510


 Iowa, Louisiana, and Nebraska, and Mssrs. Drummond and Sendak in filing suit before the Supreme Court. The plaintiffs asked the Court to rule on the meaning of Article IV, Section 3, of the Constitution on the role of the House in the disposal of U.S. property.
 In July, the Supreme Court had dismissed a similar case on the
 grounds that the case was not ripe for review.
October 13-President Carter stated that there was no need to change
 the language of the Panama Canal treaties, but indicated in a press conference that it might be necessary to issue a clarifying statement after his meeting with General Torrijos scheduled for the next day.
 Carter said he wanted to be sure that the American and Panamanian people understand the treaties before the Senate votes on ratification
 and before the Panamanians, vote in a plebiscite on October 23.
October 13-Senator Dole charged that the brother of Gen. Omar
 Torrijos had been involved in narcotics smuggling.
October 14-President Carter and General Torrijos, after meetings at
 the White House for two hours, issued a Statement of Understanding. The Statement sought to clarify several disputed passages of the Neutrality Treaty which had come under attack in the Senate.
 The Statement reads:
 Under the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and
 Operation of the Panama Canal (the Neutrality Treaty), Panama and the United States have the responsibility to assure that the Panama Canal will remain open and secure to ships of all nations.
 The correct interpretation of this Drinciple is that each of the two countries shall in accordance with their respective constitutional processes, defend the Canal against any threat to the regime of neutrality, and consequently shall have the right to act against any agl(gression or threat directed a gainst the Canal or against the peaceful transit of vessels through the Canal.
 This does not mean, nor shall it be interpreted as a right of intervention of the United States in the internal affairs of Panama. Any United States action will be directed at insuring that the Canal will remain open, secure and accessible, and it shall never be directed against the territorial integrity or political independence of Panama.
 The Neutrality Treaty provides that the vessels of war and auxiliarv vessels of the United States and Panama will be entitled to transit the Canal expeditiously. This is intended, and it shall be so interpreted, to assure the transit of such vessels throuevh the Cmal as quickly as possible, without any impediment, with expedited treatment, and in case of need or emerteec7,, to ro to the head of
 the line of vessels in order to transit the Canal rapidly.
 October 14-Former Secretaries of State Rusk and Kissinger testified
 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Both endorsed the treaties as the best way to protect long-term U.S. interests in the Canal. Mr. Rusk said he was satisfied with the treaties in their present form. Mr. Kissinger suggested that the Senate "explicitly and formally" spell out the interpretation of key provisions, but
 not attach amendments or reservations.
 October 15 Senator Majority Leader Byrd described the Statem-ent
 of Understanding, issued late October 14 by President Carter and' General Torrijos as a "very important diplomatic achievement" that