RIVALS MATA HARI

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4834, 16 April 1936, Page 2

RIVALS MATA HARI

ETHIOPIAN WOMAN SPY. A woman spy, trained by Lawrence of Arabia—a beautiful Amharic, whose exploits rival those of Mata Hari — is the hidden hand behind many of the setbacks to Italy’s campaign in Abyssinia, writes a correspondent of the London Daily Chronicle from Addis Ababa on February 2. Disguised as a beggar woman, she penetrated the Italian lines a dozen times and obtained information which enabled the defenders to repulse the Italian troops with heavy losses. This disciple of Lawrence is Woezero Manen, who is now being hailed as the Joan of Arc of Abyssinia. To-day she was decorated with the Order of the Star of Ethiopia, the highest honour which can be bestowed for bravery and devotion' to duty in Abyssinia. Her remakable story was revealed to me by a high Court official. “When the Italo-Abyssinian crisis arose, Woezero Manen, who was living a life of comfort in America,” said' the official, “immediately rushed home. “Shortly after the outbreak of the Great War,” he said, “it was rumoured that Sidji-Yassou—then Emperor of Abyssinia—was negotiating to endanger Britain’s interests in Lake Tsana, the source of the Blue Nile, so the British Government sent the late Colonel T. S. Lawrence to Abyssinia to circumvent the intrigues of Sidji-Yassou. “Lawrence took the younger members of the Abyssinian artistocracy into his service; but one by one they were unmasked. Undeterred by the fate of other spies, Woezero Manen returned to Addis Ababa, and, entering the Court as a dancer, she soon attracted the attention of a high Court official. “From him she soon extracted the information which enabled Lawrence to expose the Emperor’s plans. SidjiYassou was deposed, and the lovely spy then began a life of wandering all over the world. “After the Wal-Wal incident, Woezero returned to Abyssinia,” said the offical, “and, disguised as an ugly little beggar woman, she entered Italian territory. “Treated contemptuously by native Italian troops and shunned by fastidious Italians, she wandered about freely among the Italian camps and aerodromes. “Her trained mind retained' information and details, which she reported to our officers, enabling us to make the plans to defeat the Italian invaders. “She returned to Addis Ababa, but a message from Geneva stating that details of Abyssinia’s secret pact with Japan had been stolen sent her on an expedition to Europe. Here she again saved her country by regaining the vital documents, which had been stolen by Italian agents. “Now the Emperor Haile Selassie has given her his highest favour.” „