AROUND THE WORLD: Panama Canal treaty hits snag; AROUND THE CLOCK.

Byline: LANCE MORGAN Mail Correspondent in Washington

A FURIOUS backstage political battle raged as the Carter administration and senate leaders sought to come up with a last minute compromise to assure passage of the second Panama Canal treaty.

The Senate will vote tomorrow on the pact, which pro1, ides for a transfer of the waterway to Panama by the year 2000.

Last month, the Senate passed the canal neutrality treaty by a vote of 68-32, only one more than the needed two-thirds margin.

The cause of the political warfare is a clause inserted by the Senate in the first treaty which gives America the right to use military force in Panama unilaterally in order to keep the canal open, even after it passes into Panamanian hands.

The Carter administration fought the "reservation" bill had to accept it to win crucial votes.

Panama who incensed because the new clause appears to give the U.S. the right lo meddle in its internal affairs.

Now Senate supporters of the treaty are hoping to find the right words that will assure Panama of its own territorial integrity while at the same time parmitting the U.S. to intervene to keep the canal in the face of external aggregation.

Emperor Hirihito welcomed the West German President Walter Scheel after his arrival in Japan for a six-day visit. Scheel inspected a guard of honour of Japan's self-defence force.

The Australian government has set up a travel and tourist industry advisory council.