“A Jew, I suppose?” This question, put by Sir Ernest Wild, K.C. to a witness at the Central Criminal Court, drew reproof from the Lord Chief Justice (Lord Reading) when the case came before the Court of Criminal Appeal. The question referred to a money-lender. “It creates on me,” said the Lord Chief Justice, “an unpleasant impression that it was not in the appellant’s favour that it was put.”
Sir Ernest Wild: - I did not intend to be insulting to Jews generally, but Your Lordship knows there are Jews just as there are Christians. Some Jew money-lenders are not people one would care to deal with if possible.
The Lord Chief Justice: - My experience is that that remark applies to all money-lenders. (Laughter.)
Mr. Justice Darling: - Only the other day in a case I was trying counsel asked a man whether he was not a Scotsman, obviously with the intention of discrediting him. (Laughter.) I took occasion to help him by saying, “Well so am I! (Laughter.)
The Lord Chief Justice: - I don’t think that question was understood in the same way as the question I am referring to. To ask a man if he is a Scotsman does not reflect on him, but there are people who imagine that when the question is asked, “Are you a Jew” it is intended to be prejudicial.
