Kidnapping Kidnappers

Only in China is kidnapping so common as in the U. S., but in China the prizes are seldom so rich, particularly since U. S. missionary societies have moved to discourage kidnapping by refusing to pay any ransoms whatever.* A rich prize is Capt. Charles Baker of Pasadena, who used to pilot a river boat from Shanghai up through the Yangtze rapids. In January he ran aground in Hupeh Province, somewhere near Kienli District which has a "Communist" bandit government. The Kienli bandits ferried Capt. Baker ashore, a most-valuable bit of salvage, and held him for ransom. Capt. Baker's friends promptly paid. This seemed so easy, the bandits of Kienli kept the money and the Captain, dangled their bait again & again. On one occasion the productive Captain was sent out into the middle of a river while his friends ferried $5.000 ashore from a Chinese gunboat. Then the Captain was jerked back and the gunboat did not dare fire for fear of killing him. Most recent note read: "You can't fool me. If you want to see Baker back I must have $25,000.

[Signed] The Presidium of the Soviet Government for Kienli District."

Last week Capt. Baker's friends persuaded the Nationalist government to take a strange step. Instead of paying more Baker ransoms, the Chinese Government agreed to try some kidnapping too. Yangtze naval patrols were ordered to raid Kienli villages, kidnap likely bandits in the hope of effecting a swap.

*For discussion of the ethics of ransom-paying, see p. 6.

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