"Murphy's Law" (1955)

[Sam Clements]

My head hurts when I try to read the posts on the ADS-L and the current state of the research.  

I think I tend to agree with Doug Wilson, that the "law" is generic, and possibly was attributed to many others prior to Murphy, who may be a bogey.

Fred Shapiro has aluded to this by saying that he has a 1941 cite which embodies the sentiment.  Just not called "Murphy's Law" at that point.

I just found a cite "Strauss' Law."  1955.  Another government official.

-Chicago Daily Tribune- 12 Feb. 1955, pg 5.  (using Proquest)

     >>Adm.(miral) Lewis L.Strauss has found himself in political turmoil more than once since he became chairman of the atomic energy commision, and he says that out of his troubles he has distilled enough experience to justify formulation of a new law of knowledge.
     >>"I hope it will be known as Strauss' law," he told a group recently. "It could be stated about like this:  If anything bad can happen, it probably will."

Sam Clements