Counsel.  Counsel,  Principal  Mutual Life
Insurance Company, since 1994. Prior thereto Assistant Counsel. Counsel, Invista
Capital  Management,  Inc.,  Princor Financial Services  Corporation,  Principal
Investors Corporation and Principal Management Corporation.
    

        @ Member of Audit and Nominating Committee.

        * Affiliated  with the Manager of the Fund or its parent and  considered
an "Interested  Persons," as defined in the  Investment  Company Act of 1940, as
amended.

        & Member of the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee is elected
by the  Board of  Directors  and may  exercise  all the  powers  of the Board of
Directors,  with certain exceptions,  when the Board is not in session and shall
report its actions to the Board.

        The Fund does not pay fees or other  remuneration  to its  directors and
officers.

   
        As of  ________________,  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company,  a
mutual life  insurance  company  organized  in 1879 under the laws of Iowa,  its
subsidiaries  and  affiliates  owned of record and  beneficially  the  following
number of shares or percentage of the outstanding shares of each Portfolio:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         No. of Shares       % of Outstanding
         Portfolio                          Owned                 Shares
International Securities Portfolio         _______                 ____%
Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio       _______                 ____%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       As  of_______________,  the Officers and Directors of the Fund as a group
owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of any Portfolio of the Fund.

       As of _______________, the following shareholders of the Fund owned 5% or
more of the outstanding shares of any Portfolio of the Fund:
- -------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------
                                                                   Percentage
               Name                Address                        of Ownership


                                                                         %


                                                                         %


                                                                         %


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

MANAGER AND SUB-ADVISOR

         The  Manager  of  each  Portfolio  of the  Fund is  Princor  Management
Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Princor Financial Services Corporation
which is a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of Principal  Holding  Company.  Principal
Holding  Company is a holding  company  which is a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of
Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  a mutual  life  insurance  company
organized  in 1879  under  the laws of the  state of Iowa.  The  address  of the
Manager is The Principal  Financial  Group,  Des Moines,  Iowa  50392-0200.  The
Manager  was  organized  on January  10,  1969 and since  that time has  managed
various mutual funds sponsored by Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company.

         The Manager has executed an agreement with Invista Capital  Management,
Inc. ("Invista") under which Invista has agreed to assume the obligations of the
Manager  to provide  investment  advisory  services  for each  Portfolio  and to
reimburse  the  Manager  for the  other  costs it incurs  under  the  Management
Agreement.  Invista, an indirectly  wholly-owned  subsidiary of Principal Mutual
Life Insurance Company and an affiliate of the Manager,  was founded in 1985 and
manages  investments for  institutional  investors,  including  Principal Mutual
Life.  Assets under  management  at December 31, 1996 were  approximately  $19.6
billion.  Invista's  address is 1500 Hub Tower,  699 Walnut,  Des  Moines,  Iowa
50309.

         Each of the persons  affiliated with the Fund who is also an affiliated
person of the Manager or Invista is named below, together with the capacities in
which such person is affiliated with the Fund, Invista and the Manager:

   
                       Office Held With         Office Held With
      Name                Each Fund            The Manager/Invista
Craig L. Bassett       Treasurer               Treasurer (Manager)
Michael J. Beer        Financial Officer       Senior Vice President and Chief
                                               Operating Officer (Manager)
Arthur S. Filean       Vice President and      Vice President (Manager)
                         Secretary
Ernest H. Gillum       Assistant Secretary     Assistant Vice President -
                                                 Registered Products (Manager)
J. Barry Griswell      Director and Chairman   Director and Chairman of
                         of the Board            the Board (Manager)
Stephan L. Jones       Director and            Director and President
                       President                 (Manager)
Michael D. Roughton    Counsel                 Counsel (Manager; Invista)
    

COST OF MANAGER'S SERVICES
   

        The Manager has entered into a Management  Agreement with the Fund which
requires the Manager to act as investment adviser and manager of each Portfolio.
As  compensation  for its  services  and  other  responsibilities,  the  Manager
receives  a fee  computed  and  accrued  daily  and  payable  monthly.  Under  a
Sub-Advisory  Agreement  between Invista and the Manager,  Invista  performs all
investment  advisory   responsibilities  of  the  Manger  under  the  Management
Agreement  and receive the full amount of the  compensation  paid by the Fund to
the Manager.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        The Management Fees are computed at the following annual rates:

                                            Fees Computed On              Fees  as a  Percent of
                   Portfolio           Net Asset Value of Portfolio       Average Daily Net Assets
<S>     <C>                           <C>                                          <C>
        International Emerging        
          Markets Portfolio                   First $250 million                   1.15%
                                              Next $250 million                    1.05%
                                              Over $500 million                    0.95%
        International Securities
          Portfolio                   Entire Portfolio                             0.90%
        International SmallCap
          Portfolio                           First $250 million                   1.00%
                                              Next $250 million                    0.90%
                                              Over $500 million                    0.80%
        Mortgage-Backed Securities
          Portfolio                   Entire Portfolio                             0.45%
</TABLE>
    

         The average net assets of each  portfolio  on December 31, 1996 and the
rate of the  fee for  each  portfolio  for  investment  management  services  as
provided  in the  Management  Agreement  for the fiscal  year then ended were as
follows:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Management Fee for
                                 Net Assets as of           Fiscal Year Ended
           Portfolio             December 31, 1996          December 31, 1996
- --------------------------       -----------------          -----------------
International Securities            $28,160,624                    .90%
Mortgage Backed Securities          $14,968,258                    .45%
- -------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

         Fees  paid  for  investment  management  services  during  the  periods
indicated were as follows:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Management Fees for Fiscal
         Portfolio                            Year Ended December 31
- ------------------                            ----------------------
                                          1996         1995         1994
                                          ----         ----         ----
International                           $185,375     $146,209      $147,720
Securities                              $ 65,114     $ 61,455      $102,737
Mortgage-Backed Securities
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         In addition to investment  advisory services,  the  responsibilities of
the  Manager  under the  Management  Agreement  include  various  corporate  and
administrative  services,  including furnishing the services of its officers and
employees  that are  elected  to serve as  officers  or  directors  of the Fund;
furnishing  office space and all necessary  office  facilities and equipment for
the  general  corporate  functions  of the  Fund;  furnishing  the  services  of
supervisory  and  clerical  personnel   necessary  to  perform  such  functions;
determining  the net asset  value per  share for the  shares of each  Portfolio;
acting as and  performing  the services of transfer and paying agent  (including
preparing and distributing  prospectuses,  shareholder reports, tax information,
notices and proxy statements, making dividend payments,  maintaining shareholder
records in an open account system and processing  redemptions,  repurchases  and
remittances to  shareholders);  and  qualifying  Fund shares for sale in various
jurisdictions.

         In  addition,  the  Manager is  responsible  for all  expenses  of each
Portfolio  except (i) the  management  fee paid to it by the Fund,  (ii)  taxes,
including in case of redeemed shares any initial transfer taxes, (iii) portfolio
brokerage  fees  and  incidental  brokerage  expenses,  (iv)  interest  and  (v)
extraordinary  expenses.  Since  brokerage fees are treated as part of the price
paid or  received  upon the  purchase  or sale of  securities  and since  taxes,
interest and extraordinary  expenses are expected to be minimal,  the management
fee  should  tend to give  shareholders  an idea  as to the  expected  level  of
operating  expenses of the Portfolios in which they invest.  This arrangement is
different  from the fee structures of most mutual funds where one fee is paid to
the  investment  adviser for advisory  services  and many or all other  expenses
involved with the operation of the fund are paid directly by the fund.

         Under the terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreement with the Manager, Invista
has agreed to reimburse the Manager for all of its costs in performing corporate
and administrative services and to pay all expenses of the Fund that the Manager
has undertaken to pay under the Management Agreement.

   
         The Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement ("Agreements") were
last approved by the Fund's Board of Directors on September 8, 1997.  Both kinds
of agreements provide that each will continue in effect as to any Portfolio from
year to year only so long such  continuance  is  specifically  approved at least
annually either by the Board of Directors of the Fund or by a vote of a majority
of the outstanding  voting securities of the Fund and in either event by vote of
a majority of the  directors of the Fund who are not  interested  persons of the
Manager,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company,  the Fund and, in the case of
the Sub-Advisory  Agreement,  Invista cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such  approval.  Each Agreement may, on sixty days' written
notice,  be  terminated  at any time without the payment of any penalty,  by the
Board of Directors of the Fund, by vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting
securities  of the Fund,  as to any  Portfolio  by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of that Portfolio, by the Manager, and in the case
of the  Sub-Advisory  Agreement by Invista.  Each Agreement shall  automatically
terminate in the event of its assignment.
    
         The  required   shareholder  approval  of  any  continuance  of  either
Agreement  shall be effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the
outstanding   voting   securities  of  that  Portfolio   votes  to  approve  the
continuance,  notwithstanding that the amendment may not have been approved by a
majority  of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of the  Fund or of any  other
Portfolio affected by the amendment. If the shareholders of any Portfolio of the
Fund fail to approve the continuance of either Agreement and that failure causes
the  Agreement  to be invalid with  respect to that  Portfolio,  the Manager and
Invista will continue to act as investment  adviser and sub-adviser with respect
to that Portfolio pending the required  approval of the Agreement's  continuance
or of a new contract or other definitive action,  provided that the compensation
received by each of the Manager and Invista,  in case of the  invalidity  of the
Management  Agreement,  or  by  Invista,  in  case  of  the  invalidity  of  the
Sub-Advisory  Agreement, in respect of that Portfolio during such period will be
no more than its actual costs incurred in furnishing  services to that Portfolio
or the  amount it would have  received  under the  Agreement  in respect of that
Portfolio, whichever is less.

         The Management  Agreement may be amended but such amendment will not be
effective  until  specifically  approved by vote of the holders of a majority of
the  Fund's  outstanding  voting  securities  and by vote of a  majority  of the
directors of the Fund who are not interested  persons of the Manager,  Principal
Mutual Life Insurance Company or the Fund cast in person at a meeting called for
the purpose of voting on such approval. The required shareholder approval of any
amendment to the  Management  Agreement  shall be effective  with respect to any
Portfolio if a majority of the outstanding  voting  securities of that Portfolio
votes to approve the amendment,  notwithstanding that the amendment may not have
been approved by a majority of the outstanding  voting securities of the Fund or
of any other Portfolio affected by the matter.

   
         The Manager has  entered  into an  Investment  Service  Agreement  with
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company  ("Principal  Mutual") whereby Principal
Mutual has agreed to provide on a part-time  basis such employees as the parties
may agree are reasonably needed by the Manager and Invista in the performance of
investment  advisory  services  (but not corporate or  administrative  services)
under the  Management  Agreement.  Principal  Mutual  also agreed to permit such
employees,  in performing  services for the Manager and Invista,  full access to
statistical   and  economic  data,   investment   research   reports  and  other
non-confidential  materials in the files of its Investment  Department.  For the
services of Principal  Mutual  employees,  the Manager will reimburse  Principal
Mutual for the direct and indirect costs fairly  attributable  to their services
performed for the Manager,  and the Manager will be reimbursed for such costs by
Invista.  The Investment Service Agreement  contains  provisions on continuation
and  termination   comparable  to  those  described  above  for  the  Management
Agreement.  The  Management  Agreement  was last  approved by the Funds Board of
Directors on September 8, 1997.
    
BROKERAGE ON PURCHASES AND SALES OF SECURITIES

         In  distributing  brokerage  business  arising out of the  placement of
orders for the  purchase and sale of  securities  for any  Portfolio,  Invista's
objective  is to obtain the best  overall  terms.  In pursuing  this  objective,
Invista  considers all matters it deems  relevant,  including the breadth of the
market in the security,  the price of the security,  the financial condition and
executing  capability  of the  broker or dealer  and the  reasonableness  of the
commission,  if any (for the specific  transaction  and on a continuing  basis).
This may mean in some instances that Invista will pay a broker  commissions that
are in excess of the amount of commission  another broker might have charged for
executing the same  transaction  when Invista believes that such commissions are
reasonable  in  light of (a) the size and  difficulty  of  transactions  (b) the
quality of the execution provided and (c) the level of commissions paid relative
to commissions paid by other institutional  investors.  (Such factors are viewed
both in terms of that particular  transaction  and in terms of all  transactions
that broker  executes  for  accounts  over which  Invista  exercises  investment
discretion.  Invista may purchase  securities  in the  over-the-counter  market,
utilizing the services of principal  market matters,  unless better terms can be
obtained by purchases  through brokers or dealers,  and may purchase  securities
listed on the New York Stock Exchange from non-Exchange  members in transactions
off the Exchange.) Invista gives  consideration in the allocation of business to
services  performed by a broker (e.g.  the  furnishing of  statistical  data and
research  generally  consisting of information of the following types:  analyses
and  reports  concerning  issuers,  industries,  economic  factors  and  trends,
portfolio  strategy and performance of client accounts).  If any such allocation
is made, the primary  criteria used will be to obtain the best overall terms for
such  transactions.  Invista may pay additional  commission amounts for research
services  but  generally  does not do so.  Such  statistical  data and  research
information  received  from brokers or dealers may be useful in varying  degrees
and Invista may use it in servicing some or all of the accounts it manages. Some
statistical  data and  research  information  may not be  useful to  Invista  in
managing the client account,  brokerage for which resulted in Invista's  receipt
of the statistical data and research information. However, in Invista's opinion,
the value  thereof is not  determinable  and it is not expected  that  Invista's
expenses will be significantly raised since the receipt of such statistical data
and  research  information  is only  supplementary  to  Invista's  own  research
efforts. The Manager, or Sub-advisor,  allocated portfolio  transactions for the
International  Securities  Portfolio to certain  brokers  during the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1996 due to research services provided by such brokers. These
portfolio  transactions resulted in commissions paid to such brokers by the Fund
in the amount of $931.

         Some products and services brokers provide to Invista (such as computer
hardware) may perform an  administrative  function (e.g.  client  accounting) as
well  as a  research  function.  In  such  cases,  Invista  makes  a  reasonable
allocation  of the cost of the product or service  according to  Invista's  use.
Invista pays for the portion of the product or service that consists of research
in  commission  dollars.  Invista  pays for the  portion  that  provides it with
administrative  or  non-research   assistance  with  its  own  money.  Invista's
allocation  of such  products and  services  between  research and  non-research
functions poses a conflict of interest between Invista and its clients.

         Annually the  officers of Invista  call a meeting to  determine  dollar
limits on business done with brokers who provide useful research information.  A
list of products, research and services is kept in Invista's office.

         Purchases  and sales of debt  securities  and money market  instruments
usually will be principal  transactions and will normally be purchased  directly
from the issuer or from an underwriter or marketmaker for the  securities.  Such
transactions  are usually  conducted  on a net basis with a Portfolio  paying no
brokerage commissions.  Purchases from underwriters will include a commission or
concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and the purchases from dealers
serving  as  marketmakers  will  include  the spread  between  the bid and asked
prices.

         The  following  table shows the brokerage  commissions  paid during the
periods indicated.  In each year, 100% of the commissions paid by each Fund went
to  broker-dealers  which  provided  research,   statistical  or  other  factual
information.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Total Brokerage Commissions
           Portfolio                       Paid During Fiscal Year
                                              Ended December 31
                                  1996              1995               1994
                                  ----              -----              ----
International Securities       $66,683             $54,987            $47,909
Mortgage-Backed Securities     $   -0-             $   -0-            $   -0-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Brokerage  commissions paid to affiliates during the year ended December
31, 1996 were as follows:

- --- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Commissions Paid to Morgan Stanley & Co.
                                                        As Percent of Dollar
                     Total Dollar   As Percent of             Amount of
                        Amount    Total Commissions  Commissionable Transactions
International 
Securities Portfolio      $1,655        2.02%                    2.10%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Morgan  Stanley  and  Co.  is  affiliated   with  Morgan  Stanley  Asset
Management,  Inc., which acts as sub-advisor to two mutual funds included in the
Fund Complex.

        The Manager  acts as  investment  advisor for other funds  sponsored  by
Principal Mutual Life Insurance  Company.  Invista furnishes certain  personnel,
services  and  facilities  required  by the  Manager  to assist  the  Manager in
carrying out its investment  advisory  responsibilities to such other funds. If,
in carrying out the investment  objectives of these  entities,  occasions  arise
when purchases or sales of the same equity  securities are to be made for two or
more of the entities at the same time, a computer  program will  randomly  order
the  instructions  to  purchase  and,  whenever  possible,  to sell  securities.
Securities  purchased  or  proceeds of sales  received on each  trading day with
respect to such orders shall be allocated to the various entities placing orders
on that trading day by filling each entity's order for that day, in the sequence
arrived  at by the  random  order.  If  purchases  or  sales  of the  same  debt
securities  are to be made for two or more of the  Funds at the same  time,  the
securities  will be purchased or sold  proportionately  in  accordance  with the
amount of such  security  sought to be  purchased  or sold at that time for each
fund.

OFFERING PRICE

        Each Portfolio offers its shares continuously  through Princor Financial
Services  Corporation  which is  principal  underwriter  for the Fund and  sells
shares as agent  for the Fund.  Shares  are sold at net asset  value,  without a
sales charge. In certain  circumstances,  Princor Financial Services Corporation
will compensate its registered representatives or a selected dealer with whom it
has entered into a selling  agreement for their efforts in  distributing  shares
held in a customer  account the  establishment  of which is  attributable to the
efforts of the registered representatives or selected dealer.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

        The net asset value of the shares of each Portfolio is determined daily,
Monday  through  Friday,  as of the  close  of  trading  on the New  York  Stock
Exchange,  except  on  days on  which  changes  in the  value  of a  Portfolio's
portfolio  securities will not materially  affect the current net asset value of
that  Portfolio's  redeemable  securities,  on days  during  which  a  Portfolio
receives no order for the purchase or sale of its  redeemable  securities and no
tender of such a security for  redemption,  and on customary  national  business
holidays.  The Portfolios treat as customary  national  business  holidays those
days on which the New York Stock  Exchange is closed for New Year's Day (January
1), Washington's Birthday (third Monday in February), Good Friday (variable date
between  March 20 and April 23,  inclusive),  Memorial Day (last Monday in May),
Independence  Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September),  Thanksgiving
Day (fourth Thursday in November) and Christmas Day (December 25). The net asset
value  per share for each  Portfolio  is  determined  by  dividing  the value of
securities in the Portfolio's  investment  portfolio plus all other assets, less
all liabilities,  by the number of Portfolio shares outstanding.  Securities for
which market  quotations are readily  available,  including  options and futures
traded on an exchange, are valued at market value, which is for exchanged-listed
securities,  the closing sale price; for United Kingdom-listed  securities,  the
market-maker  provided  price;  and for non-listed  equity  securities,  the bid
price.  Non-listed  corporate  debt  securities  and  government  securities are
usually  valued using an evaluated bid price provided by a pricing  service.  If
closing prices are unavailable for exchange-listed securities, generally the bid
price,  or in the case of debt  securities  an evaluated  bid price,  is used to
value such securities.  When reliable market quotations are not considered to be
readily available,  which may be the case, for example,  with respect to certain
debt  securities,  preferred  stocks,  foreign  securities and  over-the-counter
options, the investments are valued by using market quotations,  prices provided
by market  makers,  which may  include  dealers  with  which the  Portfolio  has
executed  transactions,  or estimates of market values  obtained from yield data
and  other  factors   relating  to  instruments   or  securities   with  similar
characteristics  in accordance with procedures  established in good faith by the
Board of Directors.  Securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less are
valued at amortized cost. Other assets are valued at fair value as determined in
good faith through procedures established by the Board of Directors.

        Generally, trading in foreign securities is substantially completed each
day at  various  times  prior to the close of the New York Stock  Exchange.  The
values  of such  securities  used in  computing  net  asset  value per share are
usually  determined  as of such times.  Occasionally,  events  which  affect the
values of such securities and foreign currency  exchange rates may occur between
the times at which they are generally  determined  and the close of the New York
Stock  Exchange and would  therefore not be reflected in the  computation of the
net asset values of the Portfolios.  If events materially affecting the value of
such securities  occur during such period,  then these securities will be valued
at their fair value as  determined in good faith by the Manager or Invista under
procedures established and regularly reviewed by the Board of Directors.  To the
extent the Portfolio  invests in foreign  securities listed on foreign exchanges
which  trade on days on which the  Portfolio  does not  determine  its net asset
value, for example  Saturdays and other customary  national U.S.  holidays,  the
Portfolio's  net  asset  value  could be  significantly  affected  on days  when
shareholders have no access to the Portfolio.

PERFORMANCE CALCULATION

        Each Portfolio may from time to time advertise its  performance in terms
of total return or yield.  The figures used for total return and yield are based
on  the  historical  performance  of a  Portfolio,  show  the  performance  of a
hypothetical  investment  and are not intended to indicate  future  performance.
Total  return  and  yield  will vary from  time to time  depending  upon  market
conditions,  the composition of a Portfolio's  portfolio and operating expenses.
These  factors  and  possible  differences  in the methods  used in  calculating
performance   figures   should  be  considered   when  comparing  a  Portfolio's
performance to the performance of some other kind of investment.

        A Portfolio may also include in its advertisements  performance rankings
and other  performance-related  information published by independent statistical
services  or  publishers,  such  as  Lipper  Analytical  Services,  Weisenberger
Investment Companies Services, Money Magazine,  Forbes, The Wall Street Journal,
Baron's and Changing Times, and comparisons of the performance of a Portfolio to
that of various market indices, such as the S&P 500 Index, Dow Jones Industrials
Index,  Morgan Stanley  Capital  International  EAFE (Europe,  Australia and Far
East) Index and World Index, Lehman Brothers GNMA Index and the Salomon Brothers
Investment Grade Bond Index.

Total Return

        When advertising  total return figures,  each Portfolio will include its
average  annual total return for each of the one,  five and ten year periods (or
if shorter,  the period  during  which its  registration  statement  has been in
effect) that end on the last day of the most recent  calendar  quarter.  Average
annual total return is computed by  calculating  the average  annual  compounded
rate of return  over the  stated  period  that would  equate an  initial  $1,000
investment  to the ending  redeemable  value  assuming the  reinvestment  of all
dividends  and  capital  gains   distributions   at  net  asset  value.  In  its
advertising,  a Portfolio may also include  average annual total return for some
other period or cumulative total return for a specified period. Cumulative total
return is computed  by dividing  the  difference  between the ending  redeemable
value   (assuming   the   reinvestment   of  all  dividends  and  capital  gains
distributions) and the initial investment by the initial investment.

        The following  table shows as of December 31, 1996 average annual return
for each of the Portfolios for the periods indicated:

              Portfolio      1-Year         5-Year         10-Year

International Securities      24.12        15.46%(1)         N/A
Mortgage-Backed Securities     4.20         6.32%(1)         N/A

(1) Period beginning May 7, 1993 and ending December 31, 1996.

Yield

        The  Mortgage-Backed   Securities  Portfolio  calculates  its  yield  by
determining  its net  investment  income  per share for a 30-day  (or one month)
period,  annualizing that figure (assuming semi-annual compounding) and dividing
the result by the net asset value per share for the last day of the same period.
The yield for the Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio as of December 31, 1996
was 6.35%.

        A Portfolio may include in its  advertisements the compounding effect of
reinvested dividends over an extended period of time as illustrated below.

The Power of Compounding

Shareholders  who choose to reinvest  their  distributions  get the advantage of
compounding.  Here's what happens to a $10,000  investment  with monthly  income
reinvested at 6 percent, 8 percent and 10 percent over 20 years.

These figures assume no fluctuation in the value of principal. This chart is for
illustration purposes only and is not intended as an indication of the results a
shareholder may receive as a shareholder of a specific Portfolio. The return and
capital value of an investment in a Portfolio  will fluctuate so that the value,
when redeemed, may be worth more or less than the original cost.

Years        6%       8%        10%
0         $10,000  $10,000   $10,000
20        $32,071  $46,610   $67,275

        A Portfolio may also include in its  advertisements  an  illustration of
the impact of income taxes and inflation on earnings from bank  certificates  of
deposit  ("CD's").  The interest rate on the  hypothetical CD will be based upon
average  CD  rates  for a stated  period  as  reported  in the  Federal  Reserve
Bulletin.  The  illustrated  annual rate of inflation will be the core inflation
rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period ended as of
the most recent month prior to the advertisement's  publication. The illustrated
income  tax  rate  may  include  any  federal  income  tax  rate  applicable  to
individuals at the time the advertisement is published.  Any such  advertisement
will indicate  that,  unlike bank CD's, an investment in the Fund is not insured
nor is there any guarantee that the Fund's net asset value or any stated rate of
return will remain constant.

        An example of a typical  calculation  included in such advertisements is
as follows: the after-tax and inflation-adjusted earnings on a bank CD, assuming
a $10,000  investment  in a six-month  bank CD with an annual  interest  rate of
5.51% (average six-month CD rate for the month of October,  1996, as reported in
the Federal  Reserve  Bulletin) and an inflation rate of 3.0% (rate of inflation
for the 12-month period ended October 31, 1996 as measured by the Consumer Price
Index) and an income tax bracket of 28% would be $(49).

($10,000 x 5.51%) / 2 = $276 Interest for six-month period
                      -   77  Federal income taxes (28%)
                      -  150  Inflation's impact on invested principal 
                               ($10,000 x 3.0%) / 2
                       ($ 49) After-tax, inflation-adjusted earnings

TAX TREATMENT, DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

        It is the policy of each Portfolio to distribute  substantially  all net
investment  income and net realized gains.  Through such  distributions,  and by
satisfying  certain  other  requirements,  the  Fund  intends  to  qualify  each
portfolio for the tax treatment accorded to regulated investment companies under
the applicable  provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. This means that in each
year in which a Portfolio so  qualifies,  it will be exempt from federal  income
tax upon the  amount so  distributed  to  investors.  The Tax Reform Act of 1986
imposed an excise tax on mutual funds which fail to  distribute  net  investment
income and capital gains by the end of the calendar year in accordance  with the
provisions  of the  Act.  Each  Portfolio  intends  to  comply  with  the  Act's
requirements and to avoid this excise tax.

   
        Distributions   from  the  International   Emerging  Markets  Portfolio,
International   Securities  Portfolio,   International  SmallCap  Portfolio  and
Mortgage-Backed  Securities Portfolio will generally not be eligible for the 70%
corporate dividends received deduction.  All taxable dividends and capital gains
are  taxable  in the  year in which  distributed,  whether  received  in cash or
reinvested  in  additional  shares.  Dividends  declared  with a record  date in
December  and  paid in  January  will be  deemed  to have  been  distributed  to
shareholders  in December.  Each Portfolio will inform its  shareholders  of the
amount  and  nature  of  their  taxable   income   dividends  and  capital  gain
distributions.  Dividends  from a Portfolio's  net income and  distributions  of
capital gains, if any, may also be subject to state and local taxation.
    
        As previously discussed,  a Portfolio may invest in futures contracts or
options  thereon,  index options or options traded on qualified  exchanges.  For
federal  income tax purposes,  capital gains and losses on futures  contracts or
options  thereon,  index  options or options  traded on qualified  exchanges are
generally treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term.  In addition, a Portfolio
must recognize any unrealized gains and losses on such positions held at the end
of the fiscal year. A Portfolio  may elect out of such tax  treatment,  however,
for a futures or options position that is part of an "identified mixed straddle"
such as a put option purchased with respect to a portfolio  security.  Gains and
losses on futures and options  included in an identified  mixed straddle will be
considered  100%  short-term and unrealized  gain or loss on such positions will
not be realized at year end. The straddle provisions of the Code may require the
deferral of realized losses to the extent that a Portfolio has unrealized  gains
in certain  offsetting  positions  at the end of the fiscal  year,  and may also
require  recharacterization  of all or a part of  losses on  certain  offsetting
positions  from  short-term to  long-term,  as well as adjustment of the holding
periods of straddle positions.

       

        Each  Portfolio  is  required  by law  under  certain  circumstances  to
withhold 31% of dividends  paid to investors  who do not furnish  their  correct
taxpayer  identification  number  (in the  case  of  individuals,  their  social
security number).

        Shareholders  should  consult  their own tax advisors as to the federal,
state and local tax  consequences  of ownership of shares of the  Portfolios  in
their particular circumstances.

Special Tax Considerations

   
        International  Emerging  Markets  Portfolio,   International  Securities
Portfolio and International SmallCap Portfolio
    

        When at the  close  of a fiscal  year  more  than 50% of the  value of a
Portfolio's total assets are invested in securities of foreign corporations, the
Fund may elect pursuant to Section 853 of the Code to permit its Shareholders to
take a credit (or a deduction)  for foreign  income taxes paid by the Portfolio.
In that case,  Shareholders  should  include in their  report of gross income in
their federal income tax returns both cash dividends received from the Portfolio
and also the amount  which the  Portfolio  advises is their pro rata  portion of
foreign  income  taxes paid with  respect to, or withheld  from,  dividends  and
interest paid to the Portfolio from its foreign investments.  Shareholders would
then be entitled to subtract from their federal  income taxes the amount of such
taxes withheld, or treat such foreign taxes as a deduction from gross income, if
that should be more advantageous. As in the case of individuals receiving income
directly from foreign sources,  the  above-described tax credit or tax deduction
is subject to certain  limitations.  Shareholders  or  prospective  shareholders
should consult their tax advisors on how these provisions apply to them.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        The  financial  statements  of the Fund for the year ended  December 31,
1996  appearing in the Annual Report to  Shareholders  and the report thereon of
Ernst & Young LLP, independent  auditors,  appearing therein are incorporated by
reference in this Statement of Additional Information. The Annual Report will be
furnished  without  charge,  to investors who request copies of the Statement of
Additional Information.

<PAGE>
                                     PART C
                                OTHER INFORMATION

Item 24.       Financial Statements and Exhibits

               (a)   Financial Statements included in the Registration Statement
                      (1)   Part A:
                            Financial Highlights for each of the three years in 
                            the period ended December 31, 1996 and for the 
                            period from May 7, 1993 through December 31, 1993.
                      (2)   Part B:
                                  None
                      (b)   Exhibits
                            (1)   Articles of Amendment and Restatement 
                            (2)   Bylaws (Filed 4/12/96)
                            (5a)  Management Agreement
                            (5b)  Investment Service Agreement
                            (5c)  Sub-Advisory Agreement
                            (6a)  Distribution Agreement 
                            (6b)  Fund Application 
                            (8a)  Domestic Custody Agreement (Filed 4/12/96)
                            (8b)  Global Custody Agreement (Filed 4/12/96)
                            (9a)  Dealer Selling Agreement 
                            (10)  Opinion of Counsel (Filed 4/12/96)
                            (11)  Consent of Independent Auditors
                            (12)  Audited Financial Statements as of December
                                  31, 1996, including the Report of Ernst & 
                                  Young LLP, independent auditors for the 
                                  Registrant. (Filed 3/17/97)
                            (13)  Investment Letter (Filed 4/12/96)
                            (16)  Performance Quotations (Filed 4/12/96)
                            (27)  Financial Data Schedules

Item 25.     Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Depositor

             Principal Mutual Life Insurance  Company  (incorporated as a mutual
             life  insurance  company  under  the laws of Iowa);  sponsored  the
             organization  of the  following  mutual  funds,  some of  which  it
             controls by virtue of owning voting securities:

               Principal    Asset    Allocation    Fund,    Inc.   (a   Maryland
               Corporation) 100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned  by  Principal
               Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  and its  separate  accounts  on
               August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Aggressive Growth Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)
               100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life
               Insurance Company and its separate accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor  Balanced  Fund, Inc. (a  Maryland  Corporation) 1.86% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal Balanced Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation) 100.0% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company and its separate accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor Blue Chip Fund, Inc.  (a Maryland  Corporation)  1.42% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor Bond Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation) 1.49% of shares
               outstanding  owned by Principal Mutual Life Insurance  Company on
               August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Bond Fund,  Inc.  (a Maryland  Corporation)  100.0% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company and its separate accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor   Capital    Accumulation    Fund,   Inc.   (a   Maryland
               Corporation) 31.35% of  outstanding  shares  owned  by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal   Capital   Accumulation   Fund,   Inc.   (a   Maryland
               Corporation)  100.0% of  outstanding  shares  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company and its Separate Accounts on
               August 11, 1997.

               Princor Cash Management Fund, Inc. (a Maryland Corporation) 1.35%
               of  outstanding  shares owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company  (including  subsidiaries  and  affiliates) on August 11,
               1997.

               Princor Emerging Growth Fund, Inc. (a Maryland Corporation) 0.62%
               of shares  outstanding  owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Emerging  Growth Fund,  Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)
               100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life
               Insurance Company and its Separate Accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor  Government  Securities  Income  Fund,  Inc.  (a Maryland
               Corporation)  0.40% of  shares  outstanding  owned  by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal   Government   Securities   Fund,   Inc.   (a  Maryland
               Corporation)  100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company and its Separate Accounts on
               August 11, 1997.

               Princor  Growth  Fund,  Inc.  (a Maryland  Corporation)  0.52% of
               outstanding  shares  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Growth Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)  100.0% of
               outstanding  shares are owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company and its Separate Accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor High Yield Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation) 22.70% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal High Yield Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)  100.0%
               of shares  outstanding  owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company and its Separate Accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  International  Emerging Markets Fund, Inc. (a Maryland
               Corporation)  100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 15, 1997.

               Principal   International   SmallCap   Fund,   Inc.  (a  Maryland
               Corporation)  100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 15, 1997.

               Princor  Limited  Term Bond Fund,  Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)
               53.17% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life
               Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal Money Market Fund, Inc. (a Maryland Corporation) 100.0%
               of shares  outstanding  owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company and its Separate Accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Special  Markets Fund,  Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)
               51.39% of the shares outstanding of the International  Securities
               Portfolio   and   84.13%  of  the  shares   outstanding   of  the
               Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio  were  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor Tax-Exempt Bond Fund, Inc. (a Maryland Corporation) 0.56%
               of shares  outstanding  owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor   Tax-Exempt  Cash  Management  Fund,  Inc.  (a  Maryland
               Corporation)  1.00% of  shares  outstanding  owned  by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor Utilities Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)   1.54% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor  World  Fund,  Inc. (a  Maryland  Corporation)  22.96% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  World Fund,  Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)  100.0% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

          Subsidiaries  organized  and  wholly-owned  by  Principal  Mutual Life
          Insurance Company:

               a.   Principal  Holding  Company (an Iowa  Corporation) A holding
                    company  wholly-owned  by  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance
                    Company.

               b.   PT Asuransi Jiwa Principal  Egalita  Indonesia (an Indonesia
                    Corporation)

          Subsidiaries wholly-owned by Principal Holding Company:

               a.  Petula  Associates,  Ltd. (an Iowa  Corporation)  a real
                   estate development company.

               b.  Patrician Associates,  Inc. (a California Corporation) a real
                   estate development company.

               c.  Principal   Development   Associates,   Inc.  (a   California
                   Corporation) a real estate development company.

               d.  Princor Financial Services Corporation (an Iowa Corporation)
                   a registered broker-dealer.

               e.  Invista  Capital  Management,  Inc. (an Iowa  Corporation)  a
                   registered investment adviser.

               f.  Principal Marketing Services, Inc. (a Delaware Corporation) a
                   corporation formed to serve as an interface between marketers
                   and manufacturers of financial services products.

               g.  The Principal Financial Group, Inc. (a Delaware  corporation)
                   a general business corporation established in connection with
                   the new corporate identity. It is not currently active.

               h.  Delaware  Charter  Guarantee  &  Trust  Company  (a  Delaware
                   Corporation) a nondepository trust company.

               i.  Principal   Securities   Holding   Corporation   (a  Delaware
                   Corporation) a holding company.

               j.  Principal Health Care, Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a developer
                   and administrator of managed care systems.

               k.  Principal  Financial  Advisors,  Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a
                   registered investment advisor.

               l.  Principal  Asset  Markets,   Inc.  (an  Iowa  Corporation)  a
                   residential mortgage loan broker.

               m.  Principal  Portfolio  Services,  Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a
                   mortgage due diligence company.

               n.  Principal International, Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a company
                   formed for the purpose of international business development.

               o.  Principal   Spectrum    Associates,    Inc.   (a   California
                   Corporation) a real estate development company.

               p.   Principal Commercial Advisors,  Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a
                    company that  purchases,  manages and sells  commercial real
                    estate assets.

               q.   Principal FC, Ltd. (an Iowa  Corporation) a limited  purpose
                    investment corporation.

               r.   Principal Residential Mortgage, Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a
                    residential mortgage loan broker.

               s.   Equity FC, Ltd. (an Iowa Corporation)  engaged in investment
                    transactions   including  limited  partnership  and  limited
                    liability companies.

          Subsidiaries  organized and wholly-owned by Princor Financial Services
          Corporation:

               a.   Princor  Management  Corporation  (an  Iowa  Corporation)  a
                    registered investment advisor.

               b.   Principal Investors Corporation (a New Jersey Corporation) a
                    registered   broker-dealer  with  the  Securities   Exchange
                    Commission. It is not currently active.

          Subsidiary wholly owned by Principal Securities Holding Corporation:

               a.   Principal   Financial    Securities,    Inc.   (a   Delaware
                    Corporation) an investment banking and securities  brokerage
                    firm.

          Subsidiary wholly owned by Delaware Charter Guarantee & Trust Company:

               a.   Trust  Consultants,   Inc.  (a  California   Corporation)  a
                    Consulting and Administration of Employee Benefit Plans.

          Subsidiaries  organized  and  wholly-owned  by Principal  Health Care,
          Inc.:

               a.   The Admar  Group,  Inc. (a Florida  Corporation)  a national
                    managed care service  organization that develops and manages
                    preferred provider organizations.

               b.   America's Health  Plan,  Inc.  (a  Maryland  Corporation)  a
                    developer of discount provider networks.

               c.   Principal Health Care Management Corporation (an Iowa
                    Corporation) provide management services to health
                    maintenance organizations.

               d.   Principal Behavioral Health Care, Inc. (an Iowa Corporation)
                    a mental  and  nervous/substance  abuse  preferred  provider
                    organization.

               e.   Principal  Health  Care  of the  Carolinas,  Inc.  (a  North
                    Carolina Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               f.   Principal   Health  Care  of  Delaware,   Inc.  (a  Delaware
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               g.   Principal   Health   Care  of   Florida,   Inc.  (a  Florida
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               h.   Principal   Health   Care  of   Georgia,   Inc.  (a  Georgia
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               i.   Principal  Health  Care  of  Illinois,   Inc.  (an  Illinois
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               j.   Principal   Health  Care  of   Indiana,   Inc.  (a  Delaware
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               k.   Principal Health Care of Iowa, Inc. (an Iowa  Corporation) a
                    health maintenance organization.

               l.   Principal  Health  Care of Kansas  City,  Inc.  (a  Missouri
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               m.   Principal  Health  Care  of  Louisiana,  Inc.  (a  Louisiana
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               n.   Principal Health Care of the Mid-Atlantic,  Inc. (a Virginia
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               o.   Principal   Health  Care  of  Nebraska,   Inc.  (a  Nebraska
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               p.   Principal Health Care of Pennsylvania,  Inc. (a Pennsylvania
                    Corporation) a health  maintenance  organization.  

               q.   Principal  Health  Care  of  St.  Louis,  Inc.  (a  Delaware
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               r.   Principal  Health  Care of  South  Carolina,  Inc.  (A South
                    Carolina Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               s.   Principal  Health  Care  of  Tennessee,  Inc.  (a  Tennessee
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               t.   Principal Health Care of Texas, Inc. ( a Texas  Corporation)
                    a health maintenance organization.

               u.   United  Health  Care   Services  of  Iowa,   Inc.  (an  Iowa
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

          Subsidiary owned by The Admar Group, Inc.:

               a.   Admar Corporation (a California  Corporation) a managed care
                    services organization.

               b.   Admar Insurance Marketing, Inc. (a California Corporation) a
                    managed care services organization.

               c.   SelectCare Management Co., Inc. (a California Corporation) a
                    managed care services organization.

               d.   Image  Financial & Insurance  Services,  Inc. (a  California
                    Corporation) a managed care services organization.

               e.   WM. G.  Hofgard & Co.,  Inc. (a  California  Corporation)  a
                    managed care services organization.

               f.   Benefit Plan Administrators, Inc. (a Colorado Corporation) a
                    managed care services organization.

          Subsidiaries owned by Principal International, Inc.:

               a.   Principal  International  Espana, S.A. de Seguros de Vida (a
                    Spain Corporation).

               b.   Zao Principal International (a Russia Corporation) inactive.

               c.   Principal  International   Argentina,   S.A.  (an  Argentina
                    services corporation).

               d.   Principal   International   Asia   Limited   (a  Hong   Kong
                    Corporation).

               e.   Principal Insurance Company (Hong Kong) Limited (a Hong Kong
                    Corporation).

               f.   Principal    International   de   Chile,   S.A.   (a   Chile
                    Corporation) a holding company.

               g.   Principal Mexico Compania de Seguros, S.A. de C.V. (a Mexico
                    Corporation) a life insurance company.

               h.   Afore Confia-Principal, S.A. de C.V. (a Mexico Corporation).

               i.   Qualitas Medica, S.A. (an Argentina Corporation).

          Subsidiary owned by Principal International Espana, S.A. de Seguros de
          Vida:

               a.   Princor  International Espana S.A. de Agencia de Seguros
                    (a Spain Corporation).

          Subsidiaries  owned by Principal International Argentina, S.A.:

               a.   Ethika-S.A.  Administradora  de  Fondos  de  Jubilaciones  y
                    Pensiones (an Argentina company)

               b.   Princor  Compania de Seguros de Retiro,  S.A. (an  Argentina
                    Corporation).

               c.   Prinlife  Compania de Seguros de Vida,  S.A.  (an  Argentina
                    Corporation).

          Subsidiary owned by Principal International de Chile, S.A.:

               a.   BanRenta   Compania  de  Seguros  de  Vida,  S.A.  (a  Chile
                    Corporation) a life insurance company.

          Subsidiary owned by Afore Confia-Principal, S.A. de C.V.:

               a.   Siefore Confia-Principal, S.A. de C.V.
                    (a Mexico Corporation)

Item 26.       Number of Holders of Securities - As of:  August 31, 1997

                     (1)                                       (2)
               Title of Class                             Number of Holders
                      Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.
               Common - International Securities Portfolio         7
               Common - Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio       2
               Common - International Emerging Markets Portfolio   N/A
               Common - International SmallCap Portfolio           N/A

Item 27.       Indemnification

     Under Section 2-418 of the Maryland  General  Corporation Law, with respect
to any  proceedings  against a present  or former  director,  officer,  agent or
employee (a "corporate  representative")  of the Registrant,  the Registrant may
indemnify the corporate representative against judgments,  fines, penalties, and
amounts paid in settlement, and against expenses,  including attorneys' fees, if
such  expenses  were  actually  incurred  by  the  corporate  representative  in
connection with the proceeding, unless it is established that:

        (i)    The act or omission of the corporate representative was
               material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding; and

               1.    Was committed in bad faith; or

               2.    Was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; or

       (ii)    The corporate representative actually received an improper
               personal benefit in money, property, or services; or


      (iii)    In  the  case  of  any   criminal   proceeding,   the   corporate
               representative  had  reasonable  cause to believe that the act or
               omission was unlawful.

     If a proceeding is brought by or on behalf of the Registrant,  however, the
Registrant may not indemnify a corporate representative who has been adjudged to
be liable to the Registrant.  Under the  Registrant's  Articles of Incorporation
and Bylaws, directors and officers of Registrant are entitled to indemnification
by the  Registrant to the fullest  extent  permitted  under Maryland law and the
Investment  Company Act of 1940.  Reference is made to Article VI,  Section 7 of
the Registrant's  Articles of Incorporation,  Article 12 of Registrant's  Bylaws
and Section 2-418 of the Maryland General Corporation Law.

     The  Registrant has agreed to indemnify,  defend and hold the  Distributor,
its officers and directors,  and any person who controls the Distributor  within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933,  free and harmless from
and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the
cost of investigating  or defending such claims,  demands or liabilities and any
counsel  fees  incurred in  connection  therewith)  which the  Distributor,  its
officers,  directors  or  any  such  controlling  person  may  incur  under  the
Securities  Act of 1933,  or under  common law or  otherwise,  arising out of or
based upon any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registrant's
registration statement or prospectus or arising out of or based upon any alleged
omission to state a material  fact  required  to be stated in either  thereof or
necessary  to make the  statements  in either  thereof  not  misleading,  except
insofar as such claims,  demands,  liabilities  or expenses  arise out of or are
based  upon any such  untrue  statement  or  omission  made in  conformity  with
information furnished in writing by the Distributor to the Registrant for use in
the Registrant's registration statement or prospectus:  provided,  however, that
this indemnity  agreement,  to the extent that it might require indemnity of any
person who is also an officer or director of the  Registrant or who controls the
Registrant within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, shall
not inure to the benefit of such officer,  director or controlling person unless
a court  of  competent  jurisdiction  shall  determine,  or it shall  have  been
determined by controlling precedent that such result would not be against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, and further provided, that in
no event  shall  anything  contained  herein be so  construed  as to protect the
Distributor  against any liability to the Registrant or to its security  holders
to which the  Distributor  would  otherwise  be  subject  by  reason of  willful
misfeasance,  bad faith, or gross negligence,  in the performance of its duties,
or by reason of its reckless  disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.
The  Registrant's  agreement  to  indemnify  the  Distributor,  its officers and
directors and any such controlling person as aforesaid is expressly  conditioned
upon the Registrant  being promptly  notified of any action brought  against the
Distributor,  its officers or directors,  or any such controlling  person,  such
notification to be given by letter or telegram addressed to the Registrant.

Item 28.  Business or Other Connection of Investment Adviser

     A complete  list of the officers and directors of the  investment  adviser,
Princor Management Corporation, and the sub-advisor, Invista Capital Management,
Inc. are set out below.  This list includes some of the same people  (designated
by an *), who are serving as officers and directors of the Registrant. For these
people the  information  as set out in the Statement of  Additional  Information
(See  Part B)  under  the  caption  "Directors  and  Officers  of the  Fund"  is
incorporated by reference.

   Craig R. Barnes              The Principal     President
   Vice President               Financial Group   Invista Capital
                                Des Moines, IA    Management, Inc.
                                50392

  *Craig L. Bassett             Same              See Part B
   Treasurer

  *Michael J. Beer              Same              See Part B
   Senior Vice President
   and Chief Operating
   Officer

   Mary L. Bricker              Same              Counsel and Assistant 
   Assistant Corporate                            Corporate Secretary
   Secretary                                      Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

   Ray S. Crabtree              Same              Executive Vice President
   Director                                       Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

   David J. Drury               Same              Chief Executive Officer
   Director                                       and Chairman of the Board
                                                  Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

  *Arthur S. Filean             Same              See Part B
   Vice President

   Paul N. Germain              Same              Assistant Vice President -
   Assistant Vice President -                     Operations
   Operations                                     Princor Financial Services
                                                  Corporation

   Michael H. Gersie            Same              Senior Vice President
   Director                                       Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

  *Ernest H. Gillum             Same              See Part B
   Assistant Vice President -
   Registered Products

   Thomas J. Graf               Same              Senior Vice President
   Director                                       Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

  *J. Barry Griswell            Same              See Part B
   Chairman of the Board
   and Director

   Joyce N. Hoffman             Same              Vice President and
   Vice President and                             Corporate Secretary
   Corporate Secretary                            Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

  *Stephan L. Jones             Same              See Part B
   President and Director

   Ronald E. Keller             Same              Executive Vice President
   Director                                       Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

   Gregg R. Narber              Same              Senior Vice President and
   Director                                       General Counsel
                                                  Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

   Layne A. Rasmussen           Same              Controller
   Controller -                                   Princor Financial Services
   Mutual Funds                                   Corporation

   Elizabeth R. Ring            Same              Controller
   Controller                                     Princor Financial Services
                                                  Corporation

  *Michael D. Roughton          Same              See Part B
   Counsel

   Charles E. Rohm              Same              Executive Vice President
   Director                                       Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

   Jean B Schustek              Same              Product Compliance Officer -
   Product Compliance Officer -                   Princor Financial Services
   Registered Products                            Corporation

   Dewain A. Sparrgrove         Same              Vice President -
   Vice President                                 Investment Securities
                                                  Principal Mutual Life
                                                  Insurance Company

     Princor  Management  Corporation  serves as investment adviser and dividend
disbursing  and transfer  agent for,  Principal  Aggressive  Growth Fund,  Inc.,
Principal Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.,  Principal Balanced Fund, Inc., Principal
Bond Fund, Inc.,  Principal Capital  Accumulation Fund, Inc., Principal Emerging
Growth Fund, Inc., Principal Government  Securities Fund, Inc., Principal Growth
Fund, Inc.,  Principal High Yield Fund, Inc., Principal Money Market Fund, Inc.,
Principal  Special  Markets Fund,  Inc.,  Principal  World Fund,  Inc.,  Princor
Balanced Fund,  Inc.,  Princor Blue Chip Fund,  Inc.,  Princor Bond Fund,  Inc.,
Princor Capital  Accumulation  Fund,  Inc.,  Princor Cash Management Fund, Inc.,
Princor Emerging Growth Fund, Inc., Princor  Government  Securities Income Fund,
Inc.,  Princor  Growth  Fund,  Inc.,  Princor High Yield Fund,  Inc.,  Principal
International  Emerging Markets,  Inc., Principal  International  SmallCap Fund,
Inc.,  Princor Limited Term Bond Fund, Inc., Princor Tax-Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.,
Princor  Tax-Exempt Cash Management Fund, Inc., Princor Utilities Fund, Inc. and
Princor World Fund,  Inc. - funds  sponsored by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
Company.

                        Invista Capital Management, Inc.

Kelly R. Alexander                The Principal
Vice President                    Financial Group
                                  Des Moines, Iowa
                                  50392

Douglas M. Angstrom               Same
Director of Institutional
Marketing

Craig R. Barnes                   Same
President and Director

*Craig L. Bassett                 Same              See Part B
Assistant Treasurer

Mary L. Bricker                   Same              Counsel and Assistant 
Assistant Corporate                                 Corporate Secretary
Secretary                                           Principal Mutual Life 
                                                    Insurance Company

Dennis W. Cameron                 Same
Chief Financial Officer

Catherine A. Green                Same
Vice President

Michael R. Hamilton               Same
Vice President

Gregory C. Hauser                 Same              Vice President - Commercial
Director                                            Real Estate Underwriting
                                                    Principal Mutual Life 
                                                    Insurance Company

Joyce N. Hoffman                  Same              Vice President and 
Vice President and                                  Corporate Secretary 
Corporate Secretary                                 Principal Mutual 
                                                    Life Insurance Company

*Stephan L. Jones                 Same              See Part B
Director

Ronald E. Keller                  Same              Executive Vice President
Chairman and Director                               Principal Mutual Life
                                                    Insurance Company

Scott D. Opsal                    Same
Executive Vice President
and Director

*Michael D. Roughton              Same              See Part B
Counsel

Martin J. Schafer                 Same
Vice President

Judith A. Vogel                   Same
Vice President

David L. White                    Same
Executive Vice President,
Treasurer and Director

Larry D. Zimpleman                Same              Vice President - Pension
Director                                            Principal Mutual Life 
                                                    Insurance Company

Item 29.       Principal Underwriters

     (a) Princor  Financial  Services  Corporation,  principal  underwriter  for
Registrant, acts as principal underwriter for, Principal Aggressive Growth Fund,
Inc.,  Principal Asset  Allocation Fund,  Inc.,  Principal  Balanced Fund, Inc.,
Principal Bond Fund, Inc.,  Principal Capital Accumulation Fund, Inc., Principal
Emerging  Growth  Fund,  Inc.,  Principal  Government   Securities  Fund,  Inc.,
Principal  Growth Fund, Inc.,  Principal High Yield Fund, Inc.,  Principal Money
Market Fund, Inc.,  Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.,  Principal World Fund,
Inc.,  Princor Balanced Fund, Inc.,  Princor Blue Chip Fund, Inc.,  Princor Bond
Fund, Inc.,  Princor Capital  Accumulation  Fund, Inc.,  Princor Cash Management
Fund, Inc., Princor Emerging Growth Fund, Inc.,  Princor  Government  Securities
Income Fund,  Inc.,  Princor Growth Fund,  Inc.,  Princor High Yield Fund, Inc.,
Princor Limited Term Bond Fund, Inc., Principal  International  Emerging Markets
Fund, Inc., Principal International SmallCap Fund, Inc., Princor Tax-Exempt Bond
Fund, Inc.,  Princor  Tax-Exempt Cash Management Fund, Inc.,  Princor  Utilities
Fund,  Inc.,  Princor  World  Fund,  Inc.  and for  variable  annuity  contracts
participating in Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company Separate Account B, a
registered unit investment  trust for retirement  plans adopted by public school
systems or certain  tax-exempt  organizations  pursuant to Section 403(b) of the
Internal Revenue Code,  Section 457 retirement plans,  Section 401(a) retirement
plans,  certain  non-  qualified  deferred  compensation  plans  and  Individual
Retirement  Annuity Plans adopted pursuant to Section408 of the Internal Revenue
Code, and for variable life insurance  contracts issued by Principal Mutual Life
Insurance Company Variable Life Separate  Account,  a registered unit investment
trust.

  (b)      (1)                 (2)                            (3)
                               Positions
                               and offices                    Positions and
  Name and principal           with principal                 offices with
  business address             underwriter                    registrant

  Robert W. Baehr              Marketing Services             None
  The Principal                Officer
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Craig L. Bassett             Treasurer                      Treasurer
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Michael J. Beer              Senior Vice President and      Vice President
  The Principal                Chief Operating Officer
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Mary L. Bricker              Assistant Corporate             None
  The Principal                Secretary
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Ray S. Crabtree              Director                        None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  David J. Drury               Director                        None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Arthur S. Filean             Vice President                  Vice President
  The Principal                                                and Secretary
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Paul N. Germain              Assistant Vice President-       None
  The Principal                Operations
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Michael H. Gersie            Director                        None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Ernest H. Gillum             Assistant Vice President-       Assistant
  The Principal                Registered Products             Secretary
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  William C. Gordon            Insurance License Officer       None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Thomas J. Graf               Director                        None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  J. Barry Griswell            Director and                    Director and
  The Principal                Chairman of the                 Chairman of the
  Financial Group              Board                           Board
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Joyce N. Hoffman             Vice President and              None
  The Principal                Corporate Secretary
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Stephan L. Jones             Director and                    Director and
  The Principal                President                       President
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Ronald E. Keller             Director                        Director
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  John R. Lepley               Senior Vice                     None
  The Principal                President - Marketing
  Financial Group              and Distribution
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Gregg R. Narber              Director                        None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Mark M. Oswald               Compliance Officer              None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Layne A. Rasmussen           Controller-Mutual Funds         None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Elizabeth R. Ring            Controller                      None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Charles E. Rohm              Director                        None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Michael D. Roughton          Counsel                         Counsel
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Jean B. Schustek             Product Compliance Officer-     None
  The Principal                Registered Products
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Kyle R. Selberg              Vice President-                 None
  The Principal                Marketing
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Susan R. Sorensen            Marketing Officer               None
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Roger C. Stroud              Assistant Director-             None
  The Principal                Marketing
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

               (c)    Inapplicable.

Item 30.       Location of Accounts and Records

     All accounts, books or other documents of the Registrant are located at the
offices of the  Registrant and its  Investment  Adviser in the Principal  Mutual
Life Insurance Company home office building,  The Principal Financial Group, Des
Moines, Iowa 50392.

Item 31.       Management Services

               Inapplicable.

Item 32.       Undertakings

               Indemnification

     Reference is made to Item 27 above,  which  discusses  circumstances  under
which  directors  and officers of the  Registrant  shall be  indemnified  by the
Registrant  against certain  liabilities and expenses incurred by them by reason
of being a director or officer of the Registrant.

     Notwithstanding  the provisions of Registrant's  Articles of  Incorporation
and Bylaws, the Registrant hereby makes the following undertaking:

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of the
Registrant,  pursuant to the foregoing  provisions or otherwise,  the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities  and Exchange  Commission
such  indemnification  is against  public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
such liabilities  (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the Registrant,  in the
successful  defense of any  action,  suit or  proceeding)  is  asserted  by such
director,  officer or controlling  person of the Registrant,  in connection with
the securities being  registered,  the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of
its counsel the matter has been settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a
court of appropriate  jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification by
it is against  public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue

                           Shareholder Communications

     Registrant  hereby  undertakes  to call a meeting of  shareholders  for the
purpose of voting upon the question of removal of a director or  directors  when
requested in writing to do so by the holders of at least 10% of the Registrant's
outstanding shares of common stock and in connection with such meeting to comply
with the  provisions  of Section  16(c) of the  Investment  Company  Act of 1940
relating to shareholder communications

                    Delivery of Annual Report to Shareholders

     The  registrant  hereby  undertakes  to  furnish  each  person  to  whom  a
prospectus  is  delivered a copy of the  registrant's  latest  annual  report to
shareholders, upon request and without charge.

                        Post-Effective Amendment Filing

     Registrant  hereby  undertakes  to file a  post-effective  amendment  using
financial statements which need not be certified, with four months to six months
from the effective of Registrant's 1933 Act Registration Statement.
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933  and  the
Investment  Company Act of 1940, the  Registrant  certifies that it meets all of
the requirments for  effectiveness of this  Registration  Statement and has duly
caused this Amendment to the  Registration  Statement to be signed on its behalf
by the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly  authorized  in the City of Des Moines and
State of Iowa, on the 12th day of September, 1997.

                                        PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.

                                                  (Registrant)


                                       By           /s/ S. L. JONES
                                          ______________________________________
                                                  S. L. Jones 
                                                  President and Director

Attest:


/s/ ERNEST H. GILLUM
______________________________________
E. H. Gillum
Assistant Secretary
<PAGE>
     Pursuant to the  requirement of the Securities Act of 1933,  this Amendment
to the Registration  Statement has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.

       Signature                         Title                          Date



/s/ S. L. Jones
_____________________________      President and Director              9/12/97
S. L. Jones                        (Principal Executive Officer)      __________



/s/ J. B. Griswell
_____________________________      Director and                        9/12/97
J. B. Griswell                     Chairman of the Board              __________


/s/ M. J. Beer
_____________________________      Financial Officer (Principal        9/12/97
M. J. Beer                         Financial and Accounting Officer)  __________


   (J. D. Davis)*                  
_____________________________      Director                            9/12/97
J. D. Davis                                                           __________


   (P. A. Ferguson)*               
_____________________________      Director                            9/12/97
P. A. Ferguson                                                        __________


   (B. A. Lukavsky)*
_____________________________      Director                            9/12/97
B. A. Lukavsky                                                        __________

                                        *By         /s/ S. L. JONES
                                           _____________________________________
                                           S. L. Jones
                                           President and Director


                                           Pursuant to Powers of Attorney
                                           Previously Filed or Included 
<PAGE>
                             POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints S. L. Jones, J. B. Griswell,  C.
L.  Bassett,  M. J. Beer and A. S.  Filean  and each of them (with full power to
each of them to act alone), the undersigned's  true and lawful  attorney-in-fact
and agent, with full power of substitution to each, for and on behalf and in the
name  of the  undersigned,  to  execute  and  file  any  documents  relating  to
registration  under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of
1940  with  respect  to  open  end  management  investment  companies  currently
organized  or to be  organized  in the future  which are  sponsored by Principal
Mutual Life Insurance  Company,  and any and all amendments  thereto and reports
thereunder  with all exhibits and all  instruments  necessary or  appropriate in
connection therewith, each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents and his or their
substitutes  being empowered to act with or without the others or other,  and to
have  full  power  and  authority  to do or  cause to be done in the name and on
behalf of the undersigned  each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate
to be done in order to effectuate the same, as fully to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned might or could do in person;  hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents, or any of them, may do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 14th day
of March, 1997.


                                          /s/ S. L. Jones
                                          _________________________
                                          S. L. Jones

                             POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints S. L. Jones, J. B. Griswell,  C.
L.  Bassett,  M. J. Beer and A. S.  Filean  and each of them (with full power to
each of them to act alone), the undersigned's  true and lawful  attorney-in-fact
and agent, with full power of substitution to each, for and on behalf and in the
name  of the  undersigned,  to  execute  and  file  any  documents  relating  to
registration  under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of
1940  with  respect  to  open  end  management  investment  companies  currently
organized  or to be  organized  in the future  which are  sponsored by Principal
Mutual Life Insurance  Company,  and any and all amendments  thereto and reports
thereunder  with all exhibits and all  instruments  necessary or  appropriate in
connection therewith, each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents and his or their
substitutes  being empowered to act with or without the others or other,  and to
have  full  power  and  authority  to do or  cause to be done in the name and on
behalf of the undersigned  each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate
to be done in order to effectuate the same, as fully to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned might or could do in person;  hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents, or any of them, may do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 14th day
of March, 1997.


                                          /s/ J. B. Griswell
                                          _________________________
                                          J. B. Griswell

                             POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints S. L. Jones, J. B. Griswell,  C.
L.  Bassett,  M. J. Beer and A. S.  Filean  and each of them (with full power to
each of them to act alone), the undersigned's  true and lawful  attorney-in-fact
and agent, with full power of substitution to each, for and on behalf and in the
name  of the  undersigned,  to  execute  and  file  any  documents  relating  to
registration  under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of
1940  with  respect  to  open  end  management  investment  companies  currently
organized  or to be  organized  in the future  which are  sponsored by Principal
Mutual Life Insurance  Company,  and any and all amendments  thereto and reports
thereunder  with all exhibits and all  instruments  necessary or  appropriate in
connection therewith, each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents and his or their
substitutes  being empowered to act with or without the others or other,  and to
have  full  power  and  authority  to do or  cause to be done in the name and on
behalf of the undersigned  each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate
to be done in order to effectuate the same, as fully to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned might or could do in person;  hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents, or any of them, may do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 14th day
of March, 1997.


                                          /s/ J. D. Davis
                                          _________________________
                                          J. D. Davis

                             POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints S. L. Jones, J. B. Griswell,  C.
L.  Bassett,  M. J. Beer and A. S.  Filean  and each of them (with full power to
each of them to act alone), the undersigned's  true and lawful  attorney-in-fact
and agent, with full power of substitution to each, for and on behalf and in the
name  of the  undersigned,  to  execute  and  file  any  documents  relating  to
registration  under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of
1940  with  respect  to  open  end  management  investment  companies  currently
organized  or to be  organized  in the future  which are  sponsored by Principal
Mutual Life Insurance  Company,  and any and all amendments  thereto and reports
thereunder  with all exhibits and all  instruments  necessary or  appropriate in
connection therewith, each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents and his or their
substitutes  being empowered to act with or without the others or other,  and to
have  full  power  and  authority  to do or  cause to be done in the name and on
behalf of the undersigned  each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate
to be done in order to effectuate the same, as fully to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned might or could do in person;  hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents, or any of them, may do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 14th day
of March, 1997.


                                          /s/ P. A. Ferguson
                                          _________________________
                                          P. A. Ferguson

                             POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints S. L. Jones, J. B. Griswell,  C.
L.  Bassett,  M. J. Beer and A. S.  Filean  and each of them (with full power to
each of them to act alone), the undersigned's  true and lawful  attorney-in-fact
and agent, with full power of substitution to each, for and on behalf and in the
name  of the  undersigned,  to  execute  and  file  any  documents  relating  to
registration  under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of
1940  with  respect  to  open  end  management  investment  companies  currently
organized  or to be  organized  in the future  which are  sponsored by Principal
Mutual Life Insurance  Company,  and any and all amendments  thereto and reports
thereunder  with all exhibits and all  instruments  necessary or  appropriate in
connection therewith, each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents and his or their
substitutes  being empowered to act with or without the others or other,  and to
have  full  power  and  authority  to do or  cause to be done in the name and on
behalf of the undersigned  each and every act and thing necessary or appropriate
to be done in order to effectuate the same, as fully to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned might or could do in person;  hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents, or any of them, may do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 14th day
of March, 1997.


                                          /s/ B. A. Lukavsky
                                          _________________________
                                          B. A. Lukavsky


                            ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND

                             RESTATEMENT OF CHARTER

                                       OF

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.

      Principal  Special Markets Fund, Inc., a Maryland  Corporation  having its
principal office in this state in Baltimore City,  Maryland  (hereinafter called
the  Corporation),  hereby  certifies to the State Department of Assessments and
Taxation of Maryland, that:

         FIRST:  The charter of the  Corporation  is hereby  amended by changing
Article V of the Articles of Incorporation so that as amended,  said Articles of
Incorporation shall be and read as follows:


                                    ARTICLE I

                                  Incorporator

         The  undersigned  Arthur S. Filean and Michael D. Roughton,  whose post
office address is The Principal  Financial Group, Des Moines,  Iowa 50392, being
at least 18 years of age, incorporators,  hereby form a corporation under and by
virtue of the laws of Maryland.


                                   ARTICLE II

                                      Name

         The name of the corporation is Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc., 
hereinafter called the "Corporation."


                                   ARTICLE III

                          Corporate Purposes and Powers

         The Corporation is formed for the following purposes:

         (1)      To conduct and carry on the business of an investment company.

         (2) To hold,  invest and  reinvest its assets in  securities  and other
investments or to hold part or all of its assets in cash.

         (3) To issue and sell shares of its capital  stock in such  amounts and
on such terms and  conditions  and for such purposes and for such amount or kind
of consideration as may now or hereafter be permitted by law.

         (4) To redeem,  purchase or acquire in any other manner,  hold, dispose
of, resell, transfer,  reissue or cancel (all without the vote or consent of the
stockholders of the Corporation)  shares of its capital stock, in any manner and
to the  extent  now or  hereafter  permitted  by law and by  these  Articles  of
Incorporation.

         (5) To do any and  all  additional  acts  and to  exercise  any and all
additional  powers or rights as may be  necessary,  incidental,  appropriate  or
desirable for the accomplishment of all or any of the foregoing purposes.

         To carry out all or any part of the  foregoing  objects  as  principal,
factor,  agent,  contractor,  or  otherwise,  either  alone  or  through  or  in
conjunction with any person, firm, association or corporation,  and, in carrying
on its  business  and for the  purpose of  attaining  or  furnishing  any of its
objects and  purposes,  to make and perform any contracts and to do any acts and
things,  and to  exercise  any  powers  suitable,  convenient  or proper for the
accomplishment  of  any  of  the  objects  and  purposes  herein  enumerated  or
incidental  to the  powers  herein  specified,  or which at any time may  appear
conducive  to or  expedient  for the  accomplishment  of any  such  objects  and
purposes.

         To carry out all or any part of the aforesaid objects and purposes, and
to conduct  its  business  in all or any of its  branches  in any or all states,
territories,  districts and  possessions  of the United States of America and in
foreign  countries;  and to maintain  offices and agencies in any or all states,
territories,  districts and  possessions  of the United States of America and in
foreign countries.

         The  foregoing  objects  and  purposes  shall,  except  when  otherwise
expressed,  be in no way limited or restricted by reference to or inference from
the terms of any other clause of this or any other article of these  Articles of
Incorporation  or of any  amendment  thereto,  and  shall  each be  regarded  as
independent, and construed as powers as well as objects and purposes.

         The  Corporation  shall be  authorized to exercise and enjoy all of the
powers,  rights and privileges granted to, or conferred upon,  corporations of a
similar  character by the Maryland  General  Corporation Law now or hereafter in
force,  and the  enumeration  of the  foregoing  powers  shall  not be deemed to
exclude any powers, rights or privileges so granted or conferred.


                                   ARTICLE IV

                       Principal Office and Resident Agent

         The post office address of the principal  office of the  Corporation in
this  State  is  c/o  The  Corporation  Trust  Incorporated,  32  South  Street,
Baltimore,  Maryland 21202. The name of the resident agent of the Corporation in
this State is The Corporation Trust  Incorporated,  a corporation of this State,
and the post office address of the resident agent is 32 South Street, Baltimore,
Maryland 21202.


                                    ARTICLE V
                                  Capital Stock

         Section 1. Authorized Shares: The total number of shares of stock which
the  Corporation   shall  have  authority  to  issue  is  five  hundred  million
(500,000,000)  shares,  of the par  value  of one  cent  ($.01)  each and of the
aggregate  par value of five  million  dollars  ($5,000,000).  The shares may be
issued by the Board of  Directors  in such  separate  and  distinct  series  and
classes of series as the Board of  Directors  shall from time to time create and
establish.  The Board of Directors  shall have full power and authority,  in its
sole discretion, to establish and designate series and classes of series, and to
classify or reclassify any unissued  shares in separate series or classes having
such  preferences,  conversion or other  rights,  voting  powers,  restrictions,
limitations  as to  dividends,  qualifications,  and  terms  and  conditions  of
redemption  as shall be fixed and  determined  from time to time by the Board of
Directors.  In the event of  establishment  of  classes,  each class of a series
shall  represent  interests  in the  assets  belonging  to that  series and have
identical voting, dividend,  liquidation and other rights and the same terms and
conditions as any other class of the series,  except that expenses  allocated to
the class of a series may be borne  solely by such class as shall be  determined
by the Board of Directors  and may cause  differences  in rights as described in
the following  sentence.  The shares of a class may be converted  into shares of
another class upon such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Board
of  Directors,  and a class of a series may have  exclusive  voting  rights with
respect  to  matters  affecting  only  that  class.   Expenses  related  to  the
distribution of, and other identified expenses that should properly be allocated
to,  the  shares of a  particular  series or class may be  charged  to and borne
solely by such series or class,  and the bearing of expenses  solely by a series
or class may be appropriately  reflected (in a manner determined by the Board of
Directors) and cause differences in the net asset value attributable to, and the
dividend,  redemption  and  liquidation  rights of, the shares of each series or
class.  Subject to the  authority  of the Board of  Directors  to  increase  and
decrease  the number of,  and to  reclassify  the shares of any series or class,
there are hereby  established four series of common stock all of the same class,
each comprising the number of shares and having the designation indicated:

                 Series                                      Number of Shares
International Emerging Markets Portfolio                        100,000,000
International Securities Portfolio                              100,000,000
International SmallCap Portfolio                                100,000,000
Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio                            100,000,000


In addition,  the Board of Directors is hereby  expressly  granted  authority to
change the  designation  of any series or class,  to increase  or  decrease  the
number of shares of any series or class,  provided  that the number of shares of
any series or class shall not be decreased  by the Board of Directors  below the
number of shares thereof then outstanding, and to reclassify any unissued shares
into one or more series or classes that may be established  and designated  from
time to time. Notwithstanding the designations herein of series and classes, the
Corporation  may  refer,  in  prospectuses  and  other  documents  furnished  to
shareholders,  filed with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  or used for
other purposes, to a series of shares as a "class" and to a class of shares of a
particular series as a "series."

         (a)  The   Corporation   may  issue  shares  of  stock  in   fractional
     denominations  to the same  extent  as its  whole  shares,  and  shares  in
     fractional  denominations shall be shares of stock having  proportionately,
     to the respective  fractions  represented  thereby, all the rights of whole
     shares,  including  without  limitation,  the  right to vote,  the right to
     receive  dividends  and  distributions  and the right to  participate  upon
     liquidation of the Corporation,  but excluding the right to receive a stock
     certificate representing fractional shares.

         (b) The  holder  of each  share of stock  of the  Corporation  shall be
     entitled to one vote for each full share,  and a  fractional  vote for each
     fractional  share,  of stock,  irrespective  of the  series or class,  then
     standing  in the  holder's  name on the  books of the  Corporation.  On any
     matter submitted to a vote of  stockholders,  all shares of the Corporation
     then  issued and  outstanding  and  entitled  to vote shall be voted in the
     aggregate  and not by  series  or class  except  that  (1)  when  otherwise
     expressly  required  by  the  Maryland  General   Corporation  Law  or  the
     Investment  Company  Act of  1940,  as  amended,  shares  shall be voted by
     individual series or class, and (2) if the Board of Directors,  in its sole
     discretion,  determines  that a matter affects the interests of only one or
     more particular  series or class or classes then only the holders of shares
     of such  affected  series or class or  classes  shall be  entitled  to vote
     thereon.


         (c)  Unless  otherwise  provided  in the  resolution  of the  Board  of
     Directors providing for the establishment and designation of any new series
     or class or classes, each series of stock of the Corporation shall have the
     following powers, preferences and rights, and qualifications, restrictions,
     and limitations thereof:

              (1) Assets Belonging to a Class. All consideration received by the
         Corporation  for the  issue or sale of shares  of a  particular  class,
         together  with all assets in which such  consideration  is  invested or
         reinvested,   all  income,  earnings,  profits  and  proceeds  thereof,
         including any proceeds  derived from the sale,  exchange or liquidation
         of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment
         of such  proceeds in whatever  form the same may be, shall  irrevocably
         belong to that class for all  purposes,  subject  only to the rights of
         creditors,  and shall be so recorded upon the books and accounts of the
         Corporation. Such consideration,  assets, income, earnings, profits and
         proceeds  thereof,  including  any  proceeds  derived  from  the  sale,
         exchange  or  liquidation  of such  assets,  and any funds or  payments
         derived from any  reinvestment  of such proceeds,  in whatever form the
         same may be, together with any General Items allocated to that class as
         provided in the following  sentence,  are herein referred to as "assets
         belonging  to" that  class.  In the event  that  there are any  assets,
         income,  earnings,  profits,  proceeds thereof, funds or payments which
         are not readily  identifiable  as  belonging  to any  particular  class
         (collectively  "General Items"),  such General Items shall be allocated
         by or under the  supervision of the Board of Directors to and among any
         one or more of the classes established and designated from time to time
         in such manner and on such basis as the Board of Directors, in its sole
         discretion,  deems  fair  and  equitable,  and  any  General  Items  so
         allocated to a particular  class shall belong to that class.  Each such
         allocation by the Board of Directors  shall be  conclusive  and binding
         for all purposes.

              (2) Liabilities Belonging to a Class. The assets belonging to each
         particular   class  shall  be  charged  with  the  liabilities  of  the
         Corporation in respect of that class and all expenses,  costs,  charges
         and reserves  attributable to that class, and any general  liabilities,
         expenses,  costs,  charges or reserves of the Corporation which are not
         readily  identifiable  as  belonging to any  particular  class shall be
         allocated  and  charged  by or under  the  supervision  of the Board of
         Directors to and among any one or more of the classes  established  and
         designated  from time to time in such  manner  and on such basis as the
         Board of Directors,  in its sole discretion,  deems fair and equitable.
         The liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves allocated and so
         charged to a class are herein referred to as "liabilities belonging to"
         that  class.  Expenses  related  to the shares of a series may be borne
         solely by that series (as determined by the Board of  Directors).  Each
         allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the
         Board of Directors shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

              (3)  Dividends.  The  Board of  Directors  may  from  time to time
         declare and pay dividends or distributions, in stock, property or cash,
         on any or all series of stock or classes of series,  the amount of such
         dividends  and  property  distributions  and the  payment of them being
         wholly in the  discretion of the Board of  Directors.  Dividends may be
         declared  daily or  otherwise  pursuant  to a  standing  resolution  or
         resolutions  adopted  only once or with such  frequency as the Board of
         Directors  may  determine,  after  providing  for  actual  and  accrued
         liabilities  belonging to that class. All dividends or distributions on
         shares of a particular class shall be paid only out of surplus or other
         lawfully  available  assets  determined  by the Board of  Directors  as
         belonging to such class.  Dividends and  distributions may vary between
         the classes of a series to reflect differing allocations of the expense
         of each class of that  series to such  extent and for such  purposes as
         the Boards of Directors  may deem  appropriate.  The Board of Directors
         shall have the power,  in its sole  discretion,  to  distribute  in any
         fiscal year as dividends, including dividends designated in whole or in
         part as capital gains distributions, amounts sufficient, in the opinion
         of the  Board  of  Directors,  to  enable  the  Corporation,  or  where
         applicable each series of shares or class of a series,  to qualify as a
         regulated  investment  company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
         as  amended,  or any  successor  or  comparable  statute  thereto,  and
         regulations  promulgated  thereunder,  and to avoid  liability  for the
         Corporation, or each series of shares or class of a series, for Federal
         income and excise taxes in respect of that or any other year.

              (4)   Liquidation.   In  the  event  of  the  liquidation  of  the
         Corporation  or of the assets  attributable  to a particular  series or
         class,  the  shareholders  of  each  series  or  class  that  has  been
         established and designated and is being liquidated shall be entitled to
         receive,  as a series or class,  when and as  declared  by the Board of
         Directors,  the excess of the assets  belonging to that series or class
         over the liabilities  belonging to that series or class. The holders of
         shares of any  series or class  shall not be  entitled  thereby  to any
         distribution  upon liquidation of any other series or class. The assets
         so distributable  to the shareholder of any particular  series or class
         shall  be  distributed  among  such  shareholders  according  to  their
         respective rights taking into account the proper allocation of expenses
         being  borne  by that  series  or  class.  The  liquidation  of  assets
         attributable  to any  particular  series  or class in which  there  are
         shares then  outstanding may be authorized by vote of a majority of the
         Board  of  Directors  then in  office,  subject  to the  approval  of a
         majority of the outstanding  voting securities of that series or class,
         as defined in the  Investment  Company Act of 1940, as amended.  In the
         event that there are any general assets not belonging to any particular
         series  or  class  of  stock  and  available  for  distribution,   such
         distribution  shall be made to holders  of stock of  various  series or
         classes in such  proportion as the Board of Directors  determines to be
         fair and equitable,  and such  determination  by the Board of Directors
         shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

              (5) Redemption.  All shares of stock of the Corporation shall have
         the redemption rights provided for in Article V, Section 5.

         (d) The  Corporation's  shares of stock are  issued  and sold,  and all
     persons who shall acquire stock of the Corporation  shall do so, subject to
     the condition and  understanding  that the provisions of the  Corporation's
     Articles of Incorporation,  as from time to time amended,  shall be binding
     upon them.

     Section 2.  Quorum  Requirements  and Voting  Rights:  Except as  otherwise
expressly  provided by the  Maryland  General  Corporation  Law, the presence in
person or by proxy of the holders of one-third of the shares of capital stock of
the  Corporation  outstanding  and entitled to vote thereat  shall  constitute a
quorum at any meeting of the stockholders,  except that where the holders of any
series  or  class  are  required  or  permitted  to vote as a series  or  class,
one-third of the aggregate number of shares of that series or class  outstanding
and entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum.

     Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland General Corporation Law requiring
a greater proportion than a majority of the votes of all series or classes or of
any series or class of the  Corporation's  stock entitled to be cast in order to
take or authorize any action,  any such action may be taken or  authorized  upon
the  concurrence  of a majority of the aggregate  number of votes entitled to be
cast thereon subject to the applicable laws and regulations as from time to time
in effect or rules or orders of the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission or any
successor thereto. All shares of stock of this Corporation shall have the voting
rights provided for in Article V, Section 1, paragraph (b).

     Section 3. No  Preemptive  Rights:  No holder of shares of capital stock of
the Corporation  shall, as such holder,  have any right to purchase or subscribe
for any shares of the capital stock of the Corporation which the Corporation may
issue or sell (whether consisting of shares of capital stock authorized by these
Articles  of  Incorporation,  or  shares  of  capital  stock of the  Corporation
acquired by it after the issue  thereof,  or other  shares) other than any right
which  the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Corporation,  in its  discretion,  may
determine.

     Section 4.  Determination  of Net Asset Value:  The net asset value of each
share of each  series or class of each  series of the  Corporation  shall be the
quotient obtained by dividing the value of the net assets of the Corporation, or
if  applicable  of the  series or class  (being  the value of the  assets of the
Corporation  or of  the  particular  series  or  class  or  attributable  to the
particular series or class less its actual and accrued liabilities  exclusive of
capital stock and  surplus),  by the total number of  outstanding  shares of the
Corporation or the series or class,  as applicable.  Such  determination  may be
made on a series-by-series  basis or made or adjusted on a class-by-class basis,
as appropriate, and shall include any expenses allocated to a specific series or
class thereof.  The Board of Directors may adopt procedures for determination of
net asset value  consistent  with the  requirements  of applicable  statutes and
regulations  and, so far as accounting  matters are  concerned,  with  generally
accepted accounting principles.  The procedures may include, without limitation,
procedures  for valuation of the  Corporation's  portfolio  securities and other
assets,   for  accrual  of  expenses  or  creation  of  reserves   and  for  the
determination of the number of shares issued and outstanding at any given time.

     Section  5.  Redemption  and  Repurchase  of Shares of Capital  Stock:  Any
shareholder may redeem shares of the Corporation for the net asset value of each
series or class thereof by presentation of an appropriate request, together with
the  certificates,  if any, for such  shares,  duly  endorsed,  at the office or
agency designated by the Corporation.  Redemptions as aforesaid, or purchases by
the Corporation of its own stock, shall be made in the manner and subject to the
conditions contained in the bylaws or approved by the Board of Directors.

     Section 6.  Purchase  of  Shares:  The  Corporation  shall be  entitled  to
purchase  shares of any series or class of its capital stock, to the extent that
the  Corporation  may  lawfully  effect such  purchase  under  Maryland  General
Corporation  Law, upon such terms and conditions and for such  consideration  as
the Board of Directors shall deem  advisable,  by agreement with the stockholder
at a price not  exceeding  the net asset value per share  computed in accordance
with Section 4 of this Article.

     Section 7.  Redemption of Minimum Amounts:

         (a)  If  after  giving  effect  to  a  request  for   redemption  by  a
     stockholder,  the aggregate net asset value of his remaining  shares of any
     series or class will be less than the Minimum  Amount  then in effect,  the
     Corporation  shall be entitled to require the  redemption  of the remaining
     shares of such series or class owned by such stockholder, upon notice given
     in accordance  with  paragraph (c) of this Section,  to the extent that the
     Corporation  may lawfully  effect such  redemption  under Maryland  General
     Corporation Law.

         (b) The term  "Minimum  Amount" when used herein shall mean that amount
     fixed by the Board of Directors  from time to time,  provided  that Minimum
     Amount may not in any event exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000).

         (c) If any  redemption  under  paragraph  (a) of this  Section  is upon
     notice, the notice shall be in writing personally delivered or deposited in
     the mail,  at least thirty days prior to such  redemption.  If mailed,  the
     notice shall be addressed to the  stockholder at his post office address as
     shown on the books of the Corporation,  and sent by certified or registered
     mail,  postage  prepaid.  The price for shares  redeemed by the Corporation
     pursuant  to  paragraph  (a) of this  Section  shall  be paid in cash in an
     amount equal to the net asset value of such shares,  computed in accordance
     with Section 4 of this Article.

     Section 8. Mode of Payment:  Payment by the  Corporation  for shares of any
series or class of the capital stock of the  Corporation  surrendered  to it for
redemption  shall be made by the Corporation  within three business days of such
surrender  out of the  funds  legally  available  therefor,  provided  that  the
Corporation  may  suspend  the  right of the  holders  of  capital  stock of the
Corporation to redeem shares of capital stock and may postpone the right of such
holders to receive payment for any shares when permitted or required to do so by
law.  Payment of the redemption or purchase price may be made in cash or, at the
option of the Corporation,  wholly or partly in such portfolio securities of the
Corporation as the Corporation may select.

     Section 9. Rights of Holders of Shares Purchased or Redeemed:  The right of
any holder of any series or class of capital stock of the Corporation  purchased
or redeemed by the Corporation as provided in this Article to receive  dividends
thereon and all other  rights of such holder with  respect to such shares  shall
terminate  at the time as of which  the  purchase  or  redemption  price of such
shares is  determined,  except  the  right of such  holder  to  receive  (i) the
purchase  or  redemption  price  of such  shares  from  the  Corporation  or its
designated agent and (ii) any dividend or distribution or voting rights to which
such holder has previously  become  entitled as the record holder of such shares
on the record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to receive
such dividend or distribution or to vote at the meeting of stockholders.

     Section 10. Status of Shares  Purchased or Redeemed:  In the absence of any
specification  as to the purpose for which such shares of any series or class of
capital stock of the  Corporation are redeemed or purchased by it, all shares so
redeemed or purchased shall be deemed to be retired in the sense contemplated by
the laws of the State of Maryland and may be reissued.  The number of authorized
shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall not be reduced by the number of
any shares redeemed or purchased by it.

     Section 11. Additional Limitations and Powers: The following provisions are
inserted for the purpose of defining,  limiting and regulating the powers of the
Corporation and of the Board of Directors and stockholders:

         (a) Any  determination  made in good  faith and,  so far as  accounting
     matters are involved,  in accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting
     principles by or pursuant to the direction of the Board of Directors, as to
     the  amount  of  the  assets,  debts,  obligations  or  liabilities  of the
     Corporation,  as to the amount of any  reserves  or charges  set up and the
     propriety thereof,  as to the time of or purpose for creating such reserves
     or charges,  as to the use,  alteration or  cancellation of any reserves or
     charges  (whether or not any debt,  obligation  or liability for which such
     reserves  or  charges  shall  have  been  created  shall  have been paid or
     discharged  or  shall  be  then  or  thereafter  required  to  be  paid  or
     discharged),  as to the  establishment  or  designation  of  procedures  or
     methods to be employed  for valuing any  investment  or other assets of the
     Corporation and as to the value of any investment or other asset, as to the
     allocation of any asset of the Corporation to a particular  series or class
     or classes of the  Corporation's  stock,  as to the funds available for the
     declaration of dividends and as to the declaration of dividends,  as to the
     charging of any  liability of the  Corporation  to a  particular  series or
     class or classes of the Corporation's  stock, as to the number of shares of
     any series or class or classes of the Corporation's  outstanding  stock, as
     to the estimated expense to the Corporation in connection with purchases or
     redemptions  of its shares,  as to the ability to liquidate  investments in
     orderly fashion,  or as to any other matters  relating to the issue,  sale,
     purchase or redemption or other  acquisition  or disposition of investments
     or  shares of the  Corporation,  or in the  determination  of the net asset
     value per share of shares of any series or class of the Corporation's stock
     shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

         (b) Except to the extent  prohibited by the  Investment  Company Act of
     1940, as amended, or rules, regulations or orders thereunder promulgated by
     the Securities and Exchange  Commission or any successor  thereto or by the
     bylaws  of  the  Corporation,  a  director,  officer  or  employee  of  the
     Corporation  shall not be  disqualified  by his  position  from  dealing or
     contracting with the Corporation,  nor shall any transaction or contract of
     the  Corporation  be void or  voidable  by  reason  of the  fact  that  any
     director, officer or employee or any firm of which any director, officer or
     employee is a member, or any corporation of which any director,  officer or
     employee is a stockholder, officer or director, is in any way interested in
     such transaction or contract;  provided that in case a director,  or a firm
     or  corporation  of which a director is a member,  stockholder,  officer or
     director is so  interested,  such fact shall be  disclosed to or shall have
     been known by the Board of Directors or a majority  thereof.  Nor shall any
     director or officer of the  Corporation be liable to the  Corporation or to
     any stockholder or creditor  thereof or to any person for any loss incurred
     by it or him or for any profit  realized by such  director or officer under
     or by reason of such contract or transaction;  provided that nothing herein
     shall  protect  any  director  or officer of the  Corporation  against  any
     liability to the  Corporation or to its security  holders to which he would
     otherwise  be subject by reason of willful  misfeasance,  bad faith,  gross
     negligence or reckless  disregard of the duties  involved in the conduct of
     his office;  and provided  always that such contract or  transaction  shall
     have been on terms that were not unfair to the  Corporation  at the time at
     which it was  entered  into.  Any  director  of the  Corporation  who is so
     interested,  or who is a member,  stockholder,  officer or director of such
     firm or  corporation,  may be counted in  determining  the  existence  of a
     quorum at any meeting of the Board of  Directors of the  Corporation  which
     shall  authorize  any such  transaction  or  contract,  with like force and
     effect as if he were not such director, or member, stockholder,  officer or
     director of such firm or corporation.

         (c) Specifically and without limitation of the foregoing  paragraph (b)
     but subject to the exception therein prescribed,  the Corporation may enter
     into management or advisory, underwriting,  distribution and administration
     contracts,   custodian  contracts  and  such  other  contracts  as  may  be
     appropriate.


                                   ARTICLE VI

                                    Directors

         Section 1. Initial  Board of  Directors  The number of directors of the
Corporation  shall  initially be two. The names of the  directors who shall hold
office until the first annual meeting of stockholders or until their  successors
are duly chosen and qualified are:

                                       Stephan L. Jones
                                       David K. Kauf

       Section 2. Number of  Directors  The number of directors in office may be
changed  from  time  to  time  in the  manner  specified  in the  bylaws  of the
Corporation, but this number shall never be less than two.

       Section 3. Certain  Powers of Board of Directors The business and affairs
of the  Corporation  shall  be  managed  under  the  direction  of the  Board of
Directors,  which  shall have and may  exercise  all  powers of the  Corporation
except those powers which are by law, by these Articles of  Incorporation  or by
the by-laws of the Corporation  conferred upon or reserved to the  stockholders.
In addition to its other powers  explicitly  or  implicitly  granted under these
Articles of  Incorporation,  by law or otherwise,  the Board of Directors of the
Corporation (a) is expressly  authorized to make, alter,  amend or repeal bylaws
for  the  Corporation,  (b)  is  empowered  to  authorize,  without  stockholder
approval,  the issuance and sale from time to time of shares of capital stock of
the Corporation,  whether now or hereafter authorized, in such amounts, for such
amount and kind of  consideration  and on such terms and conditions as the Board
of Directors  shall  determine,  (c) is empowered to classify or reclassify  any
unissued stock, whether now or hereafter authorized,  by setting or changing the
preferences,   conversion  or  other  rights,   voting   powers,   restrictions,
limitations  as  to  dividends,   qualifications,  or  terms  or  conditions  of
redemption of such stock,  and (d) shall have the power from time to time to set
apart out of any assets of the Corporation  otherwise  available for dividends a
reserve or reserves for taxes or for any other proper  purpose or purposes,  and
to reduce,  abolish or add to any such reserve or reserves  from time to time as
said Board of Directors may deem to be in the best interests of the Corporation;
and to determine in its  discretion  what part of the assets of the  Corporation
available for dividends in excess of such reserve or reserves  shall be declared
in dividends and paid to the stockholders of the Corporation.


                                   ARTICLE VII

                                 Indemnification

       The Corporation shall indemnify its directors, including any director who
serves  another  corporation,   partnership,   joint  venture,  trust  or  other
enterprise  in any  capacity at the request of the  Corporation,  to the maximum
extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Investment Company
Act of 1940 and the bylaws of the Corporation.  The Corporation  shall indemnify
its officers to the same extent as its directors  and to such further  extent as
is consistent with law. The Corporation shall indemnify its employees and agents
to the extent provided by its Board of Directors.


                                  ARTICLE VIII

                                   Amendments

       The  Corporation  reserves  the  right  from  time to  time  to make  any
amendment of these Articles of Incorporation now or hereafter authorized by law,
including any amendment which alters the contract rights, as expressly set forth
in these Articles of Incorporation,  of any outstanding capital stock. "Articles
of Incorporation" or "these Articles of Incorporation" as used herein and in the
bylaws  of  the   Corporation   shall  be  deemed  to  mean  these  Articles  of
Incorporation as from time to time amended or restated.

                                   ARTICLE IX

                                    Duration

       The duration of the Corporation shall be perpetual.

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned  incorporators of Principal  Special
Markets Fund, Inc., have executed the foregoing  Articles of  Incorporation  and
hereby acknowledge the same to be their voluntary act and deed.

Dated the 10th day of September, 1997.


                                        /s/ Arthur S. Filean
                                   -----------------------------------     
                                        Arthur S. Filean



                                        /s/ Michael D. Roughton
                                   -----------------------------------     
                                        Michael D. Roughton


     SECOND:  The board of directors of the Corporation  September 8, 1997, duly
and unanimously adopted a resolution approving the amendment described herein.

     THIRD:  No  stock  entitled  to be  voted  on the  proposed  amendment  was
outstanding  or  subscribed  for at the time the board of directors  adopted the
resolution.

     FOURTH:  The board of  directors  believes  the  resolution  is in the best
interests of the corporation.

     FIFTH:  The Articles of Amendment shall become effective on the 17th day of
September, 1997.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  Principal  Special Markets Fund, Inc. has caused these
presents to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its President as attested
by its Secretary on September 10, 1997.


                           Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.


                           By   /s/ Stephan L. Jones
                             -----------------------------------     
                               Stephan L. Jones, President


Attest



/s/ Arthur S. Filean
- -----------------------------------     
    Arthur S. Filean, Secretary


      The  UNDERSIGNED,  President of Principal  Special Markets Fund, Inc., who
executed on behalf of said corporation the foregoing  Articles of Amendment,  of
which  this  certificate  is made a part,  hereby  acknowledges,  in the name on
behalf of said  corporation,  the  foregoing  Articles  of  Amendment  to be the
corporate act of said corporation and further certifies that, to the best of his
knowledge,  information and belief, the matters and facts set forth therein with
respect to the  approval  thereof are true in all material  respects,  under the
penalties of perjury.


                                        /s/ Stephan L. Jones
                               -----------------------------------     
                               Stephan L. Jones
                               President, Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                              MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT


         AGREEMENT  executed as of the 22nd day of April,  1993,  by and between
PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (hereinafter called
the "Fund") and PRINCOR MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, an Iowa corporation (hereinafter
called the "Manager").


                              W I T N E S S E T H:

         WHEREAS,  The Fund has  furnished  the  Manager  with  copies  properly
certified or authenticated of each of the following:

         (a)   Certificate of Incorporation of the Fund;

         (b)   Bylaws of the Fund as adopted by the Board of Directors;

         (c)   Resolutions  of the Board of Directors of the Fund  selecting the
               Manager as  investment  adviser  and  approving  the form of this
               Agreement.

         NOW THEREFORE,  in consideration of the premises and mutual  agreements
herein  contained,  the Fund hereby  appoints  the Manager to act as  investment
adviser and manager of each of the  portfolios of the Fund set forth in Appendix
A (the  "Portfolios"),  and the  Manager  agrees to act,  perform  or assume the
responsibility  therefor in the manner and subject to the conditions hereinafter
set forth.  The Fund will  furnish  the Manager  from time to time with  copies,
properly certified or authenticated,  of all amendments of or supplements to the
foregoing, if any.

1.       INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES

         The Manager  will  regularly  perform the  following  services  for the
Portfolios:

         (a)   Provide investment research, advice and supervision:

         (b)   Provide investment advisory,  research and statistical facilities
               and all clerical services  relating to research,  statistical and
               investment work;

         (c)   Furnish to the Board of Directors of the Fund (or any appropriate
               committee  of  such  Board),  and  revise  from  time  to time as
               economic conditions require, a recommended investment program for
               each  of  the  Portfolios   consistent   with  their   investment
               objectives and policies;

         (d)   Implement  such of its  recommended  investment  program for each
               Portfolio as the Fund shall  approve,  by placing  orders for the
               purchase and sale of securities, subject always to the provisions
               of the Fund's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  and Bylaws and the
               requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Fund's
               Registration  Statement,  current  Prospectus  and  Statement  of
               Additional Information, as each of the same shall be from time to
               time in effect;

         (e)   Advise and assist the  officers  of the Fund in taking such steps
               as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the decisions of its
               Board of Directors and any  appropriate  committees of such Board
               regarding the general conduct of the Fund's  investment  business
               relating to the Portfolios;

         (f)   Report to the Board of Directors of the Fund at such times and in
               such detail as the Board may deem  appropriate in order to enable
               it to determine that the Fund's  investment  policies relating to
               each of the Portfolios are being observed.

2.       CORPORATE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

         In addition to the investment advisory services set forth in Section 1,
the Manager will perform the following corporate and administrative services:

         (a)   Furnish  the  services  of such  of the  Manager's  officers  and
               employees  as may be elected  officers or  directors of the Fund,
               subject  to  their  individual   consent  to  serve  and  to  any
               limitations imposed by law.

         (b)   Furnish  office space,  and all necessary  office  facilities and
               equipment,  for the general corporate  functions  relating to the
               Portfolios  (i.e.,  functions  other  than (i)  underwriting  and
               distribution of Fund shares, and (ii) custody of Fund assets);

         (c)   Furnish the services of the  supervisory  and clerical  personnel
               necessary to perform the general corporate  functions relating to
               the Portfolios;

         (d)   Determine  the net asset value of the shares of each class of the
               Fund's Capital Stock attributable to a Portfolio as frequently as
               the Fund shall request, or as shall be required by applicable law
               or regulations;

         (e)   Act as, and provide all services  customarily  performed  by, the
               transfer and paying agent of the  Portfolios  including,  without
               limitation, the following:

               (i)  preparation    and    distribution    to   shareholders   of
                    prospectuses,   reports,  tax  information,  notices,  proxy
                    statements and proxies;

               (ii) preparation  and  distribution  of dividend and capital gain
                    payments to shareholders;

               (iii)issuance,  transfer and registry of shares,  and maintenance
                    of open account system;

               (iv) delivery,   redemption   and   repurchase  of  shares,   and
                    remittances to shareholders;

               (v)  communication with shareholders  concerning items (i), (ii),
                    (iii) and (iv) above.

               In the  carrying  out of this  function  the Manager may contract
               with  others  for data  systems,  processing  services  and other
               administrative services.

         (f)   Use  its  best  efforts  to  qualify  the  Capital  Stock  of the
               Portfolios  for sale in states and  jurisdictions  as directed by
               the Fund.

         (g)   Prepare stock certificates,  and distribute the same as requested
               by shareholders of the Portfolios.

3.       EXPENSES BORNE BY THE MANAGER

         The  Manager  will pay all  expenses of each of the  Portfolios  except
those expenses borne by the Fund as provided in Section 5 below.

4.       COMPENSATION OF THE MANAGER BY FUND

         For all  services  to be  rendered  and  payments  made as  provided in
Sections 1, 2 and 3 hereof with respect to each Portfolio,  the Fund will accrue
daily and pay the Manager  within five days after the end of each calendar month
a fee based on the average of the values of the net assets of each  Portfolio as
of the  time of  determination  of the net  asset  value  on  each  trading  day
throughout  the month.  The annual rate of the fee as a percent of average daily
net assets is set forth in Appendix A for each of the Portfolios.

         Net asset value shall be determined  pursuant to applicable  provisions
of the Certificate of  Incorporation of the Fund. If pursuant to such provisions
the  determination  of net asset value is suspended  for any of the  Portfolios,
then for the  purposes  of this  Section 4 the  value of the net  assets of that
Portfolio as last  determined  shall be deemed to be the value of the net assets
of that Portfolio for each day the suspension continues.

         The Manager may, at its option,  waive all or part of its  compensation
for such period of time as it deems necessary or appropriate.

5.       EXPENSES BORNE BY FUND

         The Fund will pay, without  reimbursement by the Manager, the following
         expenses attributable or allocated to each of the Portfolios:

         (a)   the fee  payable  to the  Manager  as  provided  for in Section 4
               above;

         (b)   Taxes,  including in case of redeemed shares any initial transfer
               taxes;

         (c)   Portfolio brokerage fees and incidental brokerage expenses;

         (d)   Interest;

         (e)   Extraordinary  expenses,   including  the  cost  of  meetings  of
               shareholders  of any  Portfolio  if the  meeting is called at the
               request of shareholders of that Portfolio.

6.       LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF THE MANAGER

         The Manager shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of
law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which
this Agreement relates,  except a loss resulting from willful  misfeasance,  bad
faith or gross  negligence on the part of the Manager in the  performance of its
duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under this
Agreement.

7.       EFFECTIVE DATE:  DURATION AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT

         This Agreement shall become effective as to any Portfolio on the latest
of (i) the date of its  execution or the  execution  of an amendment  making the
agreement  applicable  to that  Portfolio,  (ii) the date of its  approval  by a
majority  of the  directors  of the Fund,  including  approval  by the vote of a
majority  of the  directors  of the Fund who are not  interested  persons of the
Manager,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company or the fund, cast in person at
a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval,  and (iii) the date
of its  approval  by a majority  of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of the
Portfolio.

         This  Agreement  will  continue in effect as to any  Portfolio for more
than two years from the date of its  execution or the  execution of an amendment
making this Agreement applicable to that Portfolio only so long such continuance
is  specifically  approved at least annually either by the Board of Directors of
the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting securities of the
Fund and in either event by vote of a majority of the  directors of the Fund who
are not  interested  persons of the  Manager,  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance
Company,  or the Fund  cast in person at a meeting  called  for the  purpose  of
voting on such  approval.  This Agreement may be terminated at any time on sixty
days'  written  notice  without  the  payment  of any  penalty,  by the Board of
Directors  of  the  Fund,  by  vote  of a  majority  of the  outstanding  voting
securities  of the Fund,  as to any  Portfolio  by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding  voting  securities  of  that  Portfolio  or by  the  Manager.  This
Agreement  shall  automatically  terminate  in the event of its  assignment.  In
interpreting  the  provisions  of this Section 9, the  definitions  contained in
Section  2(a) of the  Investment  Company  Act of 1940 and the rules  thereunder
(particularly the definitions of "interested  person,"  "assignment" and "voting
security") shall be applied.

         The  required   shareholder  approval  of  this  Agreement  or  of  any
continuance of this  Agreement  shall be effective with respect to any Portfolio
if a majority of the  outstanding  voting  securities of that Portfolio votes to
approve the Agreement or its continuance,  notwithstanding that the Agreement or
its  continuance  may not have been  approved by a majority  of the  outstanding
voting securities of the Fund or of any other Portfolio affected by the matter.

         If the  shareholders  of any  Portfolio of the Fund fail to approve any
continuance  of the  Management  Agreement and that failure causes the Agreement
for that Portfolio to be invalid, the Manager will continue to act as investment
adviser  with  respect  to that  Portfolio  pending  the  required  approval  of
continuance of the Agreement,  of a new contract with the Manager or a different
adviser or other definitive action; provided, that the compensation received by
the Manager in respect of that Portfolio during such period will be no more than
its actual costs  incurred in  furnishing  investment  advisory  and  management
services  to that  Portfolio  or the  amount it would have  received  under this
Agreement in respect of that Portfolio, whichever is less.

8.       AMENDMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT

         No amendment of this  Agreement  shall be effective  until  approved by
vote of the holders of a majority of the  outstanding  voting  securities and by
vote of a majority of the directors of the Fund who are not  interested  persons
of the  Manager,  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company or the Fund cast in
person at a meeting  called  for the  purpose  of voting on such  approval.  The
required  shareholder  approval  of any  amendment  to this  Agreement  shall be
effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the outstanding  voting
securities of that  Portfolio  votes to approve the  amendment,  notwithstanding
that the amendment  may not have been approved by a majority of the  outstanding
voting securities of the Fund or of any other Portfolio affected by the matter.

9.       AGREEMENTS WITH OTHERS

         The Manager may enter into agreements with others for the assumption of
any and all duties and responsibilities  set forth in this Agreement.  Section 6
shall  apply to each such  person as if it were  named  therein  instead  of the
Manager.

10.      ADDRESS FOR PURPOSE OF NOTICE

         Any notice  under this  Agreement  shall be in writing,  addressed  and
delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party at such address as such
other party may designate for the receipt of such notices.  Until further notice
to the other  party,  it is agreed  that the address of the Fund and that of the
Manager for this purpose shall be The  Principal  Financial  Group,  Des Moines,
Iowa 50392-0200.

11.      MISCELLANEOUS

         The  captions  in  this  Agreement  are  included  for  convenience  of
reference only, and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions  hereof or
otherwise  affect their  construction or effect.  This Agreement may be executed
simultaneously  in two or more  counterparts,  each of which  shall be deemed an
original,  but  all  of  which  together  shall  constitute  one  and  the  same
instrument.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.


                                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.

                                              /s/ ARTHUR S. FILEAN
                                      By  --------------------------------
                                          Arthur S. Filean, Vice President 


                                      PRINCOR MANAGEMENT CORPORATION


                                             /s/ STEPHAN L. JONES
                                       By  -------------------------------
                                             Stephan L. Jones, President


<PAGE>


                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                        MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT - APPENDIX A



                 Portfolio                             Fee as a Percent of
                                                     Average Daily Net Assets

1.  Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio                       .45%

2.  International Securities Portfolio                         .90%

<PAGE>
                             FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.

                              MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT


The  Management  Agreement  executed and entered  into by and between  Principal
Special  Markets  Fund,  Inc., a Maryland  corporation,  and Princor  Management
Corporation,  an Iowa  corporation,  on the 22nd day of April,  1993,  is hereby
amended to including the following:

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUNDS, INC.
                        MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT - APPENDIX A

                Portfolio                            Fees as a Percent of
                                                   Average Daily Net Assets

1. International Emerging Markets Portfolio

          Net Asset Value of Portfolio
          -----------------------------
          First $250 million                                1.15%
          Next $250 million                                 1.05%
          Over $500 million                                 0.95%

2. International Securities Portfolio                       0.90%

3. International SmallCap Portfolio                    

          Net Asset Value of Portfolio
          -----------------------------
          First $250 million                                1.00%
          Next $250 million                                 0.90%
          Over $500 million                                 0.80%

4. Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio                     0.45%


Executed this ________ day of ________________, 1997

                                      Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.



                                      by:_________________________________

                                      Princor Management Corporation



                                      by:_________________________________


                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                          INVESTMENT SERVICE AGREEMENT

     THIS INVESTMENT  SERVICE  AGREEMENT,  executed as of the 22nd day of April,
1993,  by and between  PRINCIPAL  SPECIAL  MARKETS FUND,  INC. (the "Fund"),  an
open-end  investment  company  formed  under  the  laws  of  Maryland,   PRINCOR
MANAGEMENT CORPORATION  ("Manager"),  an Iowa corporation,  AND PRINCIPAL MUTUAL
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, a specially chartered Iowa life insurance company.

                                  WITNESSETH:

     WHEREAS,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company has organized the Manager
to serve as an investment adviser and is the owner (through its subsidiaries) of
all of the outstanding stock of the Manager; and

     WHEREAS,  the Manager and the Fund have entered into a Management Agreement
executed as of April 22, 1993 (the "Management  Agreement")  whereby the Manager
undertakes  to furnish the Fund with  investment  advisory  services and certain
other services  relative to certain  portfolios of the Fund (the  "Portfolios");
and

     WHEREAS,  the  Manager  has the right  under the  Management  Agreement  to
appoint one or more sub-advisors to furnish such services to the Portfolios (the
"Sub-Advisors"); and

     WHEREAS,  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  is  willing  to make
available  to the Manager and the  Sub-Advisers  on a  part-time  basis  certain
employees  and  services  of  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company for the
purpose of better  enabling  the  Manager  or any  Sub-Advisor  to  fulfill  its
investment  advisory  obligations under the Management  Agreement or any related
sub-advisory  agreement,  provided that the Manager bears all costs allocable to
the  time  spent  by  such  employees  on the  affairs  of the  Manager  and the
Sub-Advisers, and the Manager and the Fund believe that such an arrangement will
be for their mutual benefit:

     NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained,
the parties hereto agree as follows:

     1. The  Manager  shall have the right to use,  on a  part-time  basis,  and
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company shall make available on such basis, such
employees of Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company and for such periods as may
be agreed upon by the Manager and Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company,  as
reasonably  needed by the Manager and any such Sub-Adviser in the performance of
investment  advisory  services  (but not  administrative,  transfer  and  paying
services) under the Management Agreement.  It is anticipated that such employees
will be persons  assigned to the Investment  Department of Principal Mutual Life
Insurance  Company.  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  will also make
available  to the  Manager,  any such  Sub-Adviser  or the Fund  such  clerical,
stenographic and administrative  services as the Manager or any such Sub-Adviser
may reasonably  request to facilitate  performance of such  investment  advisory
services.

     2. The employees of Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company in performing
services for the Manager or a Sub-Adviser hereunder may, to the full extent that
they deem appropriate, have access to and utilize statistical and economic data,
investment  research reports and other material prepared for or contained in the
files of the Investment  Department of Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company
that are  relevant  to  making  investments  for the  Fund,  and may  make  such
materials available to the Manager or such Sub-Adviser,  provided, that any such
materials  prepared or obtained in connection with a private  placement or other
non-public  transaction  need  not be  made  available  to the  Manager  or such
Sub-Adviser  if Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company deems such  materials
confidential.

     3. Employees of Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company performing services
for the Manager or a sub-Adviser pursuant hereto shall report and be responsible
solely to the officers and  directors  of the Manager or persons  designated  by
them.  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company shall have no responsibility  for
investment  recommendations  and  decisions  of the Manager or the  Sub-Advisers
based upon  information or advice given or obtained by or through such Principal
Mutual Life Insurance Company employees.

     4. Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company will, to the extent requested by
the Manager,  supply to employees of the Manager and the Sub-Advisers (including
part-time  employees  of Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company  serving the
Manager and the  Sub-Advisers)  such clerical,  stenographic and  administrative
services and such office supplies and equipment as may be reasonably required in
order that they may properly perform their respective functions on behalf of the
Manager and the  Sub-Advisers  in connection  with the performance of investment
advisory  services  under the  Management  Agreement  and  related  sub-advisory
agreements.

     5. The obligation of performance  under the Management  Agreement is solely
that of the Manager,  and Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company  undertakes no
obligation in respect  thereto or in respect to the obligation of performance by
a  Sub-Advisor  under any related  sub-advisory  agreement,  except as otherwise
expressly provided.

     6. In consideration of the services to be rendered by Principal Mutual Life
Insurance Company employees pursuant to this Investment  Service Agreement,  the
Manager agrees to reimburse  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company for such
costs,  direct  and  indirect,  as may be fairly  attributable  to the  services
performed for the Manager and for the  Sub-Advisors.  Such costs shall  include,
but not be limited to, an appropriate portion of:

     (a)  salaries;

     (b)  employee benefits;

     (c)  general overhead expense;

     (d)  supplies and equipment; and

     (e)  a charge  in the  nature  of rent  for the cost of space in  Principal
          Mutual Life Insurance  Company offices fairly  allocable to activities
          of the Manager under the Management  Agreement and of any Sub-Advisors
          under related sub-advisory agreements.

In the event of  disagreement  between  the Manager  and  Principal  Mutual Life
Insurance Company as to a fair basis for allocating or apportioning  costs, such
basis shall be fixed by the public accountants for the Fund.

     7. This Agreement shall become  effective as to any Portfolio on the latest
of (i) the date of its  execution or the  execution  of an amendment  making the
agreement  applicable  to that  Portfolio,  (ii) the date of its  approval  by a
majority  of the  directors  of the Fund,  including  approval  by the vote of a
majority  of the  directors  of the Fund who are not  interested  persons of the
Manager,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company or the Fund, cast in person at
a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval,  and (iii) the date
of its  approval  by a majority  of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of the
Portfolio.

     This  Agreement  will  continue in effect as to any Portfolio for more than
two years from the date of its execution or the execution of an amendment making
this Agreement  applicable to that  Portfolio  only so long such  continuance is
specifically  approved at least annually either by the Board of Directors of the
Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund
and in either  event by vote of a majority of the  directors of the Fund who are
not interested persons of the Manager,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company,
or the Fund cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
approval.  This Agreement may, on sixty days' written  notice,  be terminated at
any time  without the payment of any  penalty,  by the Board of Directors of the
Fund, by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund, as
to any Portfolio by the vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting securities
of that Portfolio or by the Manager.

     This  Investment  Service  Agreement shall  automatically  terminate in the
event of its assignment.  In interpreting  the provisions of this Section 7, the
definitions  contained in Section 2(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and
the rules  thereunder  (particularly  the  definitions of "interested  persons",
"assignment" and "voting securities") shall be applied.

     The required  shareholder  approval of this Agreement or of any continuance
of this Agreement shall be effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority
of the  outstanding  voting  securities of that  Portfolio  votes to approve the
Agreement  or  its  continuance,  notwithstanding  that  the  Agreement  or  its
continuance may not have been approved by a majority of the  outstanding  voting
securities of the Fund or of any other Portfolio affected by the matter.

     8. No amendment of this Agreement shall be effective until approved by vote
of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities and by vote of
a majority of the  directors of the Fund who are not  interested  persons of the
Manager, Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company or the Fund cast in person at a
meeting  called  for the  purpose  of  voting  on such  approval.  The  required
shareholder  approval of any amendment to this Agreement shall be effective with
respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the outstanding  voting  securities of
that  Portfolio  votes  to  approve  the  amendment,  notwithstanding  that  the
amendment  may not have been  approved by a majority of the  outstanding  voting
securities of the Fund or of any other Portfolio affected by the matter.

     9. Any notice under this Investment  Service Agreement shall be in writing,
addressed and delivered or mailed  postage  prepaid to the other parties at such
addresses as such other  parties may  designate for the receipt of such notices.
Until  further  notice it is agreed  that the  address of the Fund,  that of the
Manager and that of Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries
for this  purpose  shall be The  Principal  Financial  Group,  Des Moines,  Iowa
50392-0200.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties hereto have caused this  instrument to be
executed in three  counterparts  by their duly  authorized  officers the day and
year first above written.


                       PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.

                                 /s/ A. S. Filean
                       By ________________________________
                                     A. S. Filean


                       PRINCOR MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
                                    
                                 /s/ S. L. Jones
                       By ________________________________
                                     S. L. Jones



                       PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                                 /s/ D. K. Kauf
                       By ________________________________
                                     D. K. Kauf

<PAGE>
                             FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE
                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                          INVESTMENT SERVICE AGREEMENT

The Investment Service Agreement  ("Agreement") by and between Principal Special
Markets Fund,  Inc.,  an open-end  investment  company  formed under the laws of
Maryland,  Princor Management  Corporation,  an Iowa corporation,  and Principal
Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  a  specially  chartered  Iowa life  insurance
company, was executed on the 22nd day of April, 1993.

     WHEREAS,   The   Agreement   contemplates   the   addition  of   Portfolios
("Portfolios") to the Fund, and

     WHEREAS,  The Board of Directors of the Fund has adopted Resolutions to add
Portfolios to the Fund, and

     WHEREAS,   Principal  Special  Markets  Fund,  Inc.,   Princor   Management
Corporation and Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company wish the provisions of
the Agreement to extend to the additional Portfolios:

     NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained,
the parties hereto agree as follows:

     1.   The  Agreement  shall be effective  with respect to the  International
          Emerging Markets  Portfolio as of the _____ day of  _________________,
          1997.

     2.   The  Agreement  shall be effective  with respect to the  International
          SmallCap Portfolio as of the _____ day of _________________, 1997.


Executed this ________ day of ________________, 1997

                                  Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.


                                  by:_________________________________

                                  Princor Management Corporation


                                  by:_________________________________

                                  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company


                                  by:_________________________________

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                             SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT


AGREEMENT  executed as of the 26th day of April,  1993,  by and between  PRINCOR
MANAGEMENT CORPORATION,  an Iowa Corporation  (hereinafter called "the Manager")
and INVISTA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC. (hereinafter called "Invista").


                              W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS,  the Manager is the manager and investment adviser to Principal Special
Markets Fund,  Inc., (the "Fund"),  an open-end  management  investment  company
organized  as a series  fund  with  separate  portfolios,  registered  under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and

WHEREAS,  the  Manager  desires to retain  Invista to furnish it with  portfolio
selection and related  research and statistical  services in connection with the
investment  advisory services which the Manager has agreed to provide to certain
of the Fund's portfolios, and Invista desires to furnish such services; and

WHEREAS,  The Manager has furnished  Invista with copies  properly  certified or
authenticated of each of the following:

     (a) Management  Agreement  (the  "Management   Agreement")  with  Principal
         Special Markets Fund, Inc.;

     (b) Copies of the registration  statement of the Principal  Special Markets
         Fund,  Inc. as filed  pursuant to the  federal  securities  laws of the
         United States, including all exhibits and amendments:

NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration of the premises and the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth, it is agreed as follows:

     1.  Appointment of Invista

     In accordance  with and subject to the  Management  Agreement,  the Manager
hereby appoints Invista to perform portfolio selection services described herein
for  investment and  reinvestment  of the securities and other assets of each of
the portfolios of the Fund set forth in Appendix A (the  "Portfolios"),  subject
to the control and  direction  of the Fund's Board of  Directors,  as well as to
assume other  obligations as specified in Sections 2 and 3 below, for the period
and on the terms  hereinafter set forth.  Invista  accepts such  appointment and
agrees to furnish the services hereinafter set forth for the compensation herein
provided.  Invista shall for all purposes  herein be deemed to be an independent
contractor  and shall,  except as  expressly  provided  or  authorized,  have no
authority  to act  for or  represent  the  Fund  or the  Manager  in any  way or
otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Manager.

     2.  Obligations of and Services to be Provided by Invista

         (a) Invista shall provide with respect to the  Portfolios  all services
and  obligations  of the Manager  described  in Section 1,  Investment  Advisory
Services, of the Management Agreement.

         (b) Invista shall use the same skill and care in providing  services to
the Fund as it uses in providing services to fiduciary accounts for which it has
investment  responsibility.  Invista will conform with all applicable  rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

     3.  Expenses

     Invista will pay all expenses  borne by the Manager  pursuant to Section 3,
Expenses Borne by the Manager,  of the Management  Agreement.  Invista will also
reimburse the manager for all of its costs in providing  the services  described
in Section 2, Corporate and Administrative  Responsibilities,  of the management
Agreement  and  for  all the  costs  incurred  by the  Manager  pursuant  to the
Investment  Service  Agreement between the Manager and the Principal Mutual Life
Insurance Company relating to the Portfolios.

     4.  Compensation

     As full compensation for all services  rendered and obligations  assumed by
Invista hereunder with respect to each Portfolio,  the Manager shall pay Invista
within 10 days after the end of each  calendar  month a fee based on the average
net  assets  of  the  Portfolio  determined  as  provided  in  Section  4 of the
Management  Agreement.  The annual rate of the fee as a percent of average daily
net assets is set forth in Appendix A for each of the  Portfolios.  Invista may,
at its option,  waive all or a part of its  compensation for such period of time
as it deems necessary or appropriate.

     5.  EFFECTIVE DATE: DURATION AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT

     This Agreement shall become  effective as to any Portfolio on the latest of
(i) the  date of its  execution  or the  execution  of an  amendment  making-the
agreement  applicable  to that  Portfolio,  (ii) the date of its  approval  by a
majority  of the  directors  of the Fund,  including  approval  by the vote of a
majority  of the  directors  of the Fund who are not  interested  persons of the
Manager,  Invista,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company or the Fund, cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (iii)
the date of its approval by a majority of the outstanding  voting  securities of
the Portfolio.

     This  Agreement  will  continue in effect as to any Portfolio for more than
two years  from the date of its  execution  or the  execution  of any  amendment
making this Agreement applicable to that Portfolio only so long such continuance
is  specifically  approved at least annually either by the Board of Directors of
the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting securities of the
Fund and in either event by vote of a majority of the  directors of the Fund who
are not  interested  persons of the  Manager,  Invista,  Principal  Mutual  Life
Insurance  Company,  or the Fund  cast in person  at a  meeting  called  for the
purpose of voting on such approval. This Agreement may be terminated at any time
on sixty days' written notice  without the payment of any penalty,  by the Board
of  Directors  of the Fund,  by vote of a  majority  of the  outstanding  voting
securities  of the Fund,  as to any  Portfolio  by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding  voting securities of that Portfolio,  by the Manager or by Invista.
This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.  In
interpreting  the  provisions  of this Section 9, the  definitions  contained in
Section  2(a) of the  Investment  Company  Act of 1940 and the rules  thereunder
(particularly  the efinitions of "interested  person,"  "assignment" and "voting
security") shall be applied.

     The required  shareholder  approval of this Agreement or of any continuance
of this Agreement shall be effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority
of the  outstanding  voting  securities of that  Portfolio  votes to approve the
Agreement  or  its  continuance,  notwithstanding  that  the  Agreement  or  its
continuance may not have been approved by a majority of the  outstanding  voting
securities of the Fund or of any other Portfolio affected by the matter.

     If the  shareholders  of any  Portfolio  of the Fund  fail to  approve  any
continuance of this Agreement or of the  Management  Agreement  relating to that
Portfolio,  and that failure  causes  either of those  agreements to be invalid,
Invista  will  continue to act as  sub-adviser  with  respect to that  Portfolio
pending the required approval of continuance of the invalid agreement,  of a new
contract with the Manager or a different  adviser or with Invista or a different
sub-adviser or other definitive action; provided, that the compensation received
by Invista in respect of that Portfolio  during such period will be no more than
its actual costs  incurred in  furnishing  investment  advisory  and  management
services  to that  Portfolio  or the  amount it would have  received  under this
Agreement in respect of that Portfolio, whichever is less.

     6.  Amendment of this Agreement

     No amendment of this Agreement shall be effective until approved by vote of
the holders of a majority of the outstanding  voting securities and by vote of a
majority  of the  directors  of the Fund who are not  interested  persons of the
Manager,  Invista,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance  Company or the Fund cast in
person at a meeting  called  for the  purpose  of voting on such  approval.  The
required  shareholder  approval  of any  amendment  to this  Agreement  shall be
effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the outstanding  voting
securities of that  Portfolio  votes to approve the  amendment,  notwithstanding
that the amendment  may not have been approved by a majority of the  outstanding
voting securities of the Fund or of any other Portfolio affected by the Matter.

     7.  General Provisions

         (a) Each party  agrees to perform  such  further  acts and execute such
further  documents as are  necessary to  effectuate  the purposes  hereof.  This
Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the
laws of the State of Iowa.  The  captions in this  Agreement  are  included  for
convenience only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.

         (b) Any notice under this Agreement shall be in writing,  addressed and
delivered or mailed postage  pre-paid to the other party at such address as such
other party may designate for the receipt of such notices.  Until further notice
to the other party,  it is agreed that the address of Invista and of the Manager
for this  purpose  shall be The  Principal  Financial  Group,  Des Moines,  Iowa
50392-0200.

         (c)  Invista  agrees to notify the  Manager of any change in  Invista's
officers and directors within a reasonable time after such change.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties have duly executed this  Agreement on
the date first above written.


                                         PRINCOR MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

                                                  /s/ Stephan L. Jones
                                         By  --------------------------------
                                             Stephan L. Jones, President

                                         INVISTA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.

                                                 /s/ S. R. Kosmicke
                                         By  --------------------------------
                                              S. R. Kosmicke, President

<PAGE>

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                       SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT - APPENDIX A


                                                        Fee as a Percent of
                Portfolio                             Average Daily Net Assets

1.  Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio                        .45%

2.  International Securities Portfolio                          .90%

<PAGE>
                             FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.

                             SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT


The  Sub-Advisory  Agreement  executed and entered  into by and between  Princor
Management  Corporation,  an Iowa corporation,  and Invista Capital  Management,
Inc., an Iowa corporation,  on the 26th day of April, 1993, is hereby amended to
including the following:

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUNDS, INC.
                       SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT - APPENDIX A

                  Portfolio                              Fees as a Percent of
                                                       Average Daily Net Assets

1.  International Emerging Markets Portfolio                    

          Net Asset Value of Portfolio
          -----------------------------
          First $250 million                                     1.15%
          Next $250 million                                      1.05%
          Over $500 million                                      0.95%

2.  International Securities Portfolio                           0.90%

3.  International SmallCap Portfolio                      

          Net Asset Value of Portfolio
          -----------------------------
          First $250 million                                     1.00%
          Next $250 million                                      0.90%
          Over $500 million                                      0.80%

4.  Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio                         0.45%


Executed this ________ day of ________________, 1997


                                      Princor Management Corporation



                                      by:_________________________________

                                      Invista Capital Management, Inc.



                                      by:_________________________________

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                             DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT


Agreement executed as of April 22, 1993 by and between PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS
FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (hereinafter sometimes called the "Fund") and
PRINCOR  FINANCIAL  SERVICES  CORPORATION,   an  Iowa  corporation  (Hereinafter
sometimes called the "Distributor").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS,  The Fund and the Distributor  wish to enter into an agreement  setting
forth  the  terms  upon  which  the  Distributor  will  act as  underwriter  and
distributor of the Fund.

NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the premises  and the mutual  agreements
herein  contained,  the Fund hereby appoints the Distributor to act as principal
underwriter  (as such term is  defined  in Section  2(a)(29)  of the  Investment
Company  Act of 1940  (as  amended))  of the  shares  of  Capital  Stock  of the
portfolios set forth in Appendix A (the  "Portfolios") of the Fund  (hereinafter
sometimes called  "shares"),  and the Distributor  agrees to act and perform the
duties and functions of  underwriter in the manner and subject to the conditions
hereinafter set forth.

 1.     SOLICITATION OF ORDERS

        The  Distributor  will use its best efforts (but only in states where it
        may lawfully do so) to obtain from  investors  unconditional  orders for
        shares  authorized  for  issue  by the  Fund and  registered  under  the
        Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  provided the Distributor may in its
        own  discretion  refuse to accept orders for shares from any  particular
        applicant.  The  Distributor  does not  undertake  to sell any  specific
        number of shares of the Fund.

 2.     SALE OF SHARES

        The  Distributor  is  authorized  to sell as agent on behalf of the Fund
        authorized shares of the Fund by accepting  unconditional  orders placed
        with the  Distributor by investors in states wherever sales may lawfully
        be made.

 3.     PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE

        All shares of the  Portfolios  sold to investors by the  Distributor  as
        agent for the Fund will be sold for the basic retail price,  which basic
        retail price shall be the net asset value per share.

 4.     DELIVERY OF PAYMENTS AND ISSUANCE OF SHARES

        The  Distributor  will deliver to the Fund all payments made pursuant to
        orders  accepted  by  the  Distributor   upon  receipt  thereof  by  the
        Distributor in its principal place of business.

        After  payment  the Fund will issue  shares of the  applicable  class of
        Capital  Stock by crediting the  appropriate  number of such shares to a
        stockholder  account in such names and such manner as  specified  in the
        application  or order  relating  to such  shares.  Certificates  will be
        issued only upon request by the shareholder.

 5.     SALE OF SHARES TO INVESTORS BY THE FUND

        Any right granted to the Distributor to accept orders for shares or make
        sales  on  behalf  of the Fund  will  not  apply  to  shares  issued  in
        connection  with the  merger or  consolidation  of any other  investment
        company with the Fund or its acquisition,  purchase or otherwise, of all
        or   substantially   all  the  assets  of  any  investment   company  or
        substantially all the outstanding shares of any such company.  Also, any
        such  right  shall  not  apply to shares  issued,  sold or  transferred,
        whether Treasury or newly issued shares, that may be offered by the Fund
        to its  shareholders as stock dividends or splits for not less than "net
        asset value".


 6.     AGREEMENTS WITH DEALERS OR OTHERS

        In making  agreements with any dealers or others,  the Distributor shall
        act only in its own  behalf  and in no  sense as agent  for the Fund and
        shall be agent for the Fund only in respect of sales and  repurchases of
        Fund shares.

 7.     COPIES OF CORPORATE DOCUMENTS

        The Fund will furnish the Distributor  promptly with properly  certified
        or  authenticated  copies of any  registration  statements  for the Fund
        filed  by it with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  under  the
        Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  or the  Investment  Company Act of
        1940, as amended,  together with any financial  statements  and exhibits
        included  therein and all  amendments or supplements  thereto  hereafter
        filed.  Also, the Fund shall furnish the  Distributor  with a reasonable
        number  of  printed  copies  of  each   semi-annual  and  annual  report
        (quarterly  if made) of the Fund as the  Distributor  may  request,  and
        shall  cooperate  fully in the  efforts of the  Distributor  to sell and
        arrange  for the sale of the Fund's  shares of Capital  Stock and in the
        performance  by  the  Distributor  of  all  of  its  duties  under  this
        Agreement.

 8.     RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTINUED REGISTRATION INCLUDING INCREASE IN SHARES

        The Fund will  assume  the  continued  responsibility  for  meeting  the
        requirements  of  registration  under  the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
        amended, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and under
        the  securities  laws of the various  states  where the  Distributor  is
        registered  as a  broker-dealer.  The  Fund,  subject  to the  necessary
        approval of its  shareholders,  will  increase the number of  authorized
        shares from time to time as may be necessary to provide the  Distributor
        with such number of shares as the Distributor may reasonably be expected
        to sell.

 9.     SUSPENSION OF SALES

        If and  whenever  the  determination  of asset value of a  Portfolio  is
        suspended  pursuant to applicable  law, and such  suspension  has become
        effective,  until such suspension is terminated no further  applications
        for shares of that Portfolio  shall be accepted.  In addition,  the Fund
        reserves the right to suspend sales and the  Distributor's  authority to
        accept  orders for shares of any  Portfolio on behalf of the Fund, if in
        the  judgment  of the  majority  of its  Board of  Directors,  or of its
        Executive Committee if such Committee exists, it is in the best interest
        of the Fund to do so,  suspension  to continue for such period as may be
        determined  by  such  majority;  and in that  event  no  shares  of that
        Portfolio  will be sold by the Fund or by the  Distributor  on behalf of
        the Fund  while  such  suspension  remains  in effect  except for shares
        necessary  to cover  unconditional  orders  accepted by the  Distributor
        before the Distributor had knowledge of the suspension.

10.     EXPENSES

        The Fund will pay (or will enter  into  arrangements  providing  for the
        payment of) all fees and expenses (1) in connection with the preparation
        and  filing of any  registration  statement  or  amendments  thereto  as
        required  under the Investment  Company Act of 1940, as amended;  (2) in
        connection with the preparation and filing of any registration statement
        and  prospectus or amendments  thereto under the Securities Act of 1933,
        as amended, covering the issue and sale of the Fund's shares; and (3) in
        connection with the  registration of the Fund and  qualification  of its
        shares for sale in the various states and other jurisdictions.  The Fund
        will also pay (or will enter into arrangements providing for the payment
        of) the cost of (i)  preparation  and  distribution  to  shareholders of
        prospectuses,  reports, tax information,  notices,  proxy statements and
        proxies;  (ii) preparation and distribution of dividend and capital gain
        payments  to  shareholders;   (iii)  issuance,  transfer,  registry  and
        maintenance  of  open  account  charges;   (iv)  delivery,   remittance,
        redemption and repurchase  charges;  (v) communication with shareholders
        concerning these items; and (vi) stock  certificates.  The Fund will pay
        taxes including,  in the case of redeemed  shares,  any initial transfer
        taxes unpaid.

        The  Distributor  shall  assume  responsibility  for (or will enter into
        arrangements  providing  for the  payment  of) the  expense of  printing
        prospectuses   used  for  the   solicitation  of  new  accounts  of  the
        Portfolios.  The Distributor  will pay (or will enter into  arrangements
        providing for the payment of) the expenses of other sales literature for
        the  Portfolios,  will pay all fees and expenses in connection  with the
        Distributor's  qualification  as a dealer under the Securities  Exchange
        Act of 1934,  as  amended,  and in the  various  states,  and all  other
        expenses in connection  with the sale and offering for sale of shares of
        the Fund which have not been herein specifically allocated to or assumed
        by the Fund.

11.     CONFORMITY WITH LAW

        The  Distributor  agrees  that in selling the shares of the Fund it will
        duly conform in all respects  with the laws of the United States and any
        state or other jurisdiction in which such shares may be offered for sale
        pursuant to this Agreement.

12.     MEMBERSHIP IN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES DEALERS

        The Fund recognizes that the Distributor is now a member of the National
        Association  of  Securities  Dealers,  and in the  conduct of its duties
        under this  Agreement the  Distributor  is subject to the various rules,
        orders and  regulations  of such  organization.  The right to  determine
        whether such membership should or should not continue,  or to join other
        organizations, is reserved by the Distributor.

13.     OTHER INTERESTS

        It is understood that directors,  officers,  agents and  stockholders of
        the Fund  are or may be  interested  in the  Distributor  as  directors,
        officers,  stockholders, or otherwise; that directors, officers, agents,
        and stockholders of the Distributor are or may be interested in the Fund
        as directors, officers,  stockholders or otherwise; that the Distributor
        may be interested in the Fund as a  stockholder  or otherwise;  and that
        the existence of any dual interest shall not affect the validity  hereof
        or of any  transaction  hereunder  except as  otherwise  provided in the
        Articles of Incorporation of the Fund and the Distributor, respectively,
        or by specific provision of applicable law.

14.     INDEMNIFICATION

        The Fund  agrees to  indemnify,  defend  and hold the  Distributor,  its
        officers and  directors,  and any person who  controls  the  Distributor
        within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, free and
        harmless from and against any and all claims,  demands,  liabilities and
        expenses  (including the cost of investigating or defending such claims,
        demands or  liabilities  and any counsel  fees  incurred  in  connection
        therewith)  which the Distributor,  its officers,  directors or any such
        controlling  person may incur under the Securities Act of 1933, or under
        common  law or  otherwise,  arising  out of or  based  upon  any  untrue
        statement of a material fact contained in the

        Fund's  registration  statement or prospectus or arising out of or based
        upon any alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated
        in either  thereof or necessary to make the statements in either thereof
        not misleading,  except insofar as such claims, demands,  liabilities or
        expenses  arise out of or are based upon any such  untrue  statement  or
        omission made in conformity with information furnished in writing by the
        Distributor to the Fund for use in the Fund's registration  statement or
        prospectus:  provided,  however,  that this indemnity agreement,  to the
        extent  that it might  require  indemnity  of any  person who is also an
        officer or  director  of the Fund or who  controls  the Fund  within the
        meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933,  shall not inure to
        the benefit of such  officer,  director or  controlling  person unless a
        court of competent  jurisdiction shall determine,  or it shall have been
        determined  by  controlling  precedent  that  such  result  would not be
        against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities  Act of 1933, and
        further provided, that in no event shall anything contained herein be so
        construed  as to protect the  Distributor  against any  liability to the
        Fund or to its security holders to which the Distributor would otherwise
        be  subject  by reason  of  willful  misfeasance,  bad  faith,  or gross
        negligence,  in the  performance  of its  duties,  or by  reason  of its
        reckless  disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.  The Fund's
        agreement to indemnify the  Distributor,  its officers and directors and
        any such controlling  person as aforesaid is expressly  conditioned upon
        the Fund being  promptly  notified  of any action  brought  against  the
        Distributor,  its officers or directors, or any such controlling person,
        such  notification  to be given by letter or telegram  addressed  to the
        Fund.  The  Fund  agrees  promptly  to  notify  the  Distributor  of the
        commencement  of any litigation or proceedings  against it or any of its
        directors  in  connection  with the issue  and sale of any  shares of it
        Capital Stock.

        The  Distributor  agrees to  indemnify,  defend  and hold the Fund,  its
        officers and  directors  and any person who  controls the Fund,  if any,
        within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, free and
        harmless from and against any and all claims,  demands,  liabilities and
        expenses  (including the cost of investigating or defending such claims,
        demands   liabilities  and  any  counsel  fees  incurred  in  connection
        therewith)  which  the  Fund,  its  directors  or  officers  or any such
        controlling  person may incur under the  Securities Act of 1933 or under
        common law or otherwise;  but only to the extent that such  liability or
        expense  incurred  by the  Fund,  its  directors  or  officers  or  such
        controlling person resulting from such claims or demands shall arise out
        of or be based upon any  alleged  untrue  statement  of a material  fact
        contained in information  furnished in writing by the Distributor to the
        Fund for use in the Fund's registration statement or prospectus or shall
        arise out of or be based upon any  alleged  omission to state a material
        fact in connection  with such  information  required to be stated in the
        registration   statement  or   prospectus  or  necessary  to  make  such
        information not misleading. The Distributor's agreement to indemnify the
        Fund,  its directors and officers,  and any such  controlling  person as
        aforesaid is expressly  conditioned upon the Distributor  being promptly
        notified  of any  action  brought  against  the Fund,  its  officers  or
        directors or any such controlling person.

15.     DURATION AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT

        This Agreement shall become effective as of the execution date specified
        on page 1 of this  Agreement and will remain in effect for more than two
        years  thereafter  only  so long as  such  continuance  is  specifically
        approved,  at least  annually,  either by the Board of  Directors of the
        Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting securities of
        the Fund,  provided  that in either  event  such  continuation  shall be
        approved  by the  vote  of a  majority  of the  directors  who  are  not
        interested  persons of the Distributor,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance
        Company,  or the Fund cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
        of voting on such approval.  This Agreement may be terminated on 60 days
        written notice at any time,  without the payment of any penalty,  by the
        Fund or by the Distributor. This Agreement shall terminate automatically
        in the event of its assignment.

        In  interpreting  the provisions of this  paragraph 15, the  definitions
        contained in section 2(a) of the Investment  Company Act of 1940 and the
        rules thereunder  (particularly the definitions of "interested  person",
        "assignment" and "voting security") shall be applied.

16.     AMENDMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT

        No provision of this  Agreement  may be changed,  waived,  discharged or
        terminated  orally,  but only by an instrument in writing  signed by the
        party  against which  enforcement  of the change,  waiver,  discharge or
        termination is sought.  If the Fund should at any time deem it necessary
        or  advisable in the best  interests  of the Fund that any  amendment of
        this  Agreement be made in order to comply with the  recommendations  or
        requirements  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange   Commission  or  other
        governmental authority or to obtain any advantage under state or federal
        tax  laws  and  should  notify  the  Distributor  of the  form  of  such
        amendment,  and the  reasons  therefor,  and if the  Distributor  should
        decline  to  assent  to such  amendment,  the  Fund may  terminate  this
        Agreement forthwith.  If the Distributor should at any time request that
        a change be made in the Fund's Articles of Incorporation or By-laws,  or
        in  its  method  of  doing  business,   in  order  to  comply  with  any
        requirements  of  federal  law  or  regulations  of the  Securities  and
        Exchange Commission or of a national securities association of which the
        Distributor is or may be a member, relating to the sale of shares of the
        Fund,  and the Fund  should  not make  such  necessary  change  within a
        reasonable time, the Distributor may terminate this Agreement forthwith.

17.     ADDRESS FOR PURPOSES OF NOTICE

        Any notice  under this  Agreement  shall be in  writing,  addressed  and
        delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party at such address
        as such other party may designate for the receipt of such notices. Until
        further notice to the other party,  it is agreed that the address of the
        Fund and that of the Distributor for this purpose shall be The Principal
        Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa 50392-0200.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties hereof have caused this Agreement to be
executed in duplicate on the day and year first above written.


PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.    PRINCOR FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION


By _/s/ A. S. Filean_________________   By _______/s/ S. L. Jones______________
   A. S. Filean, Vice President            S. L. Jones, President

<PAGE>

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.
                       DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT - APPENDIX A



              Portfolio


1.  Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio

2.  International Securities Portfolio
<PAGE>
                             FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.

                             DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT


The Distribution  Agreement  executed and entered into by and between  Principal
Special  Markets Fund,  Inc.,  an Maryland  corporation,  and Princor  Financial
Services  Corporation,  an Iowa corporation,  on the 22nd day of April, 1993, is
hereby amended to including the following:


                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUNDS, INC.
                       DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT - APPENDIX A

                                    Portfolio


               1.   International Emerging Markets Portfolio
            
               2.   International Securities Portfolio
            
               3.   International SmallCap Portfolio
            
               4.   Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio
  


Executed this ________ day of ________________, 1997

                                     Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.



                                     by:_________________________________


                                     Princor Financial Services Corporation



                                     by:_________________________________


                                                  _____________________________
                                                       Home Office Use Only

                                                  _____________________________
                                                         Account Number

                              ACCOUNT APPLICATION

                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.

_______________________________________________________________________________

 1                            ACCOUNT REGISTRATION
                                 (Please Print)

For Trust,  Corporation,  Partnership or other entity,  complete first two lines
exactly  as  the  registration  should  appear.  For a  corporation,  include  a
completed  Corporate  Resolution  Form indicating  persons  authorized to act on
behalf of the corporation with regard to this account.  For a partnership attach
a copy of the  Partnership  Agreement.  For a trust  attach a copy of the  Trust
Agreement.

If an  individual  account has more than one  shareholder,  the account  will be
registered  "JOINT  TENANTS  WITH  RIGHTS  OF  SURVIVORSHIP"   unless  otherwise
specified.

FOr a Uniform Gift/Transfer to Minors Act ("UGMA/UTMA") account, use the name of
the adult  custodian  on the  owner  line and the name of the child on the joint
owner(s) line. Use child's social security number.

Type of Account:

__ Corporate   __ Trust  __ Partnership

Owner: ________________________________________________________________________

__ Personal    __ UGMA/UTMA    __ TOD    

Owner: ______________________________________________________    ______________
          First           Middle Initial   Last                  Date of Birth

Joint
Owner(s): ___________________________________________________    ______________
          First          Middle Initial    Last                  Date of Birth

_______________________________________________________________________________
                                    Address

__________________________________     _______________________     ____________
              City                             State                 Zip Code

(   ) __________________________________ (   ) ________________________________
      Business Phone                           Home Phone

__ Social Security or
__ Tax Identification Number

________  - _____ - ________

____ - _____________________

__ I am subject to backup withholding.
__ I am a nonresident alien - attach 
   IRS Form W-8
__ I am a resident alien - specify country of
   citizenship and attach IRS Form W-8 and, 
   if appicable IRS Form 1078.


____________________________
          Country
_______________________________________________________________________________

2                      INVESTMENT AND DIVIDEND SELECTION

                                             Dividend Elections
                              (Dividends and Distributions will be reinvested
                                      if none of the boxes are checked)
                          ______________________________________________________
PORTFOLIO                     INVESTMENT   DIVIDENDS DIVIDENDS AND    DIVIDENDS
                               AMOUNT*        IN     DISTRIBUTIONS   DIRECTED TO
                                             CASH       IN CASH     BANK ACCOUNT
International Emerging        
     Markets Portfolio       $_________       __          __             __

International Securities 
     Portfolio               $_________       __          __             __

International SmallCap 
     Portfolio               $_________       __          __             __

Mortgage-Backed Securities
     Portfolio               $_________       __          __             __

__ Check Enclosed.  (Make check payable to: PRINCOR)
__ Bank wire.  FIRST OBTAIN AN ACCOUNT NUMBER BY TELEPHONING THE DISTRIBUTOR 
   TOLL FREE 1-800-521-1502 and providing the following information:

1.  Name in which the account will be registered
2.  Address and Telephone Number
3.  Tax Identification Number
4.  Dividend distribution election
5.  Amount being wired and wiring bank
6.  Name of Princor Financial Services Corporation
    registered representative, if any.
7.  Portfolio for which shares are being purchased.

After an account number is assigned,  instruct the bank to wire transfer Federal
Funds to: Norwest Bank Iowa, N.A., Des Moines, Iowa 50309 for credit to: Princor
Financial Services  Corporation,  Account number 073-330; for further credit to:
Purchaser's Name and Account Number. Then complete the following:

__________________  ___________________ __________________  ___________________
Amount Wired        Date Telephone      Date Wired          Assigned Fund
                    Order Placed                            Account Number

__________________  ___________________ _______________________________________
Name of Bank        Account Number      Address of Bank

*The minimum initial purchase of $1.0 million may be invested over a three month
 period.
_______________________________________________________________________________
3                              OPTIONAL FEATURES

__ A.  Decline Telephone Transaction Services.  Telephone transaction services
       as described in the prospectus are declined.  (If this box is not checked
       telephone transaction services will apply)

__ B.  Redemptions Directed to Bank Account.  Redemptions may be wired (subject 
       to a wire charge of up to $15) or mailed for deposit only to a bank
       account as follows: (please attach a deposit slip or voided check)

_____________________    _________________     _________________________________
Name of Bank             Account Number        Address of Bank

__ C.  Periodic Withdrawal Plan.  (Complete "3B." above if periodic withdrawals
       are to be directed to a bank account.)  Funds automztically are to be
       withdrawn from the account, in the amount and on the date (any day) 
       indicated below.

                          Beginning      Any         (M)onthly, (Q)uarterly,
Portfolio      Amount       Month        Day       (S)emi-Annually or (A)nnually
_____________  _________  ___________    _____      ___________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4                    SIGNATURE AND TAX NUMBER CERTIFICATION

I have read this application and have had the opportunity to read the prospectus
and agree to all their  terms.  In  addition,  I have full  authority  and legal
capacity to authorize the  instructions in this  application.  I have been given
the opportunity to ask any questions I have regarding this investment,  and they
have been answered to my satisfaction.  I understand the investment objective(s)
of the Portfolio(s) for which I am applying and believe it is compatible with my
investment  objective(s).  I understand  that telephone  transaction  privileges
(including  telephone  redemption  and  exchange  requests)  apply unless I have
specifically  declined them on this application and that I bear the risk of loss
resulting  from any  fraudulent  telephone  redemption  request  which  the Fund
reasonably  believes  to be  genuine.  I also  understand  the Fund has  adopted
procedures  designed to reduce the risk of  fraudulent  transactions,  which are
disclosed in the  prospectus.  I certify under  penalties of perjury  (check the
appropriate response):

__   (1) that the Social  Security or taxpayer  identification  number  shown in
     Section  1 is  correct  and that the IRS has  never  notified  me that I am
     subject  to  backup  withholding,  or has  notified  me that I am no longer
     subject  to such  backup  withholding;  or 

__   (2) I have  not been  issued  a  taxpayer  identification  number  but have
     applied  for such  number,  or intend to apply for such  number in the near
     future.  I  understand  that  if  I  do  not  provide  a  correct  taxpayer
     identification  number  to the Fund  within  60 days  from the date of this
     certification,  backup  withholding  as described in the Fund's  prospectus
     will commence; or 

___  (3) I am subject to backup withholding.

Sign below exactly as your name appears in Section 1. For joint registratin, all
owners must sign. The Internal Revenue Services does not require your consent to
any provision of this document other than the  certifications  required to avoid
backup withholding.

X____________________________________   X_______________________________________
 Signature of shareholder    Date        Signature of co-shareholder    Date
 or authorized individual                (if any) or authorized individual
________________________________________________________________________________
                        TO BE COMPLETED BY SELLING FIRM

Firm Name ______________________________________________________________________

Representative's Signature _____________________________________________________

Representative Number ______________________________

By ______________________________  Name (Please Print) _________________________
   Authorized Signature of Firm

Main Office Address ____________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip _______________________________________________________________

Address of Office Servicing Account: ___________________________________________

City __________________________________

State, Zip _____________________________ Telephone _____________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

PRINCOR FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION          review _________________________

                                                Date ___________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
                 Mail to: Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.,
                     P.O. Box 10423, Des Moines, Iowa 50306
     For assistance in completing this form, call toll-free 1-800-521-1502.

Instructions for Corporations, Trusts, Partnerships:

Please  furnish  appropriate  documents  and  resolutions  authorizing  the
establishment of this account and appointing  individuals authorized to transact
business for the account.  Individuals  signing this application should identify
the capacity in which they are acting.

                     PRINCOR FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION
                          The Principal Financial Group
                           Des Moines, Iowa 50392-0200
                                 (515) 247-5711

                                     DEALER
                                SELLING AGREEMENT
                                  FOR SHARES OF
                      PRINCIPAL SPECIAL MARKETS FUND, INC.



                                           __________________, 19_____


As Distributor  and Principal  Underwriter  for Principal  Special Markets Fund,
Inc., (hereafter sometimes referred to as the "Fund"), we invite you to become a
Selected Dealer to distribute shares of the Fund.

1.   Orders  for  shares  received  from you and  accepted  by us will be at the
     current public  offering  price  applicable to each order as established by
     the then current  Prospectus of the Fund.  Shares of the Fund are currently
     sold at net asset value.  The procedure  relating to the handling of orders
     shall be subject to  instructions  which we shall forward from time to time
     to all Selected  Dealers.  The Fund  reserves the right to withdraw  shares
     from sale temporarily or permanently.  All orders are subject to acceptance
     or rejection by us and the Fund, each in its sole discretion.

2.   The minimum initial purchase in the Fund is $1.0 million, which may be made
     over  a  three  month  period.  Investments  made  by  an  individual,  the
     individual's, spouse and dependent children or by a trustee will be treated
     as investments made by a single investor in determining whether the minimum
     initial purchase requirement is satisfied.

3.   As a Selected  Dealer,  you will be paid a fee quarterly in an amount equal
     to .10% on an  annualized  basis of the  average  net asset value of shares
     held in all  customer  accounts  which  have been  established  due to your
     efforts.

     (a)  There  is no  concession  or  sales  charge  when  a  distribution  of
          dividends or capital  gains to a  shareholder  is  reinvested  for the
          shareholder's  account or when there is a transfer  from one Portfolio
          to another Portfolio or from one account to another account.

     (b)  Since  rights to fees are not vested,  designations  such as Dealer of
          Record  shall cease upon  termination  of this  Agreement  or upon the
          investor's  instructions  to transfer an account to another  Dealer of
          Record.

4.   Each party to this  Agreement  represents  that it currently is and,  while
     this Agreement is in effect,  will continue to be a member in good standing
     of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and agrees to abide
     by all Rules and Regulations of that Association,  including the NASD Rules
     of Fair Practice.  If you are a foreign dealer, not eligible for membership
     in the  Association,  you still agree to abide by the Rules and Regulations
     of the  Association.  We both agree to comply with all applicable state and
     federal  laws,  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange
     Commission  and  other  authorized  United  States  or  foreign  regulatory
     agencies.  You  further  agree that you will not sell,  offer for sale,  or
     solicit shares of the Funds in any state where they have not been qualified
     for sale. You will solicit  applications and sell shares only in accordance
     with the  terms and on the basis of the  representations  contained  in the
     appropriate prospectus and any supplemental literature furnished by us.

5.   IT IS AGREED

     (a)  That neither of us shall withhold placing customers' orders for shares
          so as to profit as a result of such withholding.

     (b)  We shall not  purchase  shares from the Fund except for the purpose of
          covering purchase orders already received,  and you shall not purchase
          shares of the Fund except for the purpose of covering  purchase orders
          already received by you or for your own bona fide investment purposes,
          provided,  however,  any  shares  purchased  for your  own  bona  fide
          investment  purposes will not be resold except  through  redemption of
          the Fund.

     (c)  We shall accept only unconditional orders. Any right granted to you to
          sell  shares on behalf of the Fund will not apply to shares  issued in
          connection with the merger or  consolidation  of any other  investment
          company with the Fund or its  acquisition,  purchase or otherwise,  of
          all or  substantially  all the  assets of any  investment  company  or
          substantially  all the outstanding  shares of any such company.  Also,
          any such right shall not apply to shares issued, sold, or transferred,
          whether Treasury or newly issued shares, that may be offered by a Fund
          to its  shareholders  as stock  dividends  or splits for not less than
          "net asset value."

     (d)  We reserve the right to reject any order or application  for shares or
          to withdraw the offering price of shares  entirely,  and to change any
          sales charge and dealer concession, provided that no such change shall
          affect  concessions  on orders  accepted by us prior to notice of such
          change is required by law.

     (e)  You shall not purchase  shares of a Fund from a shareholder at a price
          per share  which is lower than the  current  net asset value per share
          which is next computed  after the receipt of the tender of such shares
          by the shareholder.

     (f)  If a sales charge  and/or dealer  concession  apply to the purchase of
          shares of the Fund and, if such  shares are  tendered  for  redemption
          within seven business days after  confirmation  by us of your original
          purchase order for such shares,  (i) you shall forthwith  refund to us
          the full  concession  allowed to you on the original sale, and (ii) we
          shall forthwith pay to the Fund our share of the "sales charge" on the
          original  sale by us, and shall also pay to the Fund the refund  which
          we  received  under (i)  above.  You shall be  notified  by us of such
          redemption  within ten days of the date on which  proper  request  for
          redemption is delivered to us or the Fund. Termination or cancellation
          of this  Agreement  shall not relieve you or us from  requirements  of
          this subparagraph (f).

     (g)  This  agreement  shall not be  assigned or  transferred  in any manner
          including by operation of law.

 6.  We will furnish you, without charge,  reasonable quantities of Prospectuses
     and sales  material  or  supplemental  literature  relating  to the sale of
     shares of the Fund.

 7.  In all sales of shares,  you act as principal and are not employed by us as
     broker-agent or employee.  You are not authorized to act for us nor to make
     any  representations  in  our  behalf.  In  purchasing  or  selling  shares
     hereunder  you are  entitled to rely only upon the current  Prospectus  and
     supplemental literature approved by the Distributor.  In the offer and sale
     of shares of the Fund,  you shall not use any  Prospectus  or  supplemental
     literature  not  approved  in  writing  by the  Distributor.  No  person is
     authorized to make any representations concerning shares of the Fund except
     those  contained  in  a  current  Prospectus  and  supplemental  literature
     approved in writing by the Distributor.

 8.  That you will indemnify,  defend, and hold harmless our firm and all of its
     affiliates, and their officers, directors, employees, agents, and assignees
     against all losses, claims, demands,  liabilities,  and expenses, including
     reasonable  legal and other  expenses  incurred in defending such claims or
     liabilities,  whether or not  resulting in any liability to any of them, or
     which they or any of them may incur,  including  but not limited to alleged
     violations  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  as  amended  and/or  to the
     Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended,  arising out of the offer or
     sale of any securities  pursuant to this  Agreement,  or arising out of the
     breach of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, other than any
     claim,  demand,  or liability  arising from any untrue statement of alleged
     untrue  statement of a material  fact  contained  in a  prospectus  for our
     funds,  as filed and in effect with the SEC, or any amendment or supplement
     thereto,  or in any  application  prepared  or  approved  in writing by our
     counsel and filed with any state regulatory  agency in order to register or
     qualify under the securities laws thereof (the "blue sky applications"), or
     which shall arise out of or be based upon any omission or alleged  omission
     to state therein a material fact required to be stated in the prospectus or
     any of the  blue  sky  applications  or  which  is  necessary  to make  the
     statements  or a part thereof not  misleading,  which  indemnity  provision
     shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 9.  No  obligation  not  expressly  assumed  by us in this  Agreement  shall be
     implied therefrom.

10.  Either party to this  Agreement  may  terminate  this  Agreement by written
     notice to the other  party.  We may modify  this  Agreement  at any time by
     written notice to you. Any notice shall be deemed to have been given on the
     date upon which it was either delivered personally to the other party or to
     any office or member  thereof,  or was mailed  post-paid  or delivered to a
     telegraph office for transmission at his or its address as shown herein.

11.  All communications to us should be sent to the above address. Any notice to
     you  shall be duly  given if mailed or  telegraphed  to you at the  address
     specified by you herein.

12.  This Agreement  shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State
     of Iowa and shall be binding upon both  parties  hereto when signed by both
     of us in the spaces provided below.  This Agreement shall not be applicable
     to shares of the Fund in any state in which those shares are not  qualified
     for sale.

13.  If the  foregoing  represents  your  understanding,  please so  indicate by
     signing in the proper space below.

                                     Very truly yours,



                                     PRINCOR FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION

                                     By:


We accept the offer set forth above,  which constitutes a Selling Agreement with
us.

BY:

DEALER:

ADDRESS:



DATE:

Ernst & Young LLP           Suite 3400                       Phone 515 243-2727
                            801 Grand Avenue
                            Des Moines, Iowa  50309-2764





                         Consent of Independent Auditors




The Board of Directors and Shareholders
Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.


We  consent  to  the  reference  to  our  firm  under  the  captions  "Financial
Highlights",  "Additional  Information  Financial  Statements",  and  "Financial
Statements"  and to the  incorporation  by reference of our report dated January
17, 1997 in the registration  statement of Principal  Special Markets Fund, Inc.
on Form N-1A and related  Prospectus  and  Statement of  Additional  Information
filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  in this  Post-Effective
Amendment No. 6 to the  Registration  Statement under the Securities Act of 1933
(Registration  No.  33-59474)  and  to  the  Registration  Statement  under  the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (Registration No. 811-7572).

                                                           /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Des Moines, Iowa
September 10, 1997



       Ernst & Young LLP is a member of Ernst & Young International, Ltd.
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
       
<S>                                       <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                             YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       23,425,496
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      28,541,016
<RECEIVABLES>                                   59,219
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     109
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                            41,787
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              28,642,131
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                            0
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            481,507
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    22,946,390
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        2,059,816
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        1,474,162
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       10,524
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                         88,057
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     5,115,653
<NET-ASSETS>                                28,160,624
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              514,389
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               65,137
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               (185,375)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        394,151
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       947,209
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    3,301,549
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        4,642,909
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    (450,667)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                   (1,043,459)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        528,303
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (16,274)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             73,625
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      10,909,490
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                       (97,960)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                      294,307
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          185,375
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                185,375
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        20,533,057
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.70
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .31
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           2.46
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.23)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        (.57)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              13.67
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .90
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
       
<S>                                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       15,087,971
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      14,897,356
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