TWENTY CENTS FEBRUARY 21, 1947

vol. xLIx N0, I

Life Membership The organization of ex-drinkers known Power (God, or whatevei Force ihe memas Alcoholics Anonymous last week was ber prefers) for strength to resist the rounding out its twelfth year. Taking compulsion to drink. Founder Bill, destock, it found that it had 35,ooo members scribing his “spiritual awakening,,, said: and r,zoo chapters (including outposts “I felt lifted up, as though the griat clean .in Canada and Latin America). It was wind of a mountaintop blew through and picking up new members at the rate of through.” Psychiatrists, who use rnuch r,ooo a month. In the last few months, fancier words, describe the process as the A.A.’s stock among doctors and an esti: “use of a religious or spiritual force to attack the fundamental narcissism of the mated 75o,ooo U.S. alcoholics bad climbed alcoholic.” fast. An A.A. member’s self-treatment has A.A. was founded twelve years ago by tw.elve well-defined steps, Among other a still-anonl,rnous Manhattan stockbroker, things, he must admit that he cannot known only as BilI, and an alcoholic take it or leave it; he has got to quit cold. Akron doctor. The organization has no Members are ready, da! or night, to officers, no dues, no big funds (its small answer a desperate call for help from a Manhattan headquarters last year spent backsliding member. Secret of the A.A. only $35,ooo, donated by members). help: fellow. aleoholics do’not scold nor Pledged to help other alcoholics, members misunderstand an alcoholic who wants to do little proselyting, help only when they quit; they’know exactly what hurdles he are called on. Before A.A., all buL S% of. has to be helped over. alcoholics were considered hopeless. Of A.A.’s members, some 5o/6 never touch Urge *o Tolk. One of A.A.’s worries a drop after they join; z5/s get on the !s, preserving its members, anonymity. Members have a marked tendency io wagon after one or two slips. gossip and declare themselves. A.A. insists Cleqn Wind. A.A.’s me[hod (inspired on anonl,rnity as a reassurance to prospecby William James’s Varieties of Religious tive members. Women memberi (who Erperience) rests on au appeal to a Higher comprise about a third of A.A.) are another problem. A large proportion of women alcoholics drop out after a few months. _. As every Alcoholic Anonymous knows, “twelfth-step work” (helping other alcoholics) is one of the most important single factors in keeping members on the wagdn. No cure, the A.A. method is effec-tive gnly. a9 long as a member keeps ii up. An A.A. member is in for life. Those wlio quit usually go back to the bottle.