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[00:00:00.680 – 00:00:01.540] My na– hi, everybody.

[00:00:01.540 – 00:00:03.240] My name is Dave Day, and I’m an alcoholic.

[00:00:03.240 – 00:00:04.170] Hi, Dave.

[00:00:04.170 – 00:00:13.979] And only because of God’s grace and the miracle of Alcoholics Anonymous, I have not found it necessary to nor have I taken a drink of an alcoholic nature since April the twentieth, nineteen sixty-seven.

[00:00:13.979 – 00:00:16.239] And for this, I am so thankful.

[00:00:16.239 – 00:00:26.520] And I wanna thank the committee for allowing this member of Alcoholics Anonymous and this member who rides and resides in the Northeast Texas area,

[00:00:26.520 – 00:00:34.460] uh, the privilege of sharing with you this morning, uh, a spiritual journey.

[00:00:34.460 – 00:00:44.839] Everything in Alcoholics Anonymous is a spiritual journey if we look at it in the manner in which AA suggests that we do,

[00:00:44.840 – 00:00:48.800] uh, because AA is one hundred percent spiritual, and that’s just the way it is.

[00:00:48.800 – 00:00:51.200] Thank God it’s not religious.

[00:00:51.200 – 00:00:52.680] Thank God it’s not a cult.

[00:00:52.680 – 00:01:01.460] Thank God it’s not a lot of other things that have torn societies asunder ever since mankind has been on the Earth.

[00:01:01.460 – 00:01:11.520] And the reason that Alcoholics Anonymous is here today and all the rest of them to help alcoholics have either gone by the wayside, the largest one that remains came over on

[00:01:11.520 – 00:01:12.260] the Mayflower.

[00:01:12.260 – 00:01:17.880] And, uh, it’s up in Massachusetts, and they only have around about eighteen hundred members.

[00:01:17.880 – 00:01:22.360] And they all got away from the one thing, and that is the primary purpose.

[00:01:22.360 – 00:01:32.360] They tried to be all things for all people, and it just doesn’t work for our kind of people because we tried to be everything and everybody before we got here,

[00:01:32.360 – 00:01:33.960] and we found out we were nobody.

[00:01:33.960 – 00:01:41.240] And as long we be that way with that attitude, our chances of remaining sober are pretty doggone good.

[00:01:41.240 – 00:01:48.440] My role this morning will be at– at– I’m gonna talk about the writing and the history of the book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:01:48.440 – 00:01:51.480] And basically, it’s basically the early history of AA.

[00:01:51.480 – 00:01:57.220] And the talking about writing a book first started in the living room of Dr.

[00:01:57.220 – 00:01:59.899] Bob and Anne Smith in Akron.

[00:01:59.899 – 00:02:05.220] And Bill had landed in Akron in the summer of nineteen hundred and thirty-five.

[00:02:05.220 – 00:02:09.039] And a, and a little group got started, and Bill helped Dr.

[00:02:09.039 – 00:02:10.420] Bob briefly with it.

[00:02:10.420 – 00:02:11.560] And Dr.

[00:02:11.560 – 00:02:16.500] Bob went on to found what, what was the first AA group in the world.

[00:02:16.500 – 00:02:20.200] Now in those days, it was not called, uh, Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:02:20.200 – 00:02:21.640] It was not an AA group.

[00:02:21.640 – 00:02:28.220] It was just a group of anonymous alcoholics that were groping their way and finding a way to live sober.

[00:02:28.220 – 00:02:35.720] And as a result of it, uh, a-as it was with new groups, it was nearly all failure.

[00:02:35.720 – 00:02:41.380] But now and then, somebody would see the light, and there was progress.

[00:02:41.380 – 00:02:48.140] And Bill went back to New York with a little experience, and he started a group in New York City, the Manhattan group.

[00:02:48.140 – 00:02:57.380] And by the time nineteen thirty-seven rolled around, AA had spread over into Cleveland and began to s- move south from New York City.

[00:02:57.380 – 00:03:07.440] But it still, in those years, uh, m- was more or less flying blind, a flickering candle indeed that at any moment could be snuffed

[00:03:07.440 – 00:03:07.820] out.

[00:03:07.820 – 00:03:12.440] On a late fall afternoon in nineteen thirty-seven in Akron, Dr.

[00:03:12.440 – 00:03:14.880] Bob and Bill were talking together in Dr.

[00:03:14.880 – 00:03:19.940] Bob’s living room, and they began to count sober noses.

[00:03:19.940 – 00:03:27.420] How many people had stayed dry in Akron, in New York, and maybe a few in Cleveland?

[00:03:27.420 – 00:03:30.880] How many had stayed dry, and for how long?

[00:03:30.880 – 00:03:37.800] And when all this was totaled up, sure, it was just a handful, thirty-five or forty maybe.

[00:03:37.800 – 00:03:48.360] But enough time had elapsed on enough really fatal cases of alcoholism so that when Bill and Bob grasped the impact of those small statistics,

[00:03:48.360 – 00:03:58.500] Bill and Bob saw for the first time, and they really began to believe that this thing was going to succeed, that God in His providence and mercy

[00:03:58.500 – 00:04:08.600] had thrown a new light into the dark caves and tunnels where our kind had been and were and are still living today by the millions.

[00:04:08.600 – 00:04:18.660] And if you don’t believe it, all you have to do is read our surveys, and you will find the smallest percentage that have

[00:04:18.660 – 00:04:24.940] come to Alcoholics Anonymous come through our blurbs on television and radio.

[00:04:24.940 – 00:04:30.140] A drunk at, at, at two o’clock in the morning, he’s not watching television.

[00:04:30.140 – 00:04:35.320] He’s wake up and come through, and they got the test pattern comes on the television.

[00:04:35.320 – 00:04:43.620] He’s not let– and if it says, “Do you have a drinking problem?” If he’s got a clicker, he’ll click it off, and if he doesn’t, he’ll kick the screen out.

[00:04:43.620 – 00:04:45.280] Yeah.

[00:04:45.280 – 00:04:46.980] None of us had a drinking problem before.

[00:04:46.980 – 00:04:48.350] You know when you got a drinking problem?

[00:04:48.350 – 00:04:51.920] When you run out of alcohol when you’re drinking, that’s when you got a drinking problem.

[00:04:51.920 – 00:04:54.860] And so as– and Bill and Dr.

[00:04:54.860 – 00:05:04.940] Bob, as they began talking and reflecting, they even thought there were a couple score, uh, even though there are a couple score of members, it had taken three long years.

[00:05:04.940 – 00:05:11.120] Sure, there were a lot of failures, but it had taken three long years to sober up only a handful.

[00:05:11.120 – 00:05:20.740] Now, how could this handful carry its message to all of those who still did not know?

[00:05:20.740 – 00:05:26.840] And after all, not all of the drunks in the world could come to Akron or in New– to New York City.

[00:05:26.840 – 00:05:32.220] So how could they transmit the message to them, and by what means?

[00:05:32.220 – 00:05:37.580] And Bill and Bob thought that maybe they should go to the old-timers i-i-in the groups.

[00:05:37.580 – 00:05:40.200] Now in those days, everybody was an old-timer.

[00:05:40.200 – 00:05:42.080] A drunk would come in.

[00:05:42.080 – 00:05:43.500] He’d be sober two days.

[00:05:43.500 – 00:05:44.540] A new one come in.

[00:05:44.540 – 00:05:47.340] The one sober two days would be the new one’s sponsor.

[00:05:47.340 – 00:05:51.640] Three days later, the sponsor would get drunk, and the new one would be his sponsor.

[00:05:51.640 – 00:06:01.760] And then they said, “And also find a sum of money, somebody else’s money.” And say to them, “Now take a year off from your job if you have a job.” None

[00:06:01.760 – 00:06:02.820] of them had any job.

[00:06:02.820 – 00:06:07.996] And you go to all parts of the country, and during this year, and get groups started.

[00:06:07.996 – 00:06:12.156] Now, hospitals in those days were not too happy with drunks.

[00:06:12.156 – 00:06:18.096] They used to sneak them in with stomach trouble and everything else, and it’d disrupt everybody.

[00:06:18.096 – 00:06:23.636] And they’d set the beds on fire smoking cigarettes, and they’d drink the rubbing alcohol.

[00:06:23.636 – 00:06:32.626] And they’d put on them paper shoes and shuffle down the hall with that Thorazine shuffle and holler and scream, “Nurse!” And it was hard on the heart patients.

[00:06:32.626 – 00:06:38.656] And they didn’t want to fool with them, you know, because the drunks were being such unloving creatures.

[00:06:38.656 – 00:06:48.716] So it became obvious, you know, that, uh, that, uh, they thought, well, they’re gonna have to have a great chain of hospitals, sort of like chain

[00:06:48.716 – 00:06:51.876] drugstores, chain grocery stores, chain department stores.

[00:06:51.876 – 00:07:01.356] Because back in those days, as it’s coming off of the Depression, the only businesses that were making any money were the chain grocery stores and the chain department stores.

[00:07:01.356 – 00:07:04.536] So why not then have a chain of drunk tanks?

[00:07:04.536 – 00:07:07.056] And then they could really make the money.

[00:07:07.056 – 00:07:14.616] Then they decided that they need to have some missionaries, subsidized, of course, by this chain of drunk tanks.

[00:07:14.616 – 00:07:21.176] And Bill, being the Wall Street promoter, was far more insistent about these two deeds than Dr.

[00:07:21.176 – 00:07:21.716] Bob.

[00:07:21.716 – 00:07:25.676] And after all, it’ll take a lot of money to finance all this.

[00:07:25.676 – 00:07:35.696] And after all, with all this brand-new light shining in this dark world, all they would have to do is squirt it in the eyes of the rich people, and the rich

[00:07:35.696 – 00:07:37.256] people would kick in the money.

[00:07:37.256 – 00:07:44.656] Besides, they also reflected, they would have to get a, some kind of stand or some kind of literature.

[00:07:44.656 – 00:07:50.716] Now, up to this moment, not a syllable, not a single word of this program was in writing.

[00:07:50.716 – 00:07:58.936] It was a sort of a, a, you know, word-of-mouth deal with variations according to each man’s or, or woman’s fancy.

[00:07:58.936 – 00:08:04.056] In a general way, this was the pitch: booze has got you down.

[00:08:04.056 – 00:08:10.016] You’ve got an allergy and an obsession, and if you have it, then you are hopeless.

[00:08:10.016 – 00:08:15.336] Take stock, and if you are, then you’d better get honest with yourself.

[00:08:15.336 – 00:08:16.636] Take stock.

[00:08:16.636 – 00:08:25.236] You ought to talk this out with someone else, and you ought to make restitutions for the harms that you did, and you ought to make amends.

[00:08:25.236 – 00:08:31.036] And you prayed the best you could according to your belief, if you had any belief.

[00:08:31.036 – 00:08:35.916] And that was the sum of the word of the mouth of the program up to that time.

[00:08:35.916 – 00:08:39.336] Now, variations of that was already appearing.

[00:08:39.336 – 00:08:45.396] So Bill and Bob got to thinking, how could they unify this thing?

[00:08:45.396 – 00:08:54.556] Could they, out of their experience, get certain principles and describe certain methods that had done the job for them?

[00:08:54.556 – 00:09:04.676] So it became obvious that if this movement was ever to propagate itself, it had to have literature, so its message could not be garbled either by the drunks

[00:09:04.676 – 00:09:06.476] or by the general public.

[00:09:06.476 – 00:09:16.476] And one of the biggest challenges that we have within Alcoholics Anonymous right this very tick of time, and also all over the world, that there are hundreds of thousands of members who do not

[00:09:16.476 – 00:09:21.076] know what Alcoholics Anonymous is not, that we’re not all things for all people.

[00:09:21.076 – 00:09:24.936] And consequently, it gets out into the world, and the world gets garbled.

[00:09:24.936 – 00:09:34.976] And then we start griping because the world starts sending us people with bulimia, with smoking problems, with underweight problems, with sex problems, anything other than

[00:09:34.976 – 00:09:35.436] alcohol.

[00:09:35.436 – 00:09:45.856] We are the ones that are responsible because we do not project in a lot of areas, right here in Dallas, Texas, or anywhere else,

[00:09:45.856 – 00:09:48.816] who we are, but more important, what we are not.

[00:09:48.816 – 00:09:55.556] That’s one of the purposes of the conference.

[00:09:55.556 – 00:09:59.456] That’s one of the purposes of the service structure of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:09:59.456 – 00:10:04.696] And so they had to have missionaries, a chain of drunk tanks, and a book.

[00:10:04.696 – 00:10:07.416] And even in that early day, both Bill and Dr.

[00:10:07.416 – 00:10:17.866] Bob began to learn they were not the government of Alcoholics Anonymous, and that is a spirit, one of the most powerful spiritual actions that we have in Alcoholics

[00:10:17.866 – 00:10:27.636] Anonymous, that today we don’t have but one authority, and that is a loving God, as each of us have the freedom to understand that loving God or a power greater than ourselves.

[00:10:27.636 – 00:10:33.636] And Bob perhaps realized it more than Bill because Bob was of a different nature.

[00:10:33.636 – 00:10:43.656] Already, they already realized that the conscience of the group, the opinion of the group, when it was in, an informed opinion in the group’s best

[00:10:43.656 – 00:10:46.816] interest, it could be better than both Dr.

[00:10:46.816 – 00:10:47.906] Bob and Bill’s.

[00:10:47.906 – 00:10:52.616] So they thought it would be better to consult people.

[00:10:52.616 – 00:10:54.296] A non-alcoholic by the name of T.

[00:10:54.296 – 00:10:59.336] Henry Williams and his wife, Clarice, let the Akron bunch meet in their home.

[00:10:59.336 – 00:11:09.016] So a meeting was called by the Akron group, that is, those who had been sober any length of time, and they managed to scrape up about 18.

[00:11:09.016 – 00:11:19.096] Bill and Bob told them that they were within sight of success, that they thought that this, uh, deal would go on and on and on and

[00:11:19.096 – 00:11:21.996] on, that a new light was shining in their dark world.

[00:11:21.996 – 00:11:27.136] But how could this light be transmitted without being distorted or garbled?

[00:11:27.136 – 00:11:30.256] At this point, the meeting was turned over to Bill.

[00:11:30.256 – 00:11:40.296] And Bill, being a salesman and a promoter, uh, he started arguing about that it, he said he got a right to work on this business of, of drunk

[00:11:40.296 – 00:11:45.836] tanks and subsidies for missionaries, and they touched a little, maybe, on a book.

[00:11:45.836 – 00:11:52.536] And the group conscience, which consisted of 18 men, were darn skeptical about it all.

[00:11:52.536 – 00:11:57.096] Almost with one word, they said, “Let’s keep it simple.

[00:11:57.096 – 00:12:00.156] This is going to bring money into this thing.

[00:12:00.156 – 00:12:10.568] This is going to create a professional class, and we’ll all be ruined.” Bill countered by admitting that their arguments had merit, but he also reminded

[00:12:10.568 – 00:12:13.088] them that alcoholics were dying like flies.

[00:12:13.088 – 00:12:17.168] So how were they going to carry this message to others?

[00:12:17.168 – 00:12:21.128] He reminded them that they had to take some kind of chances.

[00:12:21.128 – 00:12:31.368] He said, “We cannot keep it so simple that it becomes an anarchy and thus gets complicated.” And he said, “We can’t keep it so simple

[00:12:31.368 – 00:12:41.848] that it will not propagate itself, and that we have to have a lot of money to do these things.” And after Bill had exerted his cunning to his utmost,

[00:12:41.848 – 00:12:49.228] they finally got a vote in that meeting, and a close vote at that, by just a majority of two or three.

[00:12:49.228 – 00:12:59.228] Then the meeting turned to Bill and said, and also with some reluctance, and said, “Well, if we need a lot of money, you better go back to

[00:12:59.228 – 00:13:06.368] New York City, where that’s where all the money is, and you raise it.” And, and we find that in AA.

[00:13:06.368 – 00:13:16.618] You’ve got to be very careful when you get up in front of your group and you’re gonna make a suggestion, and somebody says, “Okay, you’re the chairman.” Mm-hmm.

[00:13:16.618 – 00:13:19.908] And that was exactly what Bill wanted to hear.

[00:13:19.908 – 00:13:22.108] That’s what he had been waited for.

[00:13:22.108 – 00:13:30.628] So he scrammed back to New York City, and he began to approach some people with money and to describe this tremendous thing that had happened.

[00:13:30.628 – 00:13:34.128] But it didn’t seem so tremendous to people with money.

[00:13:34.128 – 00:13:39.108] And after all, why, they said, thirty-five or forty drunks sobered up?

[00:13:39.108 – 00:13:42.148] Why, they’ve sobered them up before.

[00:13:42.148 – 00:13:43.868] And, you know, and besides, Mr.

[00:13:43.868 – 00:13:48.588] Wilson, they told him, “Don’t you think that that’s kind of like sweeping up the crumbs?

[00:13:48.588 – 00:13:58.588] Wouldn’t something for the Red Cross or the Salvation Army or for the church missions be better?” And with all of Bill’s cunning, he got

[00:13:58.588 – 00:14:02.268] one heck of a freeze from the gentlemen of wealth.

[00:14:02.268 – 00:14:05.028] And things were rough in New York City.

[00:14:05.028 – 00:14:07.688] They were starving to death on Clinton Street.

[00:14:07.688 – 00:14:14.528] Drunks were eating the Wilsons out of house and home, for in those days, they never charged anybody for anything.

[00:14:14.528 – 00:14:24.688] And Lois, Bill’s wife, was the only one working, and she was earning the money working in a department store while Bill was being a missionary, and the drunks were eating

[00:14:24.688 – 00:14:25.828] the meals.

[00:14:25.828 – 00:14:27.048] And that couldn’t go on.

[00:14:27.048 – 00:14:34.968] Bill kept plugging away to get them drunk tanks, and he’s got to have them missionaries, and we’re going to have some kind of a book.

[00:14:34.968 – 00:14:40.228] One morning, Bill called on his brother-in-law, a physician by the name of Dr.

[00:14:40.228 – 00:14:50.488] Leonard Strong, and he started to bellyache about how those rich guys wouldn’t give him any money, this great and glorious enterprise that was well

[00:14:50.488 – 00:14:51.328] on its way.

[00:14:51.328 – 00:14:53.448] It seems, however, that Dr.

[00:14:53.448 – 00:14:59.428] Strong knew a man that was tied up with the Rockefeller family and their charities.

[00:14:59.428 – 00:15:09.508] And he asked Bill if he wanted to, let’s call up, uh, the Rockefeller offices and see if that man was still there, and if he’s

[00:15:09.508 – 00:15:12.348] alive, and if he is, will he see us?

[00:15:12.348 – 00:15:17.808] Well, Bill hadn’t tried the Rockefeller offices yet, so they agreed to give him a ring.

[00:15:17.808 – 00:15:22.588] Oh, on what slender threads our destinies sometimes hang.

[00:15:22.588 – 00:15:27.288] Remember, Bill’s brother-in-law said he knew– he didn’t tell him.

[00:15:27.288 – 00:15:37.348] Now, the reason he knew this man, that in high school, he went with this girl, and she had an uncle, and her uncle was tied

[00:15:37.348 – 00:15:40.048] up with the Rockefeller’s family, and he met Mr.

[00:15:40.048 – 00:15:40.888] Richardson.

[00:15:40.888 – 00:15:49.608] And then he, of course, over a period of times, and he says, and what’s interesting, and I think she had an uncle.

[00:15:49.608 – 00:15:53.868] So the call was made, and a voice came on the wire, the voice of Mr.

[00:15:53.868 – 00:16:00.228] Willard Richardson, one of the loveliest gentlemen that Bill and Alcoholics Anonymous was to know.

[00:16:00.228 – 00:16:01.628] And the moment Mr.

[00:16:01.628 – 00:16:11.308] Richardson recognized Bill’s brother-in-law, he said, “Why, Leonard, where have you been all these years?” And after a few exchanges, Dr.

[00:16:11.308 – 00:16:12.708] Strong explained to Mr.

[00:16:12.708 – 00:16:22.747] Richardson that he had brought a, that he had a brother-in-law who was having success in sobering up drunks, and could the both of

[00:16:22.747 – 00:16:24.088] them come up and see him?

[00:16:24.088 – 00:16:25.247] “Sure,” said Mr.

[00:16:25.247 – 00:16:25.908] Richardson.

[00:16:25.908 – 00:16:30.528] “Come right over.” So they went over to the Rockefeller Plaza and right into Mr.

[00:16:30.528 – 00:16:34.328] Rockefeller’s personal offices and asked to see Mr.

[00:16:34.328 – 00:16:35.208] Richardson.

[00:16:35.208 – 00:16:36.908] And after meeting Mr.

[00:16:36.908 – 00:16:47.148] Richardson, Bill sat down and told him about their exciting discovery, this terrific cure for alcoholism that had just hit the world,

[00:16:47.148 – 00:16:49.628] how it works, and what they had done.

[00:16:49.628 – 00:16:57.968] And this was the first receptive man with money or access to money and, that they had contacted.

[00:16:57.968 – 00:16:59.428] And above all, perhaps Mr.

[00:16:59.428 – 00:17:00.368] Rock- John D.

[00:17:00.368 – 00:17:04.348] Rockefeller Jr.’s best personal friend, because Mr.

[00:17:04.348 – 00:17:09.888] Richardson was not only his executive secretary, he was also his spiritual advisor.

[00:17:09.888 – 00:17:11.248] And so Mr.

[00:17:11.248 – 00:17:14.088] Richardson said, “Why, yes,” he was much interested.

[00:17:14.088 – 00:17:17.028] Then he asked Bill to have lunch with him.

[00:17:17.028 – 00:17:20.308] And for a rising promoter, Bill thought things were looking up.

[00:17:20.308 – 00:17:23.088] During lunch, they went over the deal again.

[00:17:23.088 – 00:17:29.968] And after lunch, he asked Bill if he would like to have a larger meeting with some of his friends.

[00:17:29.968 – 00:17:30.868] There’s Mr.

[00:17:30.868 – 00:17:31.908] Frank Amos.

[00:17:31.908 – 00:17:37.848] He’s in the advertising business, and he was on the committee that recommended, um, John D.

[00:17:37.848 – 00:17:38.808] Rockefeller Jr.

[00:17:38.808 – 00:17:41.288] to drop his prohibition business.

[00:17:41.288 – 00:17:42.608] And then there was Mr.

[00:17:42.608 – 00:17:47.108] Leonard Chipman, who looked after all of the Rockefeller real estate.

[00:17:47.108 – 00:17:48.508] And there was Mr.

[00:17:48.508 – 00:17:58.388] Scott, chairman of the board of the Riverside Church, the Rockefeller Church, and a number of people like this, and that he believed that they would like to hear this story.

[00:17:58.388 – 00:18:05.108] And so on a winter’s night, a meeting was held in New York City in nineteen thirty-seven.

[00:18:05.108 – 00:18:08.408] Actually, it was the first week in December of nineteen thirty-seven.

[00:18:08.408 – 00:18:12.568] Called in post haste for this meeting were a couple of drunks and Dr.

[00:18:12.568 – 00:18:13.828] Bob from Akron.

[00:18:13.828 – 00:18:18.248] Bill came in with the New York bunch, four or five.

[00:18:18.248 – 00:18:19.588] The meeting was held in Mr.

[00:18:19.588 – 00:18:20.228] John D.

[00:18:20.228 – 00:18:22.748] Rockefeller Jr.’s personal boardroom.

[00:18:22.748 – 00:18:28.268] And r- Bill really got excited when he was told that he was sitting in Mr.

[00:18:28.268 – 00:18:30.948] Rockefeller’s chair, just vacated by Mr.

[00:18:30.948 – 00:18:35.908] Rockefeller, and Bill just felt that money coming right up and into his hip pockets, you know.

[00:18:35.908 – 00:18:36.768] Dr.

[00:18:36.768 – 00:18:42.468] Silkworth was also there, and he testified what he had seen happen.

[00:18:42.468 – 00:18:52.608] And each drunk, thinking of nothing better to say, each told their story of their drinking, of what it used to be like, and what it was like then, and how

[00:18:52.608 – 00:18:53.528] what came about.

[00:18:53.528 – 00:19:03.828] And still, and that’s where the format started, and still today, the best message that any of us can carry to anyone else,

[00:19:03.828 – 00:19:09.288] and that is what it used to be like, what happened, and how it is now.

[00:19:09.288 – 00:19:17.828] Because that is living experience and not theory, and we don’t have to get, uh, into all that other stuff.

[00:19:17.828 – 00:19:22.188] And that’s where the format started, and thank God that it did.

[00:19:22.188 – 00:19:23.508] I don’t mind telling you.

[00:19:23.508 – 00:19:33.568] And then, uh, after seeing that, uh, that these good new friends were kind of interested, uh, you know, and Bill started putting

[00:19:33.568 – 00:19:42.448] on the big touch by bringing up the subject of drunk tanks, of subsidized missions, and this question of a book or literature.

[00:19:42.448 – 00:19:47.228] Well, God moves in mysterious ways and His wonders to perform.

[00:19:47.228 – 00:19:49.968] But it certainly didn’t look like a wonder to Bill when Mr.

[00:19:49.968 – 00:20:00.008] Scott, head of a large engineering firm, chairman of the Riverside Church, looked at this bunch of drunks and said, “But, gentlemen, up to

[00:20:00.008 – 00:20:05.288] this point, this has been the work of goodwill only.

[00:20:05.288 – 00:20:13.488] No buildings, no property, no paid people, just one carrying the good news to the next.

[00:20:13.488 – 00:20:23.848] Is that not true?” And then he said, and he dropped his bombshell, “And may it not be that that is where the great power of this society

[00:20:23.848 – 00:20:28.248] lies?” And it certainly has turned out to be the truth.

[00:20:28.248 – 00:20:32.528] It certainly has.

[00:20:32.528 – 00:20:38.908] “Now,” he said, “if we subsidize this, might it not alter its whole character?

[00:20:38.908 – 00:20:41.588] We want to do all we can.

[00:20:41.588 – 00:20:43.148] We are gathered here for that.

[00:20:43.148 – 00:20:46.788] But would it be wise?” Then all the drunks gave Mr.

[00:20:46.788 – 00:20:52.828] Scott the, the rush and said, “Why, there are only forty of us, and it’s taken three long years.

[00:20:52.828 – 00:21:03.388] Why, millions will rot before this thing gets to them, unless we have money, and a lot of money.” So one of the businessmen volunteered to investigate

[00:21:03.388 – 00:21:04.608] them very carefully.

[00:21:04.608 – 00:21:07.248] And since, uh, poor old Dr.

[00:21:07.248 – 00:21:17.548] Bob was harder up at the time than Bill, and since the first group was in a typical community situation in Akron, the drunks directed

[00:21:17.548 – 00:21:20.708] their, t- to the businessman his attention out there.

[00:21:20.708 – 00:21:25.658] And Frank Amos, who later became a trustee on the old Alcohol-

[00:21:25.757 – 00:21:33.717] ic Foundation, at his own expense, went out to Akron, made all the inquiries about Dr.

[00:21:33.717 – 00:21:39.357] Bob, and all the reports were good, except that he was a drunk who had recently got over it.

[00:21:39.357 – 00:21:42.657] He visited the little meeting in Akron.

[00:21:42.657 – 00:21:49.097] He went to the Smiths’ home, and he came back with what he thought was a very modest project.

[00:21:49.097 – 00:21:55.557] And he recommended, they could recommend a token amount of money at first, $50,000.

[00:21:55.557 – 00:21:58.456] And that would clear off the mortgage on Dr.

[00:21:58.456 – 00:22:04.717] Bob’s house, would get the drunks in Akron a little rehabilitation place, put Dr.

[00:22:04.717 – 00:22:13.957] Bob in charge, subsidize a few of these people, start a chain of hospitals, a few missionaries, and maybe get busy on the book.

[00:22:13.957 – 00:22:15.917] However, Mr.

[00:22:15.917 – 00:22:18.617] Richardson took that report into John D.

[00:22:18.617 – 00:22:21.617] Jr., who read the report and told Mr.

[00:22:21.617 – 00:22:27.277] Richardson, “Somehow I’m strangely stirred by all of this.

[00:22:27.277 – 00:22:33.197] This interests me immensely.” And then he dropped his bombshell.

[00:22:33.197 – 00:22:43.337] “But isn’t money going to spoil this thing?” I haven’t seen a group

[00:22:43.337 – 00:22:44.317] yet in AA.

[00:22:44.317 – 00:22:46.597] I haven’t seen a district yet in AA.

[00:22:46.597 – 00:22:48.697] I have not seen an area in AA.

[00:22:48.697 – 00:22:51.137] I have not seen a region in AA yet.

[00:22:51.137 – 00:23:01.157] I’ve not seen our General Service Conference in AA yet, our General Service Board and AAWS, that all of the problems and fighting and fussing has to

[00:23:01.157 – 00:23:02.277] do with money.

[00:23:02.277 – 00:23:03.777] That’s right.

[00:23:03.777 – 00:23:04.237] Money.

[00:23:04.237 – 00:23:08.197] Everybody wants their hands out for something.

[00:23:08.197 – 00:23:10.497] I can’t go to a district meeting.

[00:23:10.497 – 00:23:14.437] You gotta buy me a gallon of gas and my lunch.

[00:23:14.437 – 00:23:17.897] I can’t do this, I can’t do that.

[00:23:17.897 – 00:23:20.897] And that is a terrible precedent.

[00:23:20.897 – 00:23:22.377] It’s a terrible…

[00:23:22.377 – 00:23:26.917] The free and for fun and love is what’s made Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:23:26.917 – 00:23:32.397] This is what these gentlemen were all telling them, and they set it up that way.

[00:23:32.397 – 00:23:32.977] Yeah.

[00:23:32.977 – 00:23:39.017] And as a result of it, he says, “I’m terribly afraid that money’s gonna spoil this thing.

[00:23:39.017 – 00:23:49.157] I’m terribly afraid that it would, and yet I am so strangely stirred by it.” Then the next turning point in our spiritual destiny

[00:23:49.157 – 00:23:54.737] came when that man whose business was giving away money said to Mr.

[00:23:54.737 – 00:23:59.937] Willard Richardson, “No, I will not be the one to spoil this thing with money.

[00:23:59.937 – 00:24:03.477] You say these men who are heading it are strapped.

[00:24:03.477 – 00:24:08.077] I’ll put $5,000 in the Riverside Church treasury.

[00:24:08.077 – 00:24:13.597] You folks form yourself into a committee and draw on it as you see fit.

[00:24:13.597 – 00:24:17.537] But please do not ask me for any more money.

[00:24:17.537 – 00:24:26.237] But I wanna hear what goes on.” Well, the 50,000 had then shrunk to 5,000.

[00:24:26.237 – 00:24:29.157] The drunks paid the mortgage off on Dr.

[00:24:29.157 – 00:24:32.657] Bob’s house, and that was about 3,000.

[00:24:32.657 – 00:24:35.377] And that left 2,000, and Bill and Dr.

[00:24:35.377 – 00:24:37.417] Bob started eating away at that.

[00:24:37.417 – 00:24:39.297] Well, what are they gonna do now?

[00:24:39.297 – 00:24:49.466] You notice none of the drunks told them, “Well, we’re gonna get a job and start being self-supportive.” Well, and, and that’s that old saying, as long as somebody

[00:24:49.466 – 00:24:51.057] gives us money, why work?

[00:24:51.057 – 00:24:52.737] Why work?

[00:24:52.737 – 00:24:56.556] Them Al-Anons found that out a long time ago.

[00:24:56.556 – 00:25:06.776] Well, they had more meetings with their newfound friends, Amos, Richardson, Scott Chipman, and those fellas, who stuck with the drunks from then on.

[00:25:06.776 – 00:25:08.077] And in spite of Mr.

[00:25:08.077 – 00:25:15.077] Rockefeller’s advice, the drunks tried again to convince their new friends that this thing needed a lot of money.

[00:25:15.077 – 00:25:21.357] So one of them proposed that they form a foundation, something like the Rockefeller Foundation.

[00:25:21.357 – 00:25:31.367] So one of them got a free lawyer from Elihu Root’s firm, which at that time was the most prestigious law firm in the world, who was interested in this thing, and

[00:25:31.367 – 00:25:39.077] the drunks asked him to draw up an agreement of trust, a charter for something to be called the Alcoholic Foundation.

[00:25:39.077 – 00:25:42.917] Now, why they picked that name, even Bill didn’t know.

[00:25:42.917 – 00:25:47.637] They didn’t know if the foundation was drunk or if they had drunks in the foundation.

[00:25:47.637 – 00:25:51.157] The lawyer, however, was very much confused.

[00:25:51.157 – 00:26:00.377] Because in the meeting in which the foundation was formed, the drunks made it very plain that the drunks did not wish to be in the majority.

[00:26:00.377 – 00:26:06.977] And they felt that there should be non-alcoholics on the board, and they ought to be in the majority of one.

[00:26:06.977 – 00:26:17.017] Now, the drunks were no fools because they figured that if they had non-alcoholics in the majority and the drunks that were on the board got drunk, they would still could have a quorum

[00:26:17.017 – 00:26:18.257] to have a board meeting.

[00:26:18.257 – 00:26:20.077] “Sure,” said the lawyer.

[00:26:20.077 – 00:26:28.257] And then he asked this question, “Well, what’s the difference between an alcoholic and a non-alcoholic?” And there’s always a smart drunk around, said, “Well, that’s a cinch.

[00:26:28.257 – 00:26:38.857] A non-alcoholic is a guy who can drink alcoholic, and an alcoholic is a guy who can’t drink alcoholic successfully.” “Well,” said the lawyer,

[00:26:38.857 – 00:26:42.657] “how do you state that legally?” And no one said they knew.

[00:26:42.657 – 00:26:52.687] Now, if you wanna know how it’s stated legally, you read the bylaws of the General Service Board, where they talk about Class A trustees and the Class B trustees,

[00:26:52.687 – 00:26:55.057] and that’s how it’s said legally.

[00:26:55.057 – 00:26:59.377] Those who can safely partake in the use of alcoholic beverages.

[00:26:59.377 – 00:27:01.817] That’s a nice way of saying it, isn’t it?

[00:27:01.817 – 00:27:09.897] So at length, they had a foundation, and a board, which then consisted of about seven.

[00:27:09.897 – 00:27:14.877] Consisted of four of the newfound friends and three of the drunks.

[00:27:14.877 – 00:27:15.697] Dr.

[00:27:15.697 – 00:27:25.877] Bob went on the board, but Bill sort of coldly stayed off, thinking that it would be better maybe later on or manipulate behind in the scenes.

[00:27:25.877 – 00:27:35.921] So with this new foundation formed with the idea of needing a lot of money, the drunks started again to solicit money again from trying

[00:27:35.921 – 00:27:36.921] from the very rich.

[00:27:36.921 – 00:27:41.941] Now, they had a list of this rich and credentials and letters from friends of Mr.

[00:27:41.941 – 00:27:42.521] John D.

[00:27:42.521 – 00:27:43.461] Rockefeller Jr.

[00:27:43.461 – 00:27:45.441] And if they thought that Mr.

[00:27:45.441 – 00:27:51.601] Rockefeller knew somebody, they just put his name on it without it, anybody’s permission or anything else, you know?

[00:27:51.601 – 00:27:53.761] And it didn’t make a difference to them.

[00:27:53.761 – 00:27:54.781] They wanted the money.

[00:27:54.781 – 00:27:57.981] And they said, “How could they miss?” they asked themselves.

[00:27:57.981 – 00:28:05.101] Now, the foundation had been formed in the spring of 1938, and all summer they solicited the rich.

[00:28:05.101 – 00:28:15.241] Well, the rich were either in Florida or in Africa or Hawaii or in fishing or hunting, and most of them preferred the Red Cross and the Salvation

[00:28:15.241 – 00:28:15.681] Army.

[00:28:15.681 – 00:28:24.801] And most of them thought that drunks were disgusting, and they didn’t get one darn cent in the whole summer of 1938.

[00:28:24.801 – 00:28:26.261] Thank God.

[00:28:26.261 – 00:28:36.101] In the meantime, they began to hold trustee meetings, and there were some more like commiseration sessions on getting no dough.

[00:28:36.101 – 00:28:38.061] What with the mortgage and Bill and Dr.

[00:28:38.061 – 00:28:44.241] Bob gone and eating away what was left, the $5,000 was about gone, and here they were.

[00:28:44.241 – 00:28:45.321] They were broke again.

[00:28:45.321 – 00:28:46.321] And Dr.

[00:28:46.321 – 00:28:56.361] Smith had trouble getting his practice back because patients were a little leery about being carved up by an alcoholic surgeon even if he was three

[00:28:56.361 – 00:28:57.221] years sober.

[00:28:57.221 – 00:28:59.021] And things were really…

[00:28:59.021 – 00:29:02.081] Did it ever occur to you about our two co-founders?

[00:29:02.081 – 00:29:09.121] One was a busted Wall Street stock promoter, and the other was a rear-end surgeon.

[00:29:09.121 – 00:29:12.621] Dr.

[00:29:12.621 – 00:29:14.421] Bob was working on drunks’ brains.

[00:29:14.421 – 00:29:15.721] He didn’t realize it, you know?

[00:29:15.721 – 00:29:19.001] Well, what are they gonna do now?

[00:29:19.001 – 00:29:28.381] So one day in August 1938, Bill produced at a foundation meeting a couple of chapters of a proposed book in the rough, in a mimeograph.

[00:29:28.381 – 00:29:38.701] As a matter of fact, they’d been using the chapters of this proposed book, along with some recommendations from some physicians down at Johns Hopkins Medical School,

[00:29:38.701 – 00:29:42.701] the psychiatric department, to try to put the bite on the rich.

[00:29:42.701 – 00:29:43.761] Then Mr.

[00:29:43.761 – 00:29:47.561] Amos said, “I know the religious editor down there at Harper’s.

[00:29:47.561 – 00:29:51.541] Why don’t you take these two book chapters down to Harper’s to Mr.

[00:29:51.541 – 00:30:01.261] Gene Eichman, uh, Bill, your story and the introduction to the book, and see what he thinks about them?” And to Bill’s surprise, Mr.

[00:30:01.261 – 00:30:08.761] Eichman, who became a great friend of ours, looked at the chapters and asked Bill if he could write a whole book like this.

[00:30:08.761 – 00:30:10.201] And Bill said, “Why, sure.

[00:30:10.201 – 00:30:11.941] It’s a cinch,” you know?

[00:30:11.941 – 00:30:14.561] And then Mr., uh, and Mr.

[00:30:14.561 – 00:30:16.641] Eichman took the chapters into Mr.

[00:30:16.641 – 00:30:17.961] Canfield’s office.

[00:30:17.961 – 00:30:28.321] Another meeting was held, and the result was that Harper’s intimated that they would pay Bill, as a budding author, $1,500 in advance royalties,

[00:30:28.321 – 00:30:31.921] bringing in enough money for Bill to finish the book.

[00:30:31.921 – 00:30:35.501] Now, at first, Bill felt very elated about it.

[00:30:35.501 – 00:30:42.341] Then after a while, he didn’t feel so good about it because Bill began to reason, and so did the other boys.

[00:30:42.341 – 00:30:51.881] “Well, if this guy Wilson eats up the 1,500 bucks while he’s doing the book, and after the book gets out, it’ll take a long time to catch up.

[00:30:51.881 – 00:30:59.441] And if this thing gets all of this publicity that we think it’s gonna get, what are we gonna do about answering the inquiries?

[00:30:59.441 – 00:31:01.341] And where are we gonna get the money?

[00:31:01.341 – 00:31:11.361] And after all, what is a lousy 10% royalty anyway?” Then they thought, too, that even though Harper’s was a fine publisher, if this book, if and

[00:31:11.361 – 00:31:21.401] when done, should prove to be the main textbook of Alcoholics Anonymous, here comes another spiritual milestone in AA.

[00:31:21.401 – 00:31:28.261] Then they said, “Why would we want our main means of propagation in the hands of somebody else?

[00:31:28.261 – 00:31:36.321] Shouldn’t we control it?” Well, at this point, the book project really began to take off.

[00:31:36.321 – 00:31:43.080] Why, what they thought they ought to do is form a book company, a publishing company, incorporation.

[00:31:43.080 – 00:31:47.641] Let’s call it Works Publishing Company, this being the first of great many works.

[00:31:47.641 – 00:31:57.861] And then they could sell, uh, sell stock certificates to all of the drunks and get some money coming in to support the author and, and the guy

[00:31:57.861 – 00:32:02.381] who was collecting the money, and Ruthie Hock, the gal, the secretary, who was helping on the book.

[00:32:02.381 – 00:32:12.481] So they took this idea to their next trustees meeting, and the trustees all shook their head and said, “No.” Well, then they had what

[00:32:12.481 – 00:32:14.461] we know as an alcoholic rebellion.

[00:32:14.461 – 00:32:19.941] And the alcoholics told them non-alcoholic trustees just where to head in and where to go.

[00:32:19.941 – 00:32:30.061] And they told them, “Well, after all, you didn’t produce any money, and we think we’re gonna try this on separate from the foundation.” So Bill had a drunk helping

[00:32:30.061 – 00:32:34.561] him on this thing, one super promoter by the name of Hank Parkhurst.

[00:32:34.561 – 00:32:38.481] And Hank said to Bill, “Uh, this is simple.

[00:32:38.481 – 00:32:41.521] Come on with me.” So they left the meeting.

[00:32:41.521 – 00:32:51.761] They walked into a stationery store, and they bought a pad of blank stock certificates, and they wrote across the top of them, Works Publishing Company, par value $25.

[00:32:51.761 – 00:32:54.581] And then they took a pad of these stock certificates.

[00:32:54.581 – 00:33:05.101] Of course, they didn’t ever bother to incorporate it, and that didn’t har- happen for a couple of years, to the next AA meeting where you shouldn’t mix, you know, uh, money with spirituality.

[00:33:05.101 – 00:33:09.481] And they said to the drunks, “Look here, this thing is going to be a cinch.

[00:33:09.481 – 00:33:13.481] Parkhurst will take a third of this thing for services rendered.

[00:33:13.481 – 00:33:17.681] I, Bill, the author, will take a third for services rendered.

[00:33:17.681 – 00:33:25.681] And you drunks can have a third of these stock certificates, par $25, if you will just start paying up on the stock.

[00:33:25.681 – 00:33:35.721] And if you only want one share, $5 a month for five months.” And all the drunks gave Bill and Hank that cold look And they said, “What

[00:33:35.721 – 00:33:36.261] the heck?

[00:33:36.261 – 00:33:45.181] You mean to say that you’re asking us to buy stock in a book that hasn’t even been written yet?” “Why, sure,” they said.

[00:33:45.181 – 00:33:48.521] “If Harper’s will put money into this thing, why shouldn’t you?

[00:33:48.521 – 00:33:56.401] They say it’s going to be a good book.” But the drunks said, “No deal.” So Hank and Bill started a new pitch at the drunks.

[00:33:56.401 – 00:34:06.541] They told them that they had been looking at the printing cost of the book, and he said, “Now, we got a book here that’s going to have 400 or 450 pages, and

[00:34:06.541 – 00:34:17.081] it ought to sell for $3.50.” Now, back in those days, they found on inquiry from printers that a $3.50 book retail could be printed for 35

[00:34:17.081 – 00:34:17.521] cents.

[00:34:17.521 – 00:34:24.901] And the drunks said, “Now, here we’re going to make 1,000% profit.” Of course, they didn’t mention the other expenses.

[00:34:24.901 – 00:34:34.941] “So just think, boys, when these books come out and move out in carload lots, we’re printing them for 35 cents, and we’re going to

[00:34:34.941 – 00:34:37.781] sell them for $3.50 by direct mail.

[00:34:37.781 – 00:34:46.441] How can you lose?” And the drunks said, “No.” So Hank and Bill figured that they had to have a better argument than that.

[00:34:46.441 – 00:34:53.601] How are we going to convince the drunks that we’ll move these books in carload lots, millions of dollars?

[00:34:53.601 – 00:34:59.241] So they got the idea to go up to Reader’s Digest, so they got an appointment with Mr.

[00:34:59.241 – 00:35:01.321] Payne, the managing editor.

[00:35:01.321 – 00:35:03.721] Now, the way they got the appointment with Mr.

[00:35:03.721 – 00:35:06.021] Payne was the fact that Dr.

[00:35:06.021 – 00:35:08.701] Silkworth was renting a house from Mr.

[00:35:08.701 – 00:35:09.561] Williams.

[00:35:09.561 – 00:35:15.201] And the Williams family was the owners and p- uh, of, of Reader’s Digest.

[00:35:15.201 – 00:35:16.121] And Mr.

[00:35:16.121 – 00:35:18.201] Walters was the comptroller.

[00:35:18.201 – 00:35:21.341] And every month, he’d send his rent check in to Mr.

[00:35:21.341 – 00:35:22.141] Walters.

[00:35:22.141 – 00:35:25.721] Well, the drunks found out about it, so they got Dr.

[00:35:25.721 – 00:35:32.481] Silkworth on one of his rent payments to send in the doctor’s opinion and Bill’s story with a little note.

[00:35:32.481 – 00:35:34.321] We think this would be of interest.

[00:35:34.321 – 00:35:36.561] Now, that’s how they got the appointment with Mr.

[00:35:36.561 – 00:35:38.561] Payne, the managing editor.

[00:35:38.561 – 00:35:43.801] And they excitedly told him this exciting story of the budding society.

[00:35:43.801 – 00:35:45.461] They dwelled on the friendship of Mr.

[00:35:45.461 – 00:35:51.741] Rockefeller, Harry Emerson Fosdick, and the society was about to publish a textbook.

[00:35:51.741 – 00:35:56.311] Would this not be a metter- matter of tremendous interest to the Reader’s Digest?

[00:35:56.311 – 00:36:00.921] Of course, the drunks were thinking about the Reader’s Digest circulation.

[00:36:00.921 – 00:36:03.101] At that time, it was 12 million readers.

[00:36:03.101 – 00:36:11.001] And if they could just get a free ad or a plug in one of their issues, they would really move the book.

[00:36:11.001 – 00:36:11.841] Now, Mr.

[00:36:11.841 – 00:36:16.621] Payne liked the idea and asked Bill when the projected book would be finished.

[00:36:16.621 – 00:36:26.701] Then he would take the matter up with the editorial board, and he said, “When the time is right and you get the book all ready to shoot, come on up, and we’ll put

[00:36:26.701 – 00:36:33.021] on a special feature writer on this thing.” Well, this was all that Bill and Hank needed to hear.

[00:36:33.021 – 00:36:36.901] So they ran back to the drunks and said, “Now, look here, boys.

[00:36:36.901 – 00:36:41.141] There are positively millions of dollars in this thing for us.

[00:36:41.141 – 00:36:42.361] How can you miss?

[00:36:42.361 – 00:36:52.481] And after all, we need only 4,000 or 5,000 bucks.” So they began to sell shares in Works Publishing, not yet incorporated, which

[00:36:52.481 – 00:36:55.671] is a little illegal.

[00:36:55.671 – 00:36:59.821] But what do drunks care about laws, you know?

[00:36:59.821 – 00:37:02.781] $5 a month to poor people.

[00:37:02.781 – 00:37:05.301] One guy bought 10 shares.

[00:37:05.301 – 00:37:08.161] They sold a few shares to the alcoholics.

[00:37:08.161 – 00:37:18.261] And Hank, who was very important in this deal because he was the one who was out collecting the money and strong-arming the drunks, so Bill and Ruthie Hoech could work on

[00:37:18.261 – 00:37:18.741] a book.

[00:37:18.741 – 00:37:22.601] And Lois would have some groceries, although she didn’t take a chance.

[00:37:22.601 – 00:37:23.841] She didn’t quit her job.

[00:37:23.841 – 00:37:27.421] She kept working in the department store, you know?

[00:37:27.421 – 00:37:29.221] And so the preparation started.

[00:37:29.221 – 00:37:35.861] Some more chapters were written, and they went into the AA meetings in New York with those chapters in the rough.

[00:37:35.861 – 00:37:39.301] And the drunks start chewing those chapters apart.

[00:37:39.301 – 00:37:43.301] And Bill suddenly found himself in a whirlpool of argument.

[00:37:43.301 – 00:37:45.461] And Bill was just the umpire.

[00:37:45.461 – 00:37:54.861] And he said, “Look, boys, over here, you’ve g- you’ve got the holy rollers who say we need all that good old-fashioned God stuff in the book.

[00:37:54.861 – 00:38:03.621] Over here, you say we got to have a psychological book, and that never cured anybody, and they didn’t do much with the drunks in the missions.

[00:38:03.621 – 00:38:07.861] So I guess you’ll just have to leave it to me to be the umpire.

[00:38:07.861 – 00:38:10.921] I’ll scribble out some things here.

[00:38:10.921 – 00:38:18.821] Let’s get the comments in.” So they fought, bled, and died through one chapter after another.

[00:38:18.821 – 00:38:26.821] And then they sent them out to the Akron bunch, quadruple space, so they could get their comments and send it back and approve them.

[00:38:26.821 – 00:38:26.831] Yeah.

[00:38:26.831 – 00:38:30.801] And once again, terrific hassles developed on what should go in the book.

[00:38:30.801 – 00:38:41.001] Meanwhile, drunks were set writing their stories, and then came that night when they got to chapter five because here is a point in the book where the book had

[00:38:41.001 – 00:38:44.961] to say what this thing is all about and how this deal worked.

[00:38:44.961 – 00:38:52.081] As I said, it was originally a six-step program that kicked off of the old Oxford Movement.

[00:38:52.081 – 00:38:57.621] And one night, Bill was laying in bed trying to think of what this chapter five would be all about.

[00:38:57.621 – 00:39:06.761] And then the idea came to Bill that they needed to have a definite statement, concrete principles that these drunks cannot wiggle out of.

[00:39:06.761 – 00:39:10.701] There cannot be any wiggling out of this deal at all.

[00:39:10.701 – 00:39:15.101] And this six-step program had two big gaps in it.

[00:39:15.101 – 00:39:23.841] Moreover, if this book goes out to distant readers, they’re going to have to have an exact explicit program by which to go by.

[00:39:23.841 – 00:39:33.841] And while Bill was working, uh, and thinking about these things over, and while he was mad as the dickens because the drunks were very, very slow about

[00:39:33.841 – 00:39:42.477] bringing in the money- And there was a knock on Bill’s door, and Bill went to it, and a member of the group brought a brand-new drunk over to see Bill.

[00:39:42.477 – 00:39:48.237] And Bill said, “I’m busy.” And he said, “What are you busy about?” And he told him, and they had a terrific argument.

[00:39:48.237 – 00:39:50.357] And Bill got mad, and he run him off.

[00:39:50.357 – 00:39:53.016] And then Bill just went to bed.

[00:39:53.016 – 00:39:56.317] And all good drunks, you know, they go to bed when they don’t feel good.

[00:39:56.317 – 00:40:00.617] And where they had a pad of pa- uh, paper and a pencil lay.

[00:40:00.617 – 00:40:09.357] And he said to himself, “I got to break this up into small pieces.” So he started writing, trying to bust it up in little pieces.

[00:40:09.357 – 00:40:16.917] And when he got the pieces set down, he put numbers on them and was agreeably surprised when it came out at 12.

[00:40:16.917 – 00:40:20.377] And here’s where he plugged the holes.

[00:40:20.377 – 00:40:29.256] And then he noticed that instead of leaving the God idea until the last, like the old six-step program, he put it up front, which we now have the third step.

[00:40:29.256 – 00:40:39.367] And then he plugged the most important hole in the 12 steps, steps six and seven, which is the anchor and the glue of the recovery program of Alcoholics

[00:40:39.367 – 00:40:39.997] Anonymous.

[00:40:39.997 – 00:40:44.897] Uh, but he didn’t pay really too much attention to it, and he thought it looked pretty good.

[00:40:44.897 – 00:40:54.897] By that, by the time the next meeting came along, Bill had gone beyond the steps, trying to amplify them and the rest of the

[00:40:54.897 – 00:40:55.317] chapter.

[00:40:55.317 – 00:41:04.737] And when he took the steps and that chapter in the meeting, all heck broke loose, and the drunks started screaming, “What do you mean by changing up our program?

[00:41:04.737 – 00:41:06.017] What about this?

[00:41:06.017 – 00:41:07.457] What about this?

[00:41:07.457 – 00:41:09.657] This thing is overloaded with God.

[00:41:09.657 – 00:41:11.157] We don’t like this.

[00:41:11.157 – 00:41:14.857] Uh, you got, you got the drunks down on their knees.

[00:41:14.857 – 00:41:15.717] Stand them up.

[00:41:15.717 – 00:41:23.817] A lot of these drunks are scared of being God-bit.” “Let’s take God out of it entirely,” and such were the arguments they had.

[00:41:23.817 – 00:41:29.157] And out of that terrific hassle about the 12 steps, there did come a 10-strike.

[00:41:29.157 – 00:41:39.197] That argument caused the introduction of the phrase which has been a lifesaver for hundreds of thousands of alcoholics who have come to A or A

[00:41:39.197 – 00:41:48.657] and will come to Alcoholics Anonymous, which in Bill’s own words, something not of his own doing, because you have to remember that Bill was still on the pious side.

[00:41:48.657 – 00:41:52.697] He’s still suffering from his big, hot flash that he had in the hospital.

[00:41:52.697 – 00:42:00.777] But the idea that God, as you understand Him, came out of that perfectly ferocious argument.

[00:42:00.777 – 00:42:02.957] And that was put in the steps.

[00:42:02.957 – 00:42:06.037] And little by little, the book ground down.

[00:42:06.037 – 00:42:09.196] Little by little, the drunks put in the money.

[00:42:09.196 – 00:42:12.417] An office was kept open over in Newark, New Jersey.

[00:42:12.417 – 00:42:14.427] Their money ran low at times.

[00:42:14.427 – 00:42:20.437] And little Ruthie Hock, the secretary, worked for no pay, but she was given plenty of stock.

[00:42:20.437 – 00:42:25.837] If she said she needed some money, all they did was tear off some more blank stock, fill it in.

[00:42:25.837 – 00:42:29.557] And then from the pad, said, “Well, here’s another week’s pay,” you know?

[00:42:29.557 – 00:42:39.557] In January 1939, when somebody said, “Well, why don’t we test this thing out with a pre-publication copy, a monolithic or

[00:42:39.557 – 00:42:43.377] mimeographed copy of this text, and a few of these stories?

[00:42:43.377 – 00:42:51.277] Try it out on the doctors, the preachers, the Catholic Committee on Publications, the psychiatrists, the policemen.”

[00:42:51.528 – 00:43:01.548] fish wives, housewives, drunks, everybody, just to see if we have anything that goes against the grain anyplace, and also see if we

[00:43:01.548 – 00:43:03.308] can get some better ideas.

[00:43:03.308 – 00:43:07.807] Now, at considerable expense, a pre-publication copy was made.

[00:43:07.807 – 00:43:13.768] Comments came back, many very helpful, and it went to the Catholic Committee on Publication.

[00:43:13.768 – 00:43:20.528] And in New York City at that time, they only had one member that was of, of the, come from the Catholic faith.

[00:43:20.528 – 00:43:29.048] And so he took it there, and he had just gotten out of the insane asylum, and he had nothing to do with the preparation of the book.

[00:43:29.048 – 00:43:33.508] And to their great surprise, it was well-received, and they were impressed.

[00:43:33.508 – 00:43:35.768] So the book passed muster.

[00:43:35.768 – 00:43:38.028] Somehow the stories came in.

[00:43:38.028 – 00:43:43.048] Somehow the galleys were gotten together, and then they got up to the printing contract.

[00:43:43.048 – 00:43:45.388] But the drunks were not paying up.

[00:43:45.388 – 00:43:55.668] So Bill went to see Colonel Charlie Towns, and the colonel, believing in the drunks very mightily, they put the slug on him for 2,500 bucks.

[00:43:55.668 – 00:43:58.688] But he said he didn’t want any of that phony stock.

[00:43:58.688 – 00:44:00.688] Just give me a promissory note.

[00:44:00.688 – 00:44:07.868] And so, and then s- uh, um, and, and not on the stock on about this book not yet written.

[00:44:07.868 – 00:44:14.688] And so the 2,500 was routed around the Alcoholic Foundation so it could be tax-exempt.

[00:44:14.688 – 00:44:24.848] In those six months with the office and supporting three people, they had blown about $6,000, and the till was getting mighty low again,

[00:44:24.848 – 00:44:27.408] and they still had to get it printed.

[00:44:27.408 – 00:44:37.408] So they went up to Cornwall Press, which at that time was the largest printer of books in the world, and asked about printing, and they said they were glad to do

[00:44:37.408 – 00:44:40.228] it, and then asked, well, how many books they wanted.

[00:44:40.228 – 00:44:50.228] Well, they gave them the same old pitch about having a small membership with little money, but the Reader’s Digest was gonna write a terrific

[00:44:50.228 – 00:44:51.468] article about the book.

[00:44:51.468 – 00:44:57.948] And it’s hard to estimate how they need it and how they were friends of all the Rockefellers and all the rich people.

[00:44:57.948 – 00:45:02.688] But they assured the printer that, that they would go out in carload lots.

[00:45:02.688 – 00:45:03.708] Then Mr.

[00:45:03.708 – 00:45:05.288] Printer was none other than Mr.

[00:45:05.288 – 00:45:08.628] Blackwell, who later became one of AA’s greatest friends.

[00:45:08.628 – 00:45:09.788] Then Mr.

[00:45:09.788 – 00:45:14.968] Blackwell said, “Well, boys, now, how much of a down payment are you going to make?

[00:45:14.968 – 00:45:22.708] How many books would you like?” And so they told him, “Well, let’s print 5,000 to start with.” And Mr.

[00:45:22.708 – 00:45:28.128] Blackwell said, “Well, what are you gonna use for money?” And he was told, “Not very much.

[00:45:28.128 – 00:45:34.768] Maybe a few hundred dollars on account.” But remember, we’re traveling in good company.

[00:45:34.768 – 00:45:36.228] And so Mr.

[00:45:36.228 – 00:45:42.928] Blackwell started printing the 5,000 books of Alcoholics Anonymous, 10 cents down a book.

[00:45:42.928 – 00:45:47.548] Then all of a sudden, Hank and Bill thought about the Reader’s Digest.

[00:45:47.548 – 00:45:50.908] So they went back up to Reader’s Digest.

[00:45:50.908 – 00:45:52.188] They walk into Men- Mr.

[00:45:52.188 – 00:45:55.408] Payne’s office and said, “We’re ready to shoot.” And Mr.

[00:45:55.408 – 00:45:59.727] Payne said, “Shoot what?” And then he said, “Oh, yes.

[00:45:59.727 – 00:46:01.068] I remember you, Mr.

[00:46:01.068 – 00:46:02.188] Parkhurst and Mr.

[00:46:02.188 – 00:46:02.908] Wilson.

[00:46:02.908 – 00:46:12.588] When you were up here last fall, I told you that the Reader’s Digest would be interested in this new work and in this new book.

[00:46:12.588 – 00:46:22.768] But right after you were here, I consulted with the editorial board, and much to my great surprise, they did not like the idea at

[00:46:22.768 – 00:46:32.988] all, that it was too controversial, and I simply forgot to contact you and tell you.” Well, Hank and Bill had the drunks

[00:46:32.988 – 00:46:34.688] with 4,000 or 5,000 in it.

[00:46:34.688 – 00:46:38.128] Charlie Towns hooked for 2,500 bucks.

[00:46:38.128 – 00:46:40.227] On the cuff was a printer.

[00:46:40.227 – 00:46:43.148] Maybe $500 left in the bank.

[00:46:43.148 – 00:46:44.268] What now?

[00:46:44.268 – 00:46:53.588] Morgan Ryan, who had taken the book over to the Catholic Publication, had at one time been a terrific advertising specialist.

[00:46:53.588 – 00:47:03.648] And he says, “I know Gabriel Heatter, and Gabriel Heatter is putting on one of those three-minute programs on the radio, and I’ll get an interview with

[00:47:03.648 – 00:47:06.988] Gabriel Heatter.” So their spirits rose once again.

[00:47:06.988 – 00:47:09.708] And all of a sudden, they got a big chill.

[00:47:09.708 – 00:47:14.748] Supposing this Irishman got drunk before Heatter interviewed him.

[00:47:14.748 – 00:47:20.588] Meanwhile, Heatter agreed to interview Morgan, and then the drunks got still more scared.

[00:47:20.588 – 00:47:29.168] So they rented a room in the Downtown Athletic Club, and they put Morgan in there with a day-and-night guard for 10 days.

[00:47:29.168 – 00:47:33.688] Meanwhile, their spirits were rising.

[00:47:33.688 – 00:47:37.088] The drunks could see these books just flooding the country.

[00:47:37.088 – 00:47:44.188] And then Hank said, “Now, what we need to follow up on this Heatter thing is to be heard all over the country.

[00:47:44.188 – 00:47:48.488] And I think the big market for this book will be the physicians.

[00:47:48.488 – 00:47:58.588] And I suggest we take the last $500 we got in the bank on a postal card shower going to every physician east of the Mississippi River.

[00:47:58.588 – 00:48:05.208] And on this postal card, we’ll say, ‘Hear all about Alcoholics Anonymous on Gabriel Heatter’s program.

[00:48:05.208 – 00:48:09.188] Send $3.50 for the book Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:48:09.188 – 00:48:12.608] Sure cure for alcoholism.'” This was done.

[00:48:12.608 – 00:48:18.168] They managed to keep Morgan sober, and all the drunks had their ears glued to the radio.

[00:48:18.168 – 00:48:23.128] And the AA market, you see, it ar- the AA market had already been saturated.

[00:48:23.128 – 00:48:27.428] Well, they had 49 stockholders, and they all got a book for free.

[00:48:27.428 – 00:48:31.168] And everybody with a story in the book, they got one for free.

[00:48:31.168 – 00:48:34.488] And so there was nobody left in AA to buy a book.

[00:48:34.488 – 00:48:44.668] But they envisioned that these doctors and their patients, you know, uh, would buy these books by the carloads.

[00:48:44.668 – 00:48:46.168] Morgan is interviewed.

[00:48:46.168 – 00:48:48.728] Heatter pulls out all the stops.

[00:48:48.728 – 00:48:52.608] And the drunks couldn’t wait to go down to the old post office box.

[00:48:52.608 – 00:48:58.323] 658 Church Street Annex, the address printed in the back of the first printing of the book.

[00:48:58.323 – 00:49:04.244] They hung to it for about three days, and then Hank and Ruth and Bill went over to the post office.

[00:49:04.244 – 00:49:09.284] They looked in the box 658, and it wasn’t a lockbox with a key out front.

[00:49:09.284 – 00:49:11.344] It’s just isinglass, and then you looked in.

[00:49:11.344 – 00:49:13.324] You had to go to the clerk and ask for your mail.

[00:49:13.324 – 00:49:19.224] And they could see in there a few of these postal cards, and Bill had a terrific sinking spell.

[00:49:19.224 – 00:49:25.504] But Hank, the promoter, said, “Why, Bill, they can’t put all those orders in that little bitty book.

[00:49:25.504 – 00:49:28.664] Why, that box won’t hold postage stamps.

[00:49:28.664 – 00:49:32.144] They got mailbags full of orders back there.

[00:49:32.144 – 00:49:42.384] Uh, let’s go see the clerk.” And so they go to the clerk, and he brings out 12 lousy postcards, 10 of them completely illegible,

[00:49:42.384 – 00:49:45.124] written by drunk- doctors drunk as monkeys.

[00:49:45.124 – 00:49:55.144] And they had exactly two orders for the book Alcoholics Anonymous, and they were absolutely and utterly and totally

[00:49:55.144 – 00:49:55.904] broke.

[00:49:55.904 – 00:50:00.164] The sheriff then moved into the office, and poor Mr.

[00:50:00.164 – 00:50:05.064] Blackwell wanted to kn- want to know, do for money and felt like taking the book over.

[00:50:05.064 – 00:50:15.284] And at that very opportune moment, the house in which the Wilsons were living in was foreclosed, and the Wilsons and their furniture were set in-

[00:50:15.284 – 00:50:16.304] out in the street.

[00:50:16.304 – 00:50:24.304] And that was the state of the book Alcoholics Anonymous in the summer of 1939.

[00:50:24.304 – 00:50:33.324] And then the drunks with the money in the book started screaming, “Well, what about our 4,500 bucks?” And Colonel Town was uneasy.

[00:50:33.324 – 00:50:34.764] And what are they gonna do now?

[00:50:34.764 – 00:50:36.784] Now, that’s what you call a bad day.

[00:50:36.784 – 00:50:43.004] They began, they began to shop around from one magazine to another.

[00:50:43.004 – 00:50:47.364] Nobody bit, and it looked like the whole thing was going down the drain.

[00:50:47.364 – 00:50:55.844] However, one of the boys in New York, who was a little prosperous at the time in the clothing business, by the name of Burt Taylors, he saved them.

[00:50:55.844 – 00:51:06.164] And Bill went to see him and told him that there was a promise of an article in the Liberty magazine, but it wouldn’t come out until, uh, the next,

[00:51:06.164 – 00:51:15.804] uh, uh, September, to be called Alcoholics and God, written by Morris Markley, to be printed by the religious editor, Fulton Oursler.

[00:51:15.804 – 00:51:25.964] And, uh, and as a result, he said, “We need $1,000 to get us through the summer.” And Burt said, “I don’t have the money, but I have a friend

[00:51:25.964 – 00:51:27.464] down in Baltimore, a Mr.

[00:51:27.464 – 00:51:27.964] Cochran.

[00:51:27.964 – 00:51:38.024] He’s connected with the wet and dry forces.” And Bill said, “Now, wait a minute about this wet and dry business.” And Burt said, “Heck, Bill, when you’re busted, you’re not gonna be fussy

[00:51:38.024 – 00:51:42.364] where you’re gonna get this money at this time.” In those days, there was no traditions, remember.

[00:51:42.364 – 00:51:46.004] And he’s a customer of mine, and I sell him pants.

[00:51:46.004 – 00:51:47.663] Let’s call him up.

[00:51:47.663 – 00:51:49.584] So Burt gets on the phone.

[00:51:49.584 – 00:51:50.084] He gets Mr.

[00:51:50.084 – 00:51:57.484] Cochran, and he tells him, “You know, from time to time, I’d mention to you about this alcoholic fellowship, uh, which I belong to.

[00:51:57.484 – 00:51:57.684] And Mr.

[00:51:57.684 – 00:52:07.684] Cochran, our fellowship has just gone, come out with a magnificent new textbook, Sure Cure for Alcoholism, and it’s something that we believe that

[00:52:07.684 – 00:52:11.504] every public library in the country should have.

[00:52:11.504 – 00:52:14.274] And the retail price for the book is $3.50.

[00:52:14.274 – 00:52:24.364] But if you will buy a couple of thousand and put them in the large public libraries all over the country, of course, we would sell to you for

[00:52:24.364 – 00:52:28.744] that purpose a, a, these books at a considerable discount.” Well, Mr.

[00:52:28.744 – 00:52:36.024] Cochran didn’t like that, so then Burt told him that some b- publicity about th- this book will come out next fall.

[00:52:36.024 – 00:52:37.824] But in the meantime, he said, “Mr.

[00:52:37.824 – 00:52:43.164] Cochran, honestly, we desperately need $1,000 to tide us over the summer.

[00:52:43.164 – 00:52:47.944] Would you loan the Works Publishing Company $1,000?” Well, Mr.

[00:52:47.944 – 00:52:54.024] Cochran said, “Well, what does this Works Publishing Company’s balance sheet look like?” And he was told.

[00:52:54.024 – 00:52:59.744] He said, “No, thank you.” And then Burt asked, “Would you loan the money to me, Mr.

[00:52:59.744 – 00:53:03.244] Cochran, on the credit of my business?” “Why, sure,” Mr.

[00:53:03.244 – 00:53:04.084] Cochran said.

[00:53:04.084 – 00:53:09.304] “Just send me down a note and sign it.” So Burt hocked his business.

[00:53:09.304 – 00:53:12.404] A year or two later, it, it went broke anyway.

[00:53:12.404 – 00:53:15.644] And that saved the book Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:53:15.644 – 00:53:18.824] And that lasted until the Liberty article came in.

[00:53:18.824 – 00:53:21.984] 800 inquiries came in as a result of that.

[00:53:21.984 – 00:53:27.464] They moved a few books, barely squeaked through the, squeaked through the year 1939.

[00:53:27.464 – 00:53:30.904] But all this time, nothing had been heard from Mr.

[00:53:30.904 – 00:53:31.544] John D.

[00:53:31.544 – 00:53:32.464] Rockefeller Jr.

[00:53:32.464 – 00:53:41.604] Meanwhile, foundation meeting after foundation meeting, too bad they told him, you’re having such a hard time, but no money.

[00:53:41.604 – 00:53:46.784] That is the greatest spiritual axiom that Ac- Ac- Alcoholics Anonymous ever received.

[00:53:46.784 – 00:53:53.044] It got the drunks to putting out a real recovery book, not just for the money, but for their sobriety.

[00:53:53.044 – 00:53:57.124] And when all of a sudden, about February 1940, Mr.

[00:53:57.124 – 00:54:01.524] Richardson came to a trustees meeting and announced that Mr.

[00:54:01.524 – 00:54:09.544] Rockefeller Jr., whom nothing had been heard from since 1937, had been watching all this time with immense interest.

[00:54:09.544 – 00:54:11.004] Moreover, Mr.

[00:54:11.004 – 00:54:12.864] Rockefeller, Mr.

[00:54:12.864 – 00:54:21.284] Richardson said, would like to give this fellowship a dinner to which he would invite his friends to see the beginning of this new and promising start.

[00:54:21.284 – 00:54:22.424] And then Mr.

[00:54:22.424 – 00:54:32.724] Richardson produced an invitation list, and here were the president and chairman of boards of all the important banks, insurance companies,

[00:54:32.724 – 00:54:42.874] uh, men like Wendell Willkie, John Foster Dulles, all of the wealthy people and friends of Rockefeller and very

[00:54:42.874 – 00:54:44.644] prominent.

[00:54:44.644 – 00:54:53.004] And Bill took a quick look at that list, and he figured, my God, there’s a couple billion dollars in that list.

[00:54:53.004 – 00:54:56.424] And them eyeballs were nothing but dollar marks.

[00:54:56.424 – 00:55:02.248] The dinner came, and they got Harry Emerson Fosdick to review the AA book.

[00:55:02.248 – 00:55:04.208] He gave a wonderful plug.

[00:55:04.208 – 00:55:13.548] Foster Kennedy came and spoke of the medical attitude, as he had seen a very hopeless gal, Marty Mann, recover, one of his patients.

[00:55:13.548 – 00:55:17.028] Bill got up and talked about life among the Anonymous.

[00:55:17.028 – 00:55:27.198] And the bankers, seventy-five strong, sat at the table, and they inter-interspersed them with the drunks, you know, s- and so they could get a little information about AA.

[00:55:27.198 – 00:55:33.188] Well, the bankers had really come as a sort of command performance, uh, because of Mr.

[00:55:33.188 – 00:55:39.748] Rockefeller, and were really s- uh, suspicious because they thought that, well, maybe this is another one of John D.

[00:55:39.748 – 00:55:41.348] Jr.’s prohibition deals.

[00:55:41.348 – 00:55:46.648] But they warmed up under the influence of the alcoholics that were sitting at the table with them.

[00:55:46.648 – 00:55:52.248] And Morgan Ryan was asked at his table by a very distinguished banker, “Why, Mr.

[00:55:52.248 – 00:55:56.908] Ryan, we presume that you are in the banking business.” “No,” Mr.

[00:55:56.908 – 00:55:58.688] Ryan said, “not at all.

[00:55:58.688 – 00:56:06.008] I’m just fresh out of the Greystone insane asylum.” But unfortunately, Mr.

[00:56:06.008 – 00:56:08.128] Rockefeller couldn’t get to the dinner.

[00:56:08.128 – 00:56:14.828] He was quite ill, and he sent his son, a wonderful man, Nelson Rockefeller, in his place instead.

[00:56:14.828 – 00:56:25.008] And after the show was over with and the drunks were ready to put on a big touch, Nelson Rockefeller got up and, speaking for his father, said, “My father

[00:56:25.008 – 00:56:35.068] sends word that he is so sorry that he cannot be here tonight with you, but he is so glad that many of his fine friends are present

[00:56:35.068 – 00:56:44.288] that can see the beginning of this great and wonderful thing,” something Nelson Rockefeller said that affected his father’s life more than anything else.

[00:56:44.288 – 00:56:46.788] A stupendous plug that was.

[00:56:46.788 – 00:56:53.648] Then said Nelson, “But fortunately, gentlemen, this is a work that proceeds on goodwill.

[00:56:53.648 – 00:57:01.828] It requires no money.” Whereupon, the billion b– two billion bucks got up and walked out.

[00:57:01.828 – 00:57:06.428] Again, the hand of Providence intervened.

[00:57:06.428 – 00:57:08.408] Right after the dinner, Mr.

[00:57:08.408 – 00:57:13.868] Rockefeller asked that the works– that the, uh, talks be published in a pamphlet.

[00:57:13.868 – 00:57:24.308] He approached the rather defunct Works Publishing Company and asked if they would– he would like to buy four hundred books to send to all of his fine friends

[00:57:24.308 – 00:57:27.648] that had come to the dinner and all who had been invited but could not come.

[00:57:27.648 – 00:57:32.568] And seeing that this was for a good purpose, they let him have the books cheap.

[00:57:32.568 – 00:57:38.218] He bought them cheaper than anybody has ever bought the books of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:57:38.218 – 00:57:41.488] They sold four hundred books to John D.

[00:57:41.488 – 00:57:41.848] Jr.

[00:57:41.848 – 00:57:44.088] for one dollar apiece.

[00:57:44.088 – 00:57:52.648] And with these books and pamphlets, he sent a, a personally written letter, and he personally signed every one of them.

[00:57:52.648 – 00:58:03.028] And in this letter, he again recited how glad he was that his friends had been able to see this great beginning of what he thought would be a wonderful thing,

[00:58:03.028 – 00:58:05.648] how deeply it had affected him.

[00:58:05.648 – 00:58:09.068] And then he said, “This, fortunately, is a work of goodwill.

[00:58:09.068 – 00:58:19.148] It needs little, if any, money, perhaps a slight amount of temporary help, and I’m giving these good people one thousand dollars.”

[00:58:19.148 – 00:58:21.408] Well, when the rich people received Mr.

[00:58:21.408 – 00:58:27.108] Rockefeller’s letters and he’s only giving a thousand dollars, and they s-said, “That isn’t enough.

[00:58:27.108 – 00:58:27.868] Well, if John D.

[00:58:27.868 – 00:58:28.208] Jr.

[00:58:28.208 – 00:58:38.288] is giving a thousand, me with only about thirty or forty million, I’m gonna give them about ten bucks.” And one who had an alcoholic relative sent in three hundred

[00:58:38.288 – 00:58:38.708] dollars.

[00:58:38.708 – 00:58:48.428] So all told, as a result of that dinner, they got together three thousand dollars, which was the first outside contribution to the Alcoholic Foundation.

[00:58:48.428 – 00:58:52.197] That money was divided equally between Bill and Dr.

[00:58:52.197 – 00:58:54.168] Bob so they could keep going on.

[00:58:54.168 – 00:59:01.128] And somehow, they solicited that dinner list for five years at an average of about three thousand dollars a year.

[00:59:01.128 – 00:59:05.448] At the end of five years, at that time, they were able to say to Mr.

[00:59:05.448 – 00:59:08.948] Rockefeller, “We do not need any more of your money.

[00:59:08.948 – 00:59:13.068] The book income is helping to support, support our office.

[00:59:13.068 – 00:59:15.828] The groups are contributing to fill in.

[00:59:15.828 – 00:59:18.568] The royalties from the book are taking care of Dr.

[00:59:18.568 – 00:59:19.668] Bob and Bill.

[00:59:19.668 – 00:59:20.908] And thank you.

[00:59:20.908 – 00:59:31.588] We, we do not need any more of your money.” Alcoholics Anonymous is the first recipient,

[00:59:31.588 – 00:59:40.048] the only recipient, of alcoho– of Rockefeller money that has paid every penny of it back.

[00:59:40.048 – 00:59:42.168] It is the only one.

[00:59:42.168 – 00:59:47.228] When you talk about a spiritual experience, it is the only one.

[00:59:47.228 – 00:59:49.568] And so now you can see Mr.

[00:59:49.568 – 00:59:53.828] Rockefeller’s decision not to give us money saved our society.

[00:59:53.828 – 00:59:55.568] He gave of himself.

[00:59:55.568 – 01:00:01.468] He gave of himself at a time when he was under public ridicule for his views about alcohol.

[01:00:01.468 – 01:00:07.548] He said to the whole world, “This thing is good.” The story went out on the wires all over the world.

[01:00:07.548 – 01:00:11.128] People ran into the bookstores to get the new book.

[01:00:11.128 – 01:00:15.548] An awful lot of inquiries came into the little office on Vesey Street.

[01:00:15.548 – 01:00:18.768] The book money began to pay for an additional helper.

[01:00:18.768 – 01:00:26.118] And then comes Jack Alexander with his terrific article in the Saturday Evening Post in 1941.

[01:00:26.118 – 01:00:34.068] And there came an immense flood of inquiries, six or seven thousand, and Alcoholics Anonymous had become a national institution.

[01:00:34.068 – 01:00:44.148] And such is the story and the spiritual journey of the preparation of the book Alcoholics Anonymous and of its subsequent effect, whom all of us right here in this meeting,

[01:00:44.148 – 01:00:48.148] right here at this ticket time, have– all of us have some notions.

[01:00:48.148 – 01:00:57.018] Now, as the proceeds of that book have repeatedly saved the office in New York City, it’s repeatedly saving our office in New York City.

[01:00:57.018 – 01:01:00.516] But it isn’t the money that came out of it that matters.

[01:01:00.516 – 01:01:10.576] It is the message that this book carries in it that has transcended the mountains and the seas, and even at this moment, lighting candles in dark

[01:01:10.576 – 01:01:15.156] caverns and distant caves and lands in which active drunks still living.

[01:01:15.156 – 01:01:18.176] And I want to close this with a very interesting letter.

[01:01:18.176 – 01:01:21.636] The letter was written to Bill by Hank Parkhurst.

[01:01:21.636 – 01:01:27.716] “Dear Bill, I’m rushing off to you excerpts from a letter just received from Mr.

[01:01:27.716 – 01:01:28.716] Thomas H.

[01:01:28.716 – 01:01:38.796] Buzell, former editor of Collier’s Magazine, writer of several books contributed to the Collier’s Saturday Evening Post, and et cetera.

[01:01:38.796 – 01:01:42.536] As you know, hardly a year goes by when one of Mr.

[01:01:42.536 – 01:01:46.076] Buzell’s writings does not appear on the bestseller list.

[01:01:46.076 – 01:01:49.396] Incidentally, this might be interesting to you.

[01:01:49.396 – 01:01:59.526] Such books as The Good Earth, If I Had Four Apples, The Outward Room, three Book of the, uh, three Book of the Month Club books, and bestsellers

[01:01:59.526 – 01:02:06.776] for months and years after publishing were submitted to him for criticism and final designing.

[01:02:06.776 – 01:02:14.076] In the publishing and literatur- literary world, I know there is no one so well-established and looked up to as Mr.

[01:02:14.076 – 01:02:15.456] Buzell.

[01:02:15.456 – 01:02:25.616] I have gone to– into considerable length in regard to this because the following portion of his letter has made me so enthusiastic.” He says, quote,

[01:02:25.616 – 01:02:29.156] “I spent last evening with the manuscript.

[01:02:29.156 – 01:02:39.236] I knew, of course, what the document was, but on reading additional chapters and surveying the job as a whole, I found myself deeply

[01:02:39.236 – 01:02:48.536] moved at times, full of amazement, almost incredibly, and during most of the reading, I was extremely sympathetic.

[01:02:48.536 – 01:02:58.616] My feeling at this moment is that you should certainly hold on to the production and distribution of this volume if you can,

[01:02:58.616 – 01:03:05.236] for she ought to go far, wide, and handsome, and let those concerned in it profit.

[01:03:05.236 – 01:03:08.816] You have here an extremely urgent problem.

[01:03:08.816 – 01:03:12.076] You have a successful defiance of medicine.

[01:03:12.076 – 01:03:14.236] You have a religious story.

[01:03:14.236 – 01:03:21.496] You have a deeply human story, and lastly, you have a whole flock of happy endings.

[01:03:21.496 – 01:03:26.696] My God, I don’t know what else you could want for a good book.

[01:03:26.696 – 01:03:29.476] I believe in it most emphatically.

[01:03:29.476 – 01:03:36.476] The whole book needs a few final shaping,” and they did let him shape it up before it did come out of a professional hand.

[01:03:36.476 – 01:03:47.316] But it is interesting, uh, that he ends his letter, Hank wrote, follows, “I understand better now the enthusiasm

[01:03:47.316 – 01:03:51.316] you revealed in your talks with me about the work.

[01:03:51.316 – 01:03:58.896] I thought you were exaggerating somewhat, but now I have joined the corps invisible.

[01:03:58.896 – 01:04:08.976] Bill, if I were you,” Hank writes, “I would be immensely proud of this opinion.” I want to thank you for allowing me to be here this morning and

[01:04:08.976 – 01:04:10.056] to share this with you.

[01:04:10.056 – 01:04:12.656] And y’all have a real good weekend.

[01:04:12.656 – 01:04:14.856] Thank you very, very much, and I love you so much.

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