DETAILS OF LIFE OF “COLONEL LOPEZ”

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 202, 23 May 1936, Page 9

DETAILS OF LIFE OF “COLONEL LOPEZ”

Dumdum Bullets Case WAR OFFICE TOLD OF WORK FOR ITALY 7 By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received May 22, 7.50 p.m.) London, May 21. The "Daily Herald" says it has traced Colonel Lopez, who Mr. Eden in the House of Commons charged with collecting for Italy false evidence of the supply by British firms oi dumdum bullets to Abyssinia, and whose real name is Henry Lawrence Bernstein He was born at Melbourne in 1872, and changed his name to Lawrence in wartime and for •‘business reasons, to many others since. He was formerly a music hall magician, and was last week telling inquirers that he met Colonel Mezler at an hotel in the Si rand, but that the colonel had gone abroad The facts are that Lawrence is living at Merton, a London suburb at the address Mezler used in his communications with the Abyssinian Legation Lawrence admitted bis identity to the “Daily Herald" after a two hours’ visit to the War Office, where he fully revealed to intelligence officers his six months work for the Italian Embassy Yet when Mr. Arthur Henderson asked in the House of Commons if the police were aware of Lopez's whereabouts, Sir John Simon, Home Secretary, replied, “I shouldn’t think so." The "Daily Herald' adds that Lawrence has been at Merton for several months, except when he visited Bates on May 18 at Birmingham. Lawrence said that the Italians did not pay him a penny, apart from expenses. “That is why I broke away from them." Official circles say that so many falsehoods are associated with the case of Colonel Lopez that it is difficult to ascertain the truth of any of the statements made, including Lopez's own reported assertion that be was born at Melbourne

The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, stated in the House of Commons on Monday that Lopez has been known variously as Bernstein, Henry, Lawrence. Singleton, Radbill, and Mezler. and was a notorious purveyor of false information and forged documents In the House of Commons the Attor-ney-General, Sir Donald Somervell, in reply to Mr. W. Gallacher (Com : West Fife) said he did not think Lopez was connected with dockyard sabotage Mr. Arthur Henderson (Lab.: Kingswin ford) asked whether legislation would be introduced constituting activities similar to those of Lopez an indictable offence.

Sir Donald Somervell: I am considering the matter in all its aspects, but I am unable to make a statement.

Mr. F S. Cocks (Lab : Broxtowe) asked whether the Foreign Secretary would demand an apology from Signor Mussolini or sever diplomatic relations with Italy in view of the relations of Mezler with the officials of the Italian Embassy in London.

Lord Cranborne, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said he was aware that Mr. Eden’s statement had been ridiculed by Italian-controlled Press, and asked: "Is there not any limit to the insults we are to receive from a foreign Power?”