They were hardly innocent…

The times, I think. Back when the book was written, I think it was still legal for teachers to paddle kids for any reason. (I can't find the english word for it, but it was a kind of perforated paddle meant to bust out palms instead of asses) My guess is that, for that time's mindset it was okay for a corporate mogul to feed unruly guests to his machinery and whimsical manslaves.