Without doubt the foreign Jews in the East End of London have been in some peril - though happily averted - during the past week owing to the sensationalism of which the district has been the centre. There has been forcibly brought home to us the genesis of the anti-Jewish outbreaks which still occasionally occur abroad, and which were not unknown in England in ancient times. It is so easy to inflame the popular mind when it is startled by hideous crime, that sensation- mongers incur a fearful responsibility when they add to the excitement by giving currency to every idle rumour. Of scarcely less prejudicial effect are such unbecoming observations as are reported to have been made on Wednesday by Mr. Saunders, the Magistrate at Worship Street Police Court.
(The following story cross references the one above and is included for background purposes only).
At the Worship Street Police Court on Wednesday, a man applied to Mr. Saunders on behalf of a Polish tailor for a summons for wages. - Mr. Saunders: Why doesn't the man speak for himself? - Applicant: He can't. - Mr. Saunders: Why not? - Applicant: He is a Pole. - Mr. Saunders: Well, then let him go to Poland.
The applicant was about to leave the box when the magistrate said he had better explain the matter. The man then said that the Pole's master - a Jewish tailor - had not paid his wages, and kept putting him off from week to week. - Mr. Saunders: The Pole has no business in this country. He is taking the bread out of the mouths of Englishmen. You may have a summons, but I hope you won't succeed.
The Daily News commenting upon the above says:- "This is hardly worthy of an intelligent Englishman, much less of a magistrate on the bench. Whether measures ought to be taken for checking the stream of foreign workmen into this country is a subject on which great diversity of opinion exists; but there ought to be no doubt among sensible persons that so long as we permit foreigners to settle among us they should be subject to the same laws and entitled to the same justice as Englishmen. Such observations from one in Mr. Saunders's position cannot possibly do any good; they may result in much mischief, and they ought to be deprecated by every man capable of taking more than the very narrowest view of international relationship."
