The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
Jewish workmen in England.

For some yenrs the London newspapers
have opened their columns to complaints of
the influx of Russian Jews. 1t has been
alleged that, being contented with a much
lower standard of subsistence, these mini
grants accept much lower wages. and are,
consequently, driving British workmen
out of employment. 1t is further asserted
that, beingo of an inferior race. they become
dead weight on progress, and that their
dirty, immoral, and vicious habits have de-
moralizing effect on the people among whom
they live. These accusations are answered
in the Contemporary Re,icp by JOHN A.
DYCHE, who is himself a Jew, born in Rus
STA, and a tailor by trade. The answer Is
an effective one on the score both Of facts
and of logical deductions from them.
The writer begins by showing that the
number of alien immigrants into England
has been grossly exaggerated thus Whit
aker's Almanack for 1892 gives 100000 as
the figures for the previous year, and Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN has spoken of " tens of thou
sands" On the other hand, the reports of
the Board of Trade show that the total
number of aliens of all classes arriving in
England amounted in 1891 to about H..
600, in 1892 to IL 800. in 1893 to 5000,
and in 1894 to about 5000. Even of this
number not all become permanent settlers,
. good many leaving England after a few
years of residence either for the colonies
or for the United States. So much for
the volume of the Jewish immigration.
Now for its quality.
AS regards the Jewish STANDARD of com
fort, 1t is acknowledged that this does
not include 30 large a quantity of
alcoholic liquors as does that of the
British workman; on the other hand, 10
includes many things which the British
workman Is contented to do without. such
as medical attendance, good wearing ap-
parel, and gold ornaments. 1t is significant
that, in a Jewish family, the husband is
usually the sole bread winner; a Jewish
married woman is seldom to be found In a
factory or workshop. This, of course, would
be impossible, unless the Jewish workman
obtained higher instead of lower wages.
That his wages are higher Mr.. DYCHE Is
able to testify SO far as his own trade is con-
cerned. In Leeds, where 8 Oper cent. OF the
Jewish workmen are engaged in manufac-
turing second-class and ready.made cloth.
ing, their average wages are from ~ cents
- -''s '"s'S thooS Va IuS-
lishmen In the same trade are 10 cents an
hour. 1t appears that the Jewish workmen
confne themselves, for the most part, to
coat making, which is the most skilled
kind of tailoring, and that trousers and
waistcoats, which are paid for at a lower
rate, are made by English and Germans,
men and women. 1t is absurd, then, to
speak of the Jews taking work away from
the Englishmen, seeing hat the former
command higher wages.
1t appears, moreover, according to the
testimony of Mr.. CHARLES BooTH, that the
Wholesale clothing trade is not an invasion
on the employment of the English jour
neyman tailor, but an industrial discov-
cry made and applied by Jews about q
quarter Of a century ago. Formerly the
tailoring trade in England consisted of
only two grades, namely, flrst-class cloth
ing, made by hand and sold to people who
could afford to pay at least $25 for a suit.
and cheap ready-made clothing, made up