Megntzu's First Families

The 40% of China's 400 millions who can read chuckled last week at vernacular newspaper accounts of a coup by the wily bandit chief of Megntzu. The 40% hastened to spread the story among their less literate brethren:

Two months ago envious rivals declared war on the sedate Governor of Yunnan Province, Hu Jao-yu. Governor Hu lacked troops. Practical, he contracted for aid with a bandit chief well spoken of in the interior, promised him the Prefecture of the City of Megntzu and a camel-load of Mexican silver dollars.

The combined forces of Governor and bandit quickly routed the enemy. But no sooner was the Governor secure than qualms attacked his conscience.

In the clear perspective of hindsight he saw that it was not only wrong for him as an official of the Chinese Nationalist Government to have paid a camel-load of silver dollars to a bandit, but also that it would be morally wrong to allow the bandit to continue to exist. Governor Hu firmly resolved to exterminate the fellow.

In Megntzu rumors of the Governors qualms and resolve reached the bandit chief. Wily, he sent banquet invitations to all the Best People in the city of which he had been made Prefect. Megntzu's socialites accepted. For in China, as some-times in Chicago, New York, Florida, bandits notoriously give the best dinners.*

Seated at the bandit's board when the banquet began were the District Magistrate of Megntzu, the Commander of the Megntzu garrison, the President of the Agricultural Society, the Director of the Megntzu Wireless Station, all the municipal department heads and business leaders of the community. Politely they praised the swallow's nest soup, deviled shark's fin, boneless lacquered duck, and vintage eggs. Deeply they drank of the bandit's excellent rice wine.

In the midst of a moving discourse by the President of the Megntzu Agricultural Society, bandit-soldiers rushed into the banquet hall. Roughly they herded the befuddled flower of Megntzu together, bundled them off to the railroad station, piled them aboard a train which chuffed off 200 miles inland to the end of the line. Cold sober now, the District Magistrate, the Garrison Commander, the Wireless Director and all their friends were forced to tramp over hard frozen roads to a cave high in the mountains. For their release the wily bandit of Megntzu demanded not one but four camel-loads of silver from the families of his guests.

In high indignation, relatives of the kidnaped elite of Megntzu wired qualm-wracked Governor Hu, blamed him, demanded that he pay the ransom.

*One of the most accomplished chefs at Miami Beach last winter was in the service of Alphonse (''Scarface Al") Capone, Chicago beer and bullet tycoon now jailed in Pennsylvania.

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