Attack On Jews: Charge Of Seditious Libel

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 October 1947, Page 5

Attack On Jews: Charge Of Seditious Libel

(Recd. 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, October 13. James Gaunt, proprietor, publisher and editor of the Morecambe and Heysham Visitor, pleaded not guilty in the Morecambe Court to a summons of having’ published a, seditious libel in an antiJewish article. Gaunt was committed for trial.

Mr A. D. Gerrad, K.C., prosecuting, said the article complimented the Daily Express for publishing a picture of the bodies of the two British sergeants whom terrorists killed by hanging from trees in Palestine. It added that protests about its publication, which came from a number of British., Jews, were “blatant hypocrisy and face-saving propaganda.” “Howls of Horor” The article said: “Instead of rushing into print with howls of horror, they should disgorge their ill-gotten wealth in trying to dissuade their brothers in the United States from pouring out dollars to displace the entrance to Palestine of European Jewish scum, a proportion of whom will join the terrorist organisation, thus carrying on the murderous work which British Jewry professes to abhor.” | The article added that Jews were a plague to Britain. “Unless they are put in their place, they will do more harm to this fair isle than 10 economic crises. Violence may be the only way to bring them to a sense’ of their .responsibility to the country

in which they live.” ij Caunt, in defence, said he con- . sidered he did right to express an i honest opinion, whether palatable or ; not, if it was in the public interest. He added that his reference to vio- . lence was a warning to Jews about . what was likely to happen if they did ■ not alter their attitude towards the : Palestine terrorists. I Caunt denied that he incited people jto violence. He admitted the whole ' article was intended to be extremely I unpleasant to the Jewish community. He believed that if an analysis was made of- the people convicted of black market offences im Britain the Jewish 1 community would come out an easy first. i “Thin Edge of Wedge” I Mr G. O. Slade, K.C., for the defence, said it was a matter of free speeech. This was the thin edge- of | the w’edge. The court had an opportunity -to uphold the freedom of the press and to stop “this insidious attempt to restrict freedom of speech by the use of the ancient weapon of insidious libel.” Caunt was allowed bail in his own recognisance of £lOO.