COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                                                                  EXHIBIT 12

( in thousands )                                                                                                             
                                                                                        Years ended December 31,      
                                                                          1995                  1994                1993
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
EARNINGS AS DEFINED:                                                                                                         
Earnings from operations before income taxes after eliminating                                                               
     undistributed earnings of 20%- to 50%-owned affiliates        $        179,127  $               185,611 $        209,278
Fixed charges excluding capitalized interest and preferred stock                                                             
     dividends of majority-owned subsidiary companies                        15,652                   20,966           30,240
                                                                                                                             
Earnings as defined                                                $        194,779  $               206,577 $        239,518
                                                                                                                             
FIXED CHARGES AS DEFINED:                                                                                                    
Interest expense, including amortization of debt issue costs       $         11,223  $                16,274 $         26,397
Interest capitalized                                                            447                                        66
Portion of rental expense representative of the interest factor               4,429                    3,696            3,181
Preferred stock dividends of majority-owned subsidiary companies                 80                       80               82
Share of interest expense related to guaranteed debt                                                                         
     50%-owned affiliated company                                                                        996              662
                                                                                                                             
Fixed charges as defined                                           $         16,179  $                21,046 $         30,388
                                                                                                                             
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                                            12.04                     9.82             7.88