European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 29, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sec says Exxon paid big bribes Washington up Exxon corp. Consented tuesday to Federal charges of paying More than $56.5 million in bribes and Buegal political contributions in Italy and 15 other countries and keeping a Japa Nese parliamentarian on its payroll. Exxon neither admitted nor denied charges filed by the securities and Exchange commission in . District court. But the world s largest corporation consented to an injunction which forbids the payments to continue. Exxon s payments Are the largest Ever uncovered by the Sec in its four year investigation of corporate bribery. Lockheed aircraft corp. Had previously admitted making More than $38 million in questionable payments. The Sec said $55.25 million of the pay offs were made in Italy. Although Exxon claimed the payments were for political campaigns the Sec alleged the bulk of the payoffs were commercial bribes in which Exxon was rewarded with italian govern ment contracts. From 1963 to 1975 the Sec said the payoffs covered a period of 1963 to 1975 when the Senate sub committee on multinational corporations subpoenaed Exxon s corporate records and forced company executives to disclose at least $46 million in payoffs largely in Italy. The Sec disclosures tuesday followed a pattern in which Exxon admitted in May 1975 that the company had used corporate funds for political contributions in coun tries where the practice was Legal. Three months later Exxon executives said under questioning by the Senate sub committee that some payments May have been illegal and the sum May have been $27 million. Exxon then raised the figure to $46 million. Called illegal improper1 the Sec charged Exxon disbursed a least $56.5 million As purported political contributions payments to foreign govern ment officials and employees commercial bribes or As other illegal improper non corporate or unaccountable  Exxon said in a statement the consent decree contains reporting and accounting requirements relating to practices which have Long been contrary to Exxon. There fore Exxon concluded that lengthy litigation Over the adequacy of past reports to investors and shareholders was not Justi  Exxon said it initiated its own investigations of the situation in Italy in 1971, Long before the Sec s investigation began. The company s own investigation identified and stopped unauthorized payments and improper accounting in Italy and subsequently much smaller improper payments and instances of improper accounting in other countries were discovered and  thursday september 29,1977 the stars and stripes Page 7 4% less in 1976 violent crime shows dip Washington a an 8 per cent de crease in murders and a 10 per cent drop in robberies reduced the nation s incidence of violent crime by 4 per cent in 1976, Accord ing to the Fri. However the total for All serious of lenses including nonviolent acts such As Auto theft Rose by just less than 1 per cent compared with an Overall hike of 10 per cent a year earlier. The Fri statistics gleaned from More than 13,000 Law enforcement agencies across the nation showed an average of one murder every 28 minutes last year one rape every 9 minutes and a robbery every 75 seconds. But the 18,780 murders two thirds of them committed with firearms represented an 8 per cent drop from 1975. And murder was Down 1 per cent that year from 1974. Rape increased 1 per cent in 1976 to a total of 56,730. Of those arrested said the Fri 57 per cent were under 26 years old and 49 per cent won dismissals or acquit court orders Way cleared to sterilize 3 girls Hartford Conn. A a Federal judge has told two attorneys to Clear Legal obstacles so three Blind deaf and mentally retarded girls can be sterilized As their parents wish. The parents want the court to order the state owned University of Connecticut John Dempsey Hospital to perform the operations. The Hospital is seeking Legal Protection. Judith Mears an attorney representing the three unidentified Hartford area families said the parents believe their Daugh ters aged 12 to 15, cannot Cope now with menstruation and gynaecological exams and would not be Able to Cope with preg Nancy and childbirth. I m inclined to give Relief Here . District court judge m. Joseph Blumen Feld said. This kind of sitting Back and doing nothing while a very difficult problem for the parents and the children just exacerbates for Lack of attention does t commend itself to this court nor should it to the state the judge added. The parents have tried to have their daughters sterilized at several private hospitals in the state said Mears. Blumenfeld ordered Mears and univer sity of Connecticut lawyer John Mckenna to develop an order within the court s jurisdiction to allow the sterilizations. Social workers doctors and others familiar with the girls have agreed that sterilization is medically indicated Mear said. Zenith radio lays off 600, plans 5,000 More Chicago up the Zenith radio corp. Laid off 600 workers tuesday and announced plans to eliminate More than 5,000 jobs within the next year in a move to reduce overhead and labor costs. John j. Nevin Zenith Board chairman and president said the company plans to Transfer much of its production to Mexico and Taiwan to take advantage of cheaper labor. We believe that Zenith has tried longer and has tried harder than others to protect the jobs of its . Employees Nevin said in a letter to Zenith employees. It is now Clear however that competitive manufacturers Are obtaining increasingly significant advantages from production in lower labor Cost areas of the  Zenith officials declined to comment on the future of their advertising Campaign emphasizing the first rate Quality of its american made  tals of the  assault also increased by about 1 per cent with 229 victims for every 100,000 persons. But the 420,210 robberies about 196 offences per 100,000 inhabit ants was a decrease of 10 per cent. Nearly half the total was Street robberies. Burglaries declined 5 per cent in 1976 for a total of 3,089,800. Three out of every four were committed via forcible entry. The average loss per burglary was $449, com pared with $338 for robberies. Larceny theft accounted for 55 per cent of All the crimes reported. Its 5 per cent in crease was largely responsible for the slight hike in the Overall figure. Thefts of motor vehicles or their parts made up 42 per cent of the larceny thefts. Of All those arrested 43 per cent were under the age of 18 and 31 per cell were women. Five times As Many men were arrested As women for All categories. The Fri said that 79 per cent of the murders were solved 52 per cent of the rapes 63 per cell of the aggravated assaults 2 per cent of the burglaries 19 per cent of the larceny thefts and 14 per cent of the car thefts. United seamen s service United seamen s service United seamen s service  provides entertainment health and welfare to american seamen and other americans serving overseas. Uss Cen ters Are located in eleven countries worldwide. 1978 Dod combined Federal Campaign overseas area 1978 National health agencies american red Cross this is a stars and Stripe Public service advertisement