Disquisition by Scripps, E.W., Addenda to Belligerent rights in class warfare, May 18, 1911

              Ohio University Libraries, E.W. Scripps Papers, MSS 117, Series 4, http://media.library.ohiou.edu/scripps
ADDENDA: PAGE I.
Since writing the above it has occurred to my mind that some
considerable portion of the public, even among the insurgents, might
condemn the author (whoever he is) of the Los Angeles Times buildir~
eXplosion for having aimed his blow in such a way as to destroy the
lives of innocent workingmen at the" same time that it destroyed only
the property of the enemy of union labor.
Such critics might complain at the clumsiness of the carelessness
or the heartlessness of the deed that left the person sitha eIieli1y'~1ifi:"'i~'~\'i;iC"!':
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scathed while it worked such execution runong his innocent servants.
One might well raise the question (having adopted the e~cl"of
warfare, on which are founded belligerent rights) as to which party; -­the
owner of the Los JDgeles Times, or hi s servants who suffered death-­were
most guilty in their conduct towards the party of revolution.
Otis, the owner of the Times, at least based his Whole conduct
upon a principle -- the morals of which principle _y be consideTEtd
by one party as good and by another bad. Still he wa.s contending
for a principle and all his actions were direct expressions of his
conviction of principles. It is quite probable that Otis has been as
willing to risk his life, liberty and happiness in his fi~)1t for prin­ciple
as his antagonists have been.
On the other hand, t~ victims of the explosion 'Were themssl vea
~bers of the working class and had voluntarily enlisted to serve
Otis :for pay in his warfare against all their fellovl workingmen. For
practical purposes the presumption must be that these seI""Jan-ts of Otis
were traitors to their kind ~~d received pay for their treachery.
In warfare it has always been recognized that the renegade in
case of capture was anti tIed to ha.rsher puni shment than that due the
ordinary antagonist.
But warfare has to be practical. The leaders of the amy of
the insurrection must 1 in order to be successful, strike the most, .
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