ACTIVITIES OF LOPEZ

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 23 May 1936, Page 7

ACTIVITIES OF LOPEZ

IN EMPLOY OF ITALIAN EMBASSY

DUAIDUAI BULLET LIE

■ (United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph-Copyright) LONDON, 21st May. The “Daily Herald” says that it lias been traced that Lopez’s 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 other since. He was formerly a music ball magician and was last week telling inquirers that he had met Colonel Alezler at a hotel in the Strand, hut that the Colonel had gone abroad. The facts are that Lawrence was living at Merton, a London suburb, at the address Mezler used in liis communications with tlie Abyssinian legation. Lawrence admitted his identity to the “Herald” after a two hours’ visit to tlie War Office, where lie fully revealed to intelligence officers his six months’ work for the Italian Embassy. Yet when Mr Arthur Henderson (Lab.) asked in the House of Commons if the police were aware of Lopez’s whereabouts, Sir John Simon, Home Secretary, replied, “I should not think so.” The “Herald” adds that Lawrence lias been in Merton for several months, except when he visited the firm of George Bates on 18th May at Birmingham. Lawrence said that the Italians did not pay him a penny apart from expenses. “That is why I broke away from them,” he said. LAST OF CASE NOT YET HEARD NO RESCUE OF AUSTRALIAN CAREER (Received 23rd May, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, 22nd May.

Neither tlie Victorian Attorney-Gene-ral nor Commonwealth officials have any record of Lawrence’s Australian career. Their aid was not sought in the inquiry leading up to Air Anthony’ Eden's exposure on 18th May. It is understood that Lawrence, as he is a British subject, cannot be deported from England, but inquiries at the War Office and Home Office indicate that the last of the case has not yet been heard. One peculiarity of the case is that, despite the activities of Lopez or Lawrence being so well known to British and foreign diplomacy, he was able to get away with the dumdum trick. Lawrence offered bis services impartially. Russian diplomats knew him at the time of the Zinovieff letter in 1924, when he was distrusted as an agent provocateur.

ITALIAN NOTE PUBLISHED BY THE LEAGUE (British Official Wireless) (Received 23rd May, 11-5 a.m.) RUGBY, 22ncl May. Tlie League of Nations to-day published tlie Italian Note concerning the use of dumdum bullets by the Abyssinian armies. Geneva press messages state that tlie Note and its accompanying illustrations refer to the British manufacture of illegal ammunition, _ some oi which came into the possession oi Italian troops. The full contents of the NVe have not reached London, but m view of the categorical statement made to the League by the British Government on 4th February, and repeated several times in the House of Commons, as well as of the description given by the 'Foreign Secretary (Mr Eden) in a Parliamentary statement of the resort to fabrication of evidence to support the allegations that illegal ammunition had been supplied by British interests t° the Abyssinian Government for military use, it is assumed that these allegations will not have been renewed. As’ to tlie presence of sporting ammunition ol British manufacture in Abyssinia, the Dosition was very fully explained in an earlier part of Air Anthony Eden’s last statement in the House. He reminded the House that in Abyssinia cai’trictges of all kinds had long been used by the inhabitants as currency, and that big game was hunted there and in adjacent territories. . He emphasised that neither the Britisi 'industry nor the British Government were responsible for these facts. Relevant considerations were, firstly, that strict control was exercised by the British Government over all exports of arms and ammunition, which required an export license for every consignment, and secondly, that no such license had been or would have been granted in respect to ammunition which was to he exported to a foreign Government, and which fell within the prohibitions of the Hague Convention. Air Eden recalled how in connection with a communication to the League in respect to former Italian allegations, that the British Government was able to show conclusively that Britishmade cartridges illustrated in the Italian evidence had been manufactured in some cases over 20 years ago.