Evening star., 1947-01-29
Ottawa's Spy Case
Even u S. Atomic Bomb Secrets Were Not Secure
From Soviet Military Intelligence
No. ;.
By Res Collier

Collier
.At about the same time Motinov las
sistant military attache) prepared
draft Of a telegram for zabotin to send
to Moscow which reads:
". As result OF experiments car
ried out with uranium 1t has been found
: that uranium may be used for filling
bombs, which Is already, in fact, being
done. The Americans have developed
wide research work, having invested in
this business ego million dollars"
The commission says that this tele-
gram apparently never was sent.
Ring Obtained Uranium Samples.
1t was around this period that 1t.
Angelov Of Russian military intelligence
approached DR.. May with a request for
a sample of uranium 235 and for Sin
formation as to the location of the
United States Atomic Bomb Plant" the
report asserts.
DR.. May had come to Canada from
London in 1914 as leader of research
group under the Canadian Atomic
Energy Project. The report states:
I'm the performance of his duties
May had access to a substantial amount
of knowledge of the work that was
being done in connection with the
Atomic Energy Project. The evidence
shows that before coming to Canada he
was an ardent but secret Communist
and already known to the authorities
in Moscow.
Not long after his arrival here he
was contacted on instructions from The
Director and given the cover name
Alex by the organization of Col. zapo-
tin. - On August 9, 1915, the following
telegram was sent to Moscow by Ia
potin:
""To the director-facts given by
Alex: Cd The test of the atomic bomb
was conducted in New Mexico with 49,
94-239). The bomb dropped on Japan
was made of uranium 235. 1t is known
that the output of uranium 235 amounts
to 400 grams daily at the magnetic sep
aration plant at Clinton. The output of
40 is likely two times greater (some
graphite units are planned for $50 mega
watts, i. e.. $50 grams each day.. The
scientific research work in this field Is
scheduled to be published, but without
the technical details. The Americans
already have published book on this
subject Alex handed over to us plati-
mum with 1862 micrograms of uranium
233 in the form of oxide in thin
lamina'"
Proximity Fuse Data Sought.
The report also says that May gave
the Russians data on proximity fuses,
which the agents called "electronic
shells being used by the American Navy
against Japanese suicide flyers"
In his confession DR.. May was quoted
as follows:
Il gave and had given very careful
consideration to correctness of making
sure that development of atomic energy
was not confined to the U. S. A. took
the very painful decision that 1t was
necessary to cover general information
on atomic energy and make sure 1t
was taken seriously. For this reason
I entertained the proposition by the
individual who called on me.
'At one meeting gave the man
microscopic amounts of U. 233 and U. 235
zone of each). The U. 235 was slightly
enriched sample and was in small
glass tube and consisted of about a
milligram of oxide. The U.233 was a
very thin deposit on platinum foil
and was wrapped in piece of paper
"I also gave the man written re-
port on atomic research as known to
me. This information was mostly of
4 character which has since been pub
lished or is about to be published. The
man also asked me about the U. S.
electronically controlled A. A. shells.
I knew very little about these and so
could give only very little inforn1a-
ton A*s
Money in Whisky Bottle.
"The man also gave me some dollars
Il forget how many in bottle of
whisky, and I accepted these against
my will =.
1.-THE whole affair was extremely
painful to me and I only embarked on
it because I felt this was contribution
I could make to the safety of mankind.
I certainly did not do it for gain"
In sentencing May to 10 years in
prison, Justice Oliver said:
"I have listened with some slight
surprise to some of the things which
your learned counsel has said he is en-
titled to put before me--the picture OF
YOU as a man of honor who had only
done what you believed to be right.
do not take that view of you at all.
How any man in your position could
have had the Grass conceit, let alone
the wickedness, to arrogate to himself
the decision of matter of this sort
when you yourself had given your writ
ten undertaking not to do it, and knew
it was one of the country's most precious
secrets, when you yourself had drawn
and were drawing pay for years to keep
your own bargain with your country
that you could have done this Is a
dreadful thing.
II think that you acted not as an
honorable but a dishonorable man. I
think you acted with degradation
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