DUMDUM BULLETS

Evening Star, Issue 22347, 25 May 1936, Page 9

DUMDUM BULLETS

CONFESSION FROM LAWRENCE “ i WAS MEZLER AND LOPEZ " Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, May 23. tc Three personalities, but only one man,” said Henry Lawrence, flinging wide his arms to accentuate his words and making a full confession regarding his activities to the ‘ News-Chronicle in the early hours of the morning. He Stood in a half-open doorway, clad only in a white nightshirt, and glanced frequently along the deserted street as if afraid of what lurked there. His forehead was covered with perspiration, despite the chill night. A woman’s voice from the darkness screamed, “ Tell them that the authorities have sworn you to secrecy.” A hectic cross-examination, however, broke down Lawrence’s reserve, and his confession poured out tumultuously, as though relieving himself. “ I was Mezler and Lopez. What I did in connection with the dumdum bullets was done from purely patriotic motives and not from personal gain or greed. The authorities know everything. Time will reveal that I am the most patriotic man in the country. My idea of obtaining dumdum bullets was to compare them with others, in order to reveal that those found in Abyssinia were not British.

“ The War Office authorities were satisfied with my explanation.” The * News-Chronicle ’ suggested that Lawrence might be charged with treason. He laughed nervously and declared that ** the authorities would not have returned my passport if they had contemplated arresting me.” This seemed to give him confidence, and he went on. hotly to repudiate that he was ever connected with the Zinoviev letter, adding, u X have, not seen Mr Ramsay MacDonald except in the pictures.” WIFE’S STORY.

Lawrence's wife, a young blonde, grey-eyed woman, full of charm but utterly weary, took up the story. She said that the strain was frightful. She had not slept for four nights. Her husband was always a patriot. He had gone to South Africa at an early age and was always ready for any adventure. He had been imprisoned as a result of participation in the Jameson raid, but when the Boer War had broken out he immediately joined the colours and was awarded two medals. After the Boer War he twice visited South America as the representative of h big mining firm, and learnt Spanish, which was the only foreign language he spoke. Her husband had had a most adventurous career, hut had not financially benefited. “We have been married 20 years. We never had any money. We opened a shop in Bournemouth in 1933, but lost our money. My husband learned a great deal about weapons while he was employed by big British armament manufacturers.

“ All through the episode of the dumdum bullets he worked in the closest conjunction with the Italian Embassy, which employed him. Before taking the job he wrote to the British Government saying that if he found the Italians working against Britain he would let them know.”

The wife added that the Italian Embassy assured him that bis work would have no bad effects on Britain, but they let him down in every way. They had not paid him a penny except expenses. “ The trouble with us is he is too trusting.” THE CHACO DISPUTE.

The ‘ News-Chronicle ’ learns that Lawrence’s interview with the Bate Company, at which he purchased the dumdum bullets, was not his first visit to the firm.

Mr Rawlings, the managing director, stated that Lawrence first came to see him towards the end of the Chaco war. He stated that he was concerned with the purchase of a number of rifles in connection with the dispute. The ‘ News-Clironicle ’ also understands that Lawrence was first known in London in 1918. He joined revolutionary organisations and gained the confidence of Left politicians. He offered Mr W. P. Watson, president of the London Workers’ Committee, £SO to get 250,000 seditious leaflets printed. Watson refused.

The ‘ Daily Herald ’ understands that the Mezler episode is merely an incident in a vast Italian underground propaganda campaign against Britain, covering every section of the Empire.

The ‘ Daily Mail ’ says that Lawrence’s parents are Polish. He became a secret service agent in 1919 at Constantinople, when he was suspected of being in touch with the Communist Internationale. Orloff, head of Denikin’s secret service, swore to kill him. Lawrence escaped jn a fishing boat from Odessa. The British authorities recognised him when he went to Mr Ramsay MacDonald offering for a specified sum to produce the author of the Zinoviev letter. ITALIAN EMBASSY WARNED BY FOREIGN OFFICE. LONDON, May 23. The ‘ Daily Herald ’ says that the Foreign Office has informed the Italian Embassy that its methods are under scrutiny, and will be exposed in the event of further trouble, STATEMENT BY CONSUL The Italian Consul for New Zealand has made the following statement: — With a Note dated April 30, accompanying 48 enclosures, the Italian Government has notified the League of Nations of many cases in which dumdum bullets were ilsed by the Ethiopian troops during all phases of lire recent ponffiet, JThe K°.te specified

tlw dates, localities, names of the wounded, medical declarations, photographs, radio photographs of Wounded, photographs of the chips of the bullets that had been extracted from the wounds, also photographs of dumdum bullets captured still wrapped in initialled packets. Another Note of the same date, containing several other elements giving convincing .evidence that a British firm could, and did, without the knowledge of the British Government, supply dumdum bullets to the Ethiopian Government, was sent to the League by the Italian Government. But it having appeared that some element of this second Note, though materially authenticated, could give grounds for inopportune polemics, the Italian Government has decided to withdraw it with the object of contributing towards a clearance of the polw final atmosphere.