Moscow, Jan. 13.
It is officially announced that decisions to speed up Russia's defence industry have resulted in com lete reorganization of the Conmissariat for the Defence Industry, which is now to be divided into our separate Commissariats, namely, Aviation, Ship-Building, War Supplies and Armaments.
This step reflects the vast expansion of the Soviet Defence Industry following increases in the Army and Navy Budget which, last year, rose by 35 per cent. compared with that of 1937, and reached the equivalent of more than £1,000,000,000, including £400,000,- 000 for war industries—Reuter.
Ransom for Mr. Poletti Already Paid Peiping, Jan. 1:
Despite all investigations nothing had been discovered up to last night regarding the whereabouts of the Postal Commissioner, Mr. Poletti, who disappeared last Sunday, although the ransom demanded by the kidnappers was paid by the Government last Wednesday. People are disposed to believe that Mr. Poletti's abduction was due to political motives.
In the last few days, Chinese irregulars have been particularly active. Amony other exploits the "irregulars have attacked the Peiping-_Mukden and Peiping-Hankow zailways. The railway communication between Peiping and Tientsin was interrupted for 12 hours because, 1t is stated, Chinese regulars bad ton up the rails in sev places.—Trous Ocean.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.