Moscow, July 19.
Serious trouble between German and Rumanian soldiers is reported by the Soviet Information Bureau. A clash is sid to have occurred in the sector of the Bessarabian front near Harlan. Drunken officers are alleged to have several Rumenian soldiers.—Exasporated Rumanian soldiers opened fire on a German camp. A battalion of Nazi infantry, brought out by an alarm. is said to have opened fire on neighbouring Rumanian units, The Information Bureau adds that seven Rumanian units have been disarmed by Germans and removed io the rear. The German High Command is said to be teking all steps to prevent knowledge of this sanguine ary incident spreading to other Rumanian units—Reuter-
Nefther of today's Russian communique makes any mention of the German claim to have captured the town of Smolensk itself, but they speak again of continuous fierce fighting in the Smolensk sector, Tt is in this region that the main German drive has been concentrated during the last few days. and the Germans have employed enormous masses of men and material. regardless of losses. against the stubborn Russian resistance, South of Leningrad, the Russians still refer to heavy fighting just south of Lake Peipus, The latest Russian communique on last night's fighting states:—"During the night of July 18, our troops continued intense fighting in the direction—of* Polotsk-Nevel, Smolensk and Bobruisk. In other sectors of the front, nothing of importance took place.
"Our air force during July 18 and during the night continued to destroy motorized and mechanized units of the enemy and to bomb enemy aircraft on their aerodromes. In addition to figures previously reported, during July 16/17 our air force destroyed 39 enemy planes, having lost 7 of our own during the same period. During July 18 our air force destroyed 32 enemy planes."
"Sorched Earth" Policy Meanwhile, further evidence of Stalin's "scorched earth" policy is supplied by the official German news agency, D.N.B.. which describes how a'small town captured from the Russians was a "smoking ruin."
The agency says:—"The small industrial town of Vaertsilae, which had been ceded to the Soviets, was the scene of violent fighting during the last few days, The nearer the Finns approached the town the more it was deliberately set aflame by the Bolshevists. After a heavy artillery battle, the town was captured by the Finns. In the meantime, it had become a smoking ruin. The Soviets had also blown up all bridges."
Damage at Ploesti Air-raid damage to oil plants at Ploesti. north of Bucharest, is estimated at 200000000 leis, 'A refinery burned for 18 hours and is now burnt Stalin's Son Said Captured Budapest, July 19.
The son of Josef Stalin, who was serving as a Lieutenant in an infantry regiment has been taken by the Germans, the Helsinki correspondent of the "Magyar Nemzet" reports.
The identification of the prisoner took some time, as he first gave his name as Jugashvili, which is Stalin's family name.—Havas Telemondial, out, according to a report from Ankara, Eighteen tanks and 200,000 tons of petroleum products were destroyed. In the opinion of exper! even if repair materials were avai able immediately, it would take six months to restore the damage. A neighbouring plant, belonging to Shell, was slightly damaged, An Istanbul message quoting travellers who have just left Russia says that Moscow is defended by 12 concertric rings of anti-aircraft guns and an army of several dozen divisions is massed behind Moscow.—Reuter, UK. Not After Profit,
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