European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 13, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday december 13. 1985 the stars and stripes Page 5 be of buy Ria Tor record $6.28 won new York a general elec tric co. And Ria corp. Announced wednesday night that be has agreed to buy Ria for j6.28 billion in Cash which would be the biggest non Oil Industry acquisition Ever in the United states. The announcement said the boards of both corporations have approved the Deal. The Deal was announced by be chair Man John which jr., Ria chairman Thornton Bradshaw and Robert Freder ick the president and chief executive offi cer of Ria. In a Joir statement the executives said the merger will be an excellent strategic Opportunity for both companies that will help America s competitiveness in  the companies said the proposal was subject to approval by Ria s Stockhold ers and by various regulatory agencies including the Federal communications commission. The acc has to review the Deal be cause Ria operates five television stations and general electric has one. The companies said a news conference would be held thursday to provide further details of the agreement. The proposed merger was announced after the Price of Ria Stock soared si0.37w a share to s63.50 in heavy new York Slock Exchange composite trading amid rumours that general electric was negotiating the acquisition. General electric s proposed acquisition of Ria did not come As a Complete sur prise to Wall Street. General electric is estimated to have at least $5 billion in available Cash and analysts had speculated for months that the company Likely would use that Money to make a major Purchase. General electric based in Fairfield conn., is a widely diversified company and one of the nation s largest Industrial concerns. Like Ria general electric is a Lead ing defense and aerospace company. It also makes or markets Large appliances and consumer electronics lighting products electric motors Turbine Power equip ment locomotives and construction equip ment. General electric posted a net income of j2.28 billion last year on revenues of $27.9 billion. Ria owns National broadcasting co., which operates the Abc television net work and five to stations. It also has interests in consumer electronics recorded entertainment communications and Aero space and defense. Earlier this year Ria launched n re structuring of its communications and electronics businesses which resulted in an after tax gain of $81 million in the third Quarter. The company also sold its Hertz car rental subsidiary to Ual inc. Earlier this year. That produced an after tax gain of $92. Million in the third Quarter and enabled Ria to report third Quarter net income of $93.9 million on revenues of $2.18 billion. In 1984, Ria earned $341 million on revenues of $10.1 billion. The bid for Ria Means that All three of the nation s major to networks have been involved in takeover bids in less than a year. American broadcasting cos. Parent of the Abc network has agreed to be acquired by capital cities communications inc. For $3.5 billion. That Deal is expected to be completed Early next year. The other major network. Lbs inc., escaped a hostile takeover bid earlier this year by broadcasting executive Ted turn or of Atlanta but was forced to spend $1 billion to buy Back just Over 20 percent of its own Slock. To reduce its debt. Lbs has Cut Back on jobs and is Selling some of its assets. Reagan orders lie tests for workers with top clearances Washington a in the Wake of a series of espionage scandals president Reagan has ordered that lie Detector tests be Given to government employees ranging All the Way up to Cabinet secretaries who have Access to highly secret information. A congressional source said As Many As 150,000 Federal employees and 33,000 private contractors appear to be covered by the order and eligible for the tests. However the source who spoke about the secret order on he condition of anonymity said Only a Small fraction of the total could be tested because of the limited number of polygraph machines and trained operators. Even As the president s action taken nov. I but kept secret was disclosed wednesday Secretary of state George Shutlz was described As being opposed to using lie detectors whose reliability has been questioned. Their use is viewed by some As an invasion of privacy. Would Shultz submit to a lie Detector test i can t answer said state department spokesman Charles red Man. I Don t  White House spokesman Larry Scakes said he did not know How Many people will be required to take the tests but the los Angeles times which revealed Reagan s Deci Sion said that up to 10,000 people could be affected including 4,000 at the state department. Scakes said the tests will be applied to a selective number of officials who have highest Levels of Access to classified information especially communications Security and other compartmentalized  compartmentalization is a procedure under which a person with a Security clearance is permitted to Sec Only those secrets that Are pertinent to his work so if such a person became a spy he would not be Able to give a foreign Power the whole picture. The test will be mandatory for people who have to obtain clearances for such sensitive information said Scakes. That Means it would include govern mini con tractors As Well As employees. This does t include everybody with Security Clear ances but it includes the highest level Scakes said of the number Likely to be required to take polygraphs people who already have Security clearances for highly secret information would be subject to randomly administered lie Detector tests from time to time Scakes said. Employees of the Cia and National Security Agency already arc required to take Lic Del color tests As a Condi Tion of employment. The Pentagon also requires some of its employees to take the tests. Sands or time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Dec 13, 1945 the Graves registration come is making an intensified search in the european theater for 21,191 american soldiers listed As killed or missing in action but whote burial places have never been reported. 30 years ago today. Dec 13,1955 French and German foreign ministers discussed the Saar As a curtain Raider to a week of intense diplomatic activity in Paris aimed at forging closer links throughout the Western world. 20 years ago today. Dec 13 1965 a 2-Inch-wide plug dropped prematurely out of the Titan 2 rocket when its engines ignited momentarily jeopardizing the Safe la of astronauts Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford. The incident postponed the gemini 6 rendezvous flight for at least three Days space officials said. 10 years ago today. Dec 13 1975 flee Bailey chief defense attorney for Patricia Hearst said that the prime defense for the jailed heiress who faces Federal Bank robbery charges in san fran Cisco will be fear of  Rockwell regains right to bid on of contracts b Norman Black Washington a Rockwell International corp., suspended As a Pentagon contractor on oct. 31 after pleading guilty to fraud charges has regained the right to receive contracts by promising management improvements and creating the Post of inter Nal ombudsman the air Force says. These actions and assurances by Rock Well indicate that the company has taken the necessary Steps to become a responsible contractor and is now eligible for future government contracts the air Force said wednesday. Rockwell and the air Force today entered into a settlement agreement that re quires Rockwell to Lake further corrective actions and to make available to the air Force certain internal reports concerning i Alt � Isney s cruelly s very furry Christmas  it s so Nice to Steno Christmas with Santa s family Christmas be praw3 near it sure is Perry if it weren t for the sap weather / everything would 0e perfect a r Mays what was that 7j Rockwell s compliance with government procurement  the air Force said the company has also said that employees involved in the mis charging arc no longer employed by Rock Well  Jim Vallela. A company spokesman in Pittsburgh declined comment on the air Force action. Among the management improvements cited by the air Force were the creation of a new Cost accounting system revised and in creased employee Lime card training and in creased frequency of internal  in addition Rockwell has appointed an ombudsman to whom employees May report violations of its newly revised Stan Dards of business  the air Force said. Rockwell is the nation s second largest defense contractor having received Penta gon awards totalling $6.2 billion in fiscal 1984. Its major weapons contracts include the by bomber the my missile and a vast Range of satellite communications navigation and missile guidance systems. The firm also is a prime contractor on the space shuttle. On oct. 30, the company pleaded guilty to 20 counts of fraud involving false Bil Lings in 1982 on a $3.6 million air Force contract to provide automated Dala proc Essing systems for ec-135 flying com Mand Post aircraft. Rockwell agreed to pay $1.2 million in fines and restitution plus the government s costs for conducting the investigation. Ron Eddins an ass Island . Attorney in dal Las said a two year Federal probe uncovered $480.000 in false Billings by the com Pany primarily through falsified employee Lime cards