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interpret it differently. Would it not be the better part of wisdom, Mr. President, to work that out now and work out any possible ambiguity by an amendment? Would that not set the matter to rest?
 Mr. MUsKIE. The distinguished majority leader has already read from a letter written by the Secretary of State.
 Mr. IROBERT C. B-YRD. That is right. There is no evidence that they disagree. It is even to the effect that the Panamanian negotiators have acknowledged this.
 Mr. ALLEN. I have not seen any acknowledgement of that.
 Mr. ROBERT C. B-YRD. On top of that, I say to the distinguished Senator, there is nothing clearer than the language of the treaty itself, subparagraph (c) of paragraph 4 of article XIII. The language reads as follows:
 An annual amount of up to 10 million United States dollars per year, to be paid out of canal operating revenues, to the extent that such revenues exceed ~expenditures of the Panama Canal Commission, including amounts paid pursuant to this treaty.
 I repeat, to the extent that such revenues exceed expenditures. If the revenues. do not exceed expenditures, the paragraph is rendered inoperable. It is just that clear.