Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-01-01
BY JAMES ]. MONTAGUE

got the lQea Oh my lie, MIKE,
said the movie sI.'oducer. "l been
reading where educators say that if the
screen was only educational, they could
use it lot in their business. Well
some of the big film producers has
made educational movies for 'etn, and
what has hap1 1aned? The kids take
one look at 'ern, and then begin pastin'
each other with paper wads AS soon
as school lets out they chase across
the street to a regular movie palace,
where they can see what they like
comedy or heart interest, it don't make
no difference to them, just so it amt
educational.
''That wouldn't hurt any, of course,
if the teachers and parents associa-
tions wasn't always crabbin' about the
kind of stuff we give 'em, and insist
ing that we do something that will
uplift the childish mind. They amt
doing much harm, but still if they
keep on, there is no telling what the
effect will be. In some towns where
there are sap councilmen, they might
succeed in getting tough censorship
and we don't want no reform move
ment going on that win hurt the gate
receipts. .i
''I been figuring on way to meet
all objections and at the same time
put on some pictures that would get
the money. And the other day I got
the ideas was waiting in dentists
office for my turn in the chair, and
1 picked tp a book that the patient
just ahead of me had left on the table
1t was about a fellow named Kahn,
that one time was ruler of practically
all the world. Yes Kahn is right
the book said so, and besides that I've
heard of him before somewhere. 1t
seems an Italian named Polo took into
his head togmake a trip into Asia a
long time back-before Columbus had
discovered America And while he was
travelling, what should he bump into
one day but palace about three times
as big as an exposition building and
all surrounded by bridges and forts
and soldiers.
"He managed some way to crash in
without getting shot or stabbed, and
when Kahn heard there was a stranger
in the place from far-diStant cOun-
try, he sent for him and asked him
lot of questions about where he
came from, and what Europe was like
and how important the kings was
there. Polo was a wise guy, so he tolC
him that Europe was nothing much
compared to Cathay, which was the
name of the section of Asia where
Kahn had his chief palace, and tina
the kings was all two spots compared
to the man he was talkin' to. So hi
got a job as secretary or head of The
horse guards or something, and stucl
around for a long time, till at las
+ Kahn died, and he decided it WoJlC
be a pretty good time to trek fol
home, the crown prince being none toe
favorable to him, and plotting, prob
ably, to have his head cut off as soor
as he got AROUND to it, : vG
"Well, that's all there was to the
story as far as I read, but you coul6
easily 0put it into shape Kahn was
not only married, but he had three OF
four hundred wives, around the palace
and plenty more at other palaces thai
was scattered around the country sc
there wouldn't be. any lack Of prime
eSseS for Polo to fall in love with. s
so I have outlined a story for yol
to follow Have Polo teach Italian, o.
whatever language was used in then
days in Italy, to the crown princess
and have her fall for him hard. O.
course, that would start something i
it was known, for Kahn wouldn't wan
any outsider to break in and be on
of the royal family, no matter hov
much he liked him. And, of course
the prince would be sore, for fear tina
this smart outsider, who knew all abou
a lot of modern ways of making wal
would cop the kingdom off of him.
"You can easy work out the rest 0
it. Plots to kill Polo and all that
Sending him off to lead troops int
Siberia and other places, and thel
sending other armies out to- lick tn
troops so that Polo would come hom
licked and get in bad with the oil
man. Ordering him executed for trea
son when Kahn was out of town, ant
having the girl break in and save hin
at, the last moment, by surrounding
him with. her own private guard.
"There could be swell scenes between
Polo and the princess and old MAJ
Kahn, where Polo spoke UP and sait
even if he was an Italian he was Al
good as any Chink, and would maxi
the best son-in-law Kahn ever had
Then when. Kahn was ordered to thu
executioner's for getting too fresh, th'
girl could plead with the old man anc
get his sentence commuted to life i'm