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[00:00:00.160 – 00:00:00.360] You know? [00:00:00.360 – 00:00:02.860] Good evening, everyone. [00:00:02.860 – 00:00:04.479] My name is David, I'm an alcoholic. [00:00:04.479 – 00:00:05.770] How you doing tonight, David? [00:00:05.770 – 00:00:10.260] You're all very welcome to this Writing the Big Book: The Creation of AA reading book meeting here on Zoom. [00:00:10.260 – 00:00:10.590] Okay. [00:00:10.590 – 00:00:12.580] Hosted by the Growing and Understanding AA Group.

[00:00:12.580 – 00:00:14.480] And along with Jim W…. [00:00:14.480 – 00:00:23.000] Hello, my name is Jim W. and I'm an alcoholic, and I, uh, I'll be back later for the Q&A on this, uh, on this topic. [00:00:23.000 – 00:00:30.560] Not a discussion, but, uh, just if you have any questions while we're reading, write them down and we'll talk about them later. [00:00:30.560 – 00:00:31.720] Top man, Jim. [00:00:31.720 – 00:00:33.700] And Jim is in Cancun in Mexico. [00:00:33.700 – 00:00:34.160] And John K. [00:00:34.160 – 00:00:37.680] is going to be doing some, uh, service as well.

[00:00:37.680 – 00:00:38.200] Hello, John. [00:00:38.200 – 00:00:38.900] Would you like to say hello? [00:00:38.900 – 00:00:41.000] Hey, John. [00:00:41.000 – 00:00:41.690] Hello, how are you? [00:00:41.690 – 00:00:41.750] Welcome. [00:00:41.750 – 00:00:43.080] Thank you for having this meeting. [00:00:43.080 – 00:00:43.960] Appreciate it.

[00:00:43.960 – 00:00:44.440] Top man. [00:00:44.440 – 00:00:45.000] Thank you. [00:00:45.000 – 00:00:49.120] I just want to say if anyone's new, we will kind of give you an opportunity at the end. [00:00:49.120 – 00:00:51.280] I, I, I've missed that in the beginning, but we'll do it at the end. [00:00:51.280 – 00:00:57.780] Each AA group ought to be a spiritual entity having but one primary purpose, that of carrying this message to the alcoholics who still suffers. [00:00:57.780 – 00:01:02.560] Now the audio of these meetings, I'm delighted to say, are, are go- are on recoverytapers.com. [00:01:02.560 – 00:01:05.900] And I can tell you, I have that in front of me here.

[00:01:05.900 – 00:01:06.900] Hopefully you can see it. [00:01:06.900 – 00:01:08.560] There's a link. [00:01:08.560 – 00:01:13.320] I will put the link into that if you just go into that section here on recoveryspeakers.com. [00:01:13.320 – 00:01:15.280] And you could put into Growing… [00:01:15.280 – 00:01:16.140] Writing the Big Book. [00:01:16.140 – 00:01:22.560] If you put in Writing the Big Book into their search engine, it just, there's last week's one, Writing the Big Book reading meeting, chapter 12. [00:01:22.560 – 00:01:22.920] That was…

[00:01:22.920 – 00:01:25.600] And then you have previous ones as well. [00:01:25.600 – 00:01:28.620] And anything on Bill S. comes up there on Writing the Big Book. [00:01:28.620 – 00:01:30.800] So if you want to follow that link. [00:01:30.800 – 00:01:32.900] And I will put that into the chat as the meeting's going on. [00:01:32.900 – 00:01:33.900] Thank you for your time. [00:01:33.900 – 00:01:37.259] And as I said, we'll be soon up on recoverytapers.com. [00:01:37.259 – 00:01:47.340] If you want to contact Bill S., I'll put those details in too, but you can go to this section here, writingthebigbook.com, and Bill will take any questions you want to ask him with

[00:01:47.340 – 00:01:51.840] regards to the process of his endeavor of writing the Big Book. [00:01:51.840 – 00:01:52.620] Okay. [00:01:52.620 – 00:01:55.900] So the chat will be closed for the m- uh, duration of the meeting. [00:01:55.900 – 00:02:06.120] And in keeping within the spirit of AA's traditions, the main purpose of this reading book meeting is to improve our, our understanding of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and the AA proven message of recovery contained [00:02:06.120 – 00:02:08.600] in the book titled Alcoholics Anonymous. [00:02:08.600 – 00:02:11.920] And every week we have a guest reader to read a chapter. [00:02:11.920 – 00:02:15.500] Now we do read the whole chapter, and we have footnotes being, uh, read as well.

[00:02:15.500 – 00:02:20.040] But tonight we have, or today we have Bill C. out of California. [00:02:20.040 – 00:02:23.760] He's gonna, he's stepping in for Matthew M., who sends his apologies. [00:02:23.760 – 00:02:26.340] It's always great to have Bill C. around. [00:02:26.340 – 00:02:28.100] Thank you, Bill, for jumping in and doing that for us. [00:02:28.100 – 00:02:28.700] Appreciate it. [00:02:28.700 – 00:02:34.359] Okay, I'm just gonna put, um, a short version of the Set A. Prayer up on the screen for us. [00:02:34.359 – 00:02:38.120] So if you'd like to, uh, join in there, we'd appreciate that.

[00:02:38.120 – 00:02:43.299] And we just get into, of course, the language of the heart, which we speak in AA. [00:02:43.299 – 00:02:47.720] So using God as you understand God. [00:02:47.720 – 00:02:49.500] Uh, God- God … [00:02:49.500 – 00:02:53.980] please help me to set aside everything I think I know. [00:02:53.980 – 00:02:57.640] An open mind to a new experience. [00:02:57.640 – 00:02:58.660] Amen. [00:02:58.660 – 00:03:06.020] And we just have a few moments silence to gather our thoughts, reflect on why we're here, and think of those who have yet to find a solution.

[00:03:06.020 – 00:03:08.160] And of course, they are family members. [00:03:08.160 – 00:03:16.720] Thank you, everyone. [00:03:16.720 – 00:03:21.480] Now I will put up the Kindle version up on the screen, and we will follow, uh, Bill's reading. [00:03:21.480 – 00:03:22.860] Bill, have a good reading. [00:03:22.860 – 00:03:25.060] Over to you, Bill C.. [00:03:25.060 – 00:03:26.340] Thank you, all. [00:03:26.340 – 00:03:30.480] Good to be here.

[00:03:30.480 – 00:03:37.700] Chapter 13: This Week Magazine, September to October 1938. [00:03:37.700 – 00:03:43.580] It had been three full months since Bill W. had written any new material for the book. [00:03:43.580 – 00:03:48.980] It wasn't that absolutely no progress had been made on the project, but it was minimal at best. [00:03:48.980 – 00:03:51.100] Bill rather lamely admitted to Dr. [00:03:51.100 – 00:04:01.120] Bob on August 29th that, "A little more has been done on the book, but not much." And he similarly told Don M. on September the 8th that some more progress [00:04:01.120 – 00:04:04.280] has been made on the book, but he offered no further details. [00:04:04.280 – 00:04:07.810] Perhaps this was because- There's a footnote.

[00:04:07.810 – 00:04:08.820] There's a footnote in that sentence. [00:04:08.820 – 00:04:17.840] It is interesting to note that enough copies of the first two chapters had been typed for one to make its way to Cohos, New York. [00:04:17.840 – 00:04:22.940] But he offered no further details. [00:04:22.940 – 00:04:33.220] Perhaps this was because whatever recent progress there had been, had been, was in relation to their efforts to conform, confirm the acceptability of what Bill had written so far and to establish [00:04:33.220 – 00:04:37.540] that once finished, the book would prove to be as marketable as they hoped it would be. [00:04:37.540 – 00:04:47.740] Sometime in mid-June, W. and Parker solicited a professional opinion on the first two chapters during a visit with Floyd P., the former Saturday [00:04:47.740 – 00:04:54.460] Evening P. writer, who pronounced the book to be a worthy effort and helped to, and agreed to help with the editing once it was finished.

[00:04:54.460 – 00:05:04.540] Best of all, Hank and Bill left with the writer's commitment to do an article once the book was published, along with his confident assurance that he would be able to get that story placed in the Saturday [00:05:04.540 – 00:05:05.360] Evening P.. [00:05:05.360 – 00:05:12.630] On A. 3rd, W. wrote P. a belated thank you note, asking him to forgive my tardiness in acknowledging the pleasure- [00:05:12.932 – 00:05:13.202] which Mr. [00:05:13.202 – 00:05:18.032] P. and I had in your company the other day, and sending in copies of Dr. [00:05:18.032 – 00:05:19.072] S.'s and Dr. [00:05:19.072 – 00:05:22.002] R.' letters for their, for your further information.

[00:05:22.002 – 00:05:32.112] This was really little more than a courtesy letter, clearly intended to pressure P. that the book was still a viable project, and reiterating how much Bill appreciated [00:05:32.112 – 00:05:34.012] his offer of assistance in promoting it. [00:05:34.012 – 00:05:37.732] Ongoing edits to the two chapters. [00:05:37.732 – 00:05:44.912] The only other progress W. might possibly claim was the ongoing cosmetic edits to the two chapters. [00:05:44.912 – 00:05:55.252] While the overall format of There Is a Solution and Bill's Story remained fundamentally the same over these three months, Bill continued to make small revisions to the text every time Ruth had to retype [00:05:55.252 – 00:05:55.492] them. [00:05:55.492 – 00:06:04.672] The changes were mostly confined to small additions or deletions, as he tried to sharpen the impact of his sentences and to clarify the message he was trying to deliver.

[00:06:04.672 – 00:06:15.472] Commenting on this particular part of the process, H. later noted, "There were thousands of small changes and rewrites, constantly cutting or adding or editing." [00:06:15.472 – 00:06:20.232] Ruth also claimed that she retyped these chapters at least 50 times. [00:06:20.232 – 00:06:30.332] Footnote If this is not an outright exaggeration, the constant retypes could be explained by the fact that they did not have these chapters offset [00:06:30.332 – 00:06:40.662] printed in quantity, but rather typed up multiple carbon copies whenever Hank or Bill had depleted the store of previous copies they were constantly sending out [00:06:40.662 – 00:06:42.632] in their efforts to raise money. [00:06:42.632 – 00:06:53.072] For example, there are three early versions of just one paragraph from There Is a Solution, showing the progressive edits which were made with each retyping. [00:06:53.072 – 00:06:58.712] Deletions from the previous version were noted by strikeouts, and additions appear in bold italics.

[00:06:58.712 – 00:07:03.452] Stepping S. virgin, version June 1938. [00:07:03.452 – 00:07:10.711] If by chance you are or have begun to suspect that you are an alcoholic, we think there is no tenable p- middle of the road p- solution. [00:07:10.711 – 00:07:19.932] You are in a position where life is becoming impossible, and if you have passed into the region for which there is no return through human aid, you have just two alternatives. [00:07:19.932 – 00:07:30.012] One is to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of your intolerable situation as best you can, or you can surely find what we have found if you honestly want to and are willing to pay the [00:07:30.012 – 00:07:31.012] price. [00:07:31.012 – 00:07:37.832] After years of living on a basis which now seems to us wholly false, you are now going to get rightly related to your creator in a minute. [00:07:37.832 – 00:07:45.352] None of us has found God in six easy lessons, but He can be found by all who are willing to put the task ahead of all else.

[00:07:45.352 – 00:07:50.652] Stepping S. version two, June-September 1938. [00:07:50.652 – 00:07:58.372] If by chance you are or have been, begun to suspect that you are an alcoholic, we think you have no middle of the road solution. [00:07:58.372 – 00:08:07.112] You are in a position where life is becoming impossible, and if you have passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, you have just two alternatives. [00:08:07.112 – 00:08:17.172] One is to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of your intolerable situation as best you can, or you can surely find what we have found, and if you honestly want to, are willing to pay, [00:08:17.172 – 00:08:18.182] pay the price. [00:08:18.182 – 00:08:26.112] After years of living on a basis which now seems wholly false, we do not become rightly related to your creator in a minute. [00:08:26.112 – 00:08:33.652] None of us have found God in easy lessons, but He can be found by all who are willing to put the task ahead of all else.

[00:08:33.652 – 00:08:35.432] That goes for you, too. [00:08:35.432 – 00:08:40.912] GSO version, June-September 1938. [00:08:40.912 – 00:08:47.212] If by chance you are or have begun to suspect that you are an alcoholic, we think you have no middle of the road solution. [00:08:47.212 – 00:08:55.672] You are in a position where life is becoming impossible, and if you have passed into the region for which there is no return through human aid, you have just two alternatives. [00:08:55.672 – 00:09:05.672] One is to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of your intolerable situation as best you can, or you can surely find that what we have found if you honestly want to and are [00:09:05.672 – 00:09:07.572] willing to make the effort. [00:09:07.572 – 00:09:14.382] After years of living on a basis which now seems wholly false, we did not become rightly related to our creator in a minute.

[00:09:14.382 – 00:09:21.792] None of us have found God in any easy lessons, but He can be found by all who are willing to put the task ahead of all else. [00:09:21.792 – 00:09:24.582] And they left out the God. [00:09:24.582 – 00:09:29.652] Throughout these three versions, the number of words remain fairly constant. [00:09:29.652 – 00:09:33.432] 156, 155, and 146 respectively. [00:09:33.432 – 00:09:35.812] But the impact of the language has changed subtly. [00:09:35.812 – 00:09:45.932] For instance, with the dropping of the two cliched six from the easy lessons comment, and the addition and subsequent deletion of the p- deletion of the pointed accusation, "That [00:09:45.932 – 00:09:53.012] goes for you, too." From Bill W.'s perspective, it was important that he continue to sharpen the text as much as possible.

[00:09:53.012 – 00:09:57.242] But at this time, there was no pressing need for him to begin writing any new chapters. [00:09:57.242 – 00:10:07.272] These two served their primary purpose as promotional pieces in June, July, and August, and Bill continued to use them throughout the rest of 1938 [00:10:07.272 – 00:10:13.512] as his opening wedge for securing appointments from some of the most important and prestigious men in New York and Washington. [00:10:13.512 – 00:10:16.912] Fundraising efforts continue. [00:10:16.912 – 00:10:20.072] As usual, Bill set his sights high. [00:10:20.072 – 00:10:25.002] In early September, he pre- prevailed upon his old employer, Clayton K., to join him in a- [00:10:25.372 – 00:10:31.852] And Hank, Hank, Hank P. for a preliminary meeting with Frederick J., the private secretary to Thomas W.

[00:10:31.852 – 00:10:34.872] Lamont, the senior partner of JP Morgan and Company. [00:10:34.872 – 00:10:43.612] Footnote. [00:10:43.612 – 00:10:45.212] Thank you. [00:10:45.212 – 00:10:51.752] It is not unlikely that Clayton Q. was the reason they were able to actually get this appointment. [00:10:51.752 – 00:10:58.492] Jaeger was enthusiastic about their proposal, and he was confident Lamont would respond positively. [00:10:58.492 – 00:11:08.772] But after this auspicious beginning, the head of JP Morgan disappointed them all, telling his secretary to write W. how he regrets that he is unable to offer any assistance because [00:11:08.772 – 00:11:11.532] the enterprise is entirely outside of his bailiwick.

[00:11:11.532 – 00:11:21.552] Returning the package of documents to W., Jaeger consoled him with his personal regrets that the negotiations proved unsuccessful, and suggested Bill might have better [00:11:21.552 – 00:11:29.172] luck if he approached the personally, personnel executive of large organizations where such matters come under their personal supervision. [00:11:29.172 – 00:11:35.192] This was little more than a polite brush-off, with just a bit of sympathy thrown in to soften the blow. [00:11:35.192 – 00:11:45.212] It is difficult to understand why W. and P. were so consistently unsuccessful with the rich men they approached in New York City during the summer and fall of [00:11:45.212 – 00:11:46.212] 1938. [00:11:46.212 – 00:11:56.542] Bill was upset by these repeated failures, complaining that, "It is inconceivable to us when we observe the amounts of money raised for other purposes, that we cannot [00:11:56.542 – 00:12:02.352] quite readily secure adequate funds to carry forward a work of the probable importance of this one.

[00:12:02.352 – 00:12:05.892] Obviously, we have not yet discovered how to go about it. [00:12:05.892 – 00:12:16.112] We simply have not reached the right people in the right way." W.'s frustration is understandable, but just how likely is it that all of these men would have been so completely [00:12:16.112 – 00:12:18.552] deaf to the worthiness of the cause they were promoting? [00:12:18.552 – 00:12:23.492] Perhaps the problem wasn't that Hank and Bill hadn't found the right people or the right way. [00:12:23.492 – 00:12:27.612] Perhaps it was the success they were so proud of, the early contribution from John D. [00:12:27.612 – 00:12:35.432] R. Jr., and their current alliance with his closest associates, that, that were the very source of their undoing. [00:12:35.432 – 00:12:45.592] The community of rich is small and incestuous, and it is not inconceivable that one response to learning of R.'s support for AA would be to wonder why John

[00:12:45.592 – 00:12:45.732] D. [00:12:45.732 – 00:12:51.452] hadn't come up with a larger donation himself if he was so convinced about the worthiness of this cause. [00:12:51.452 – 00:13:00.472] After all, W. and P. weren't looking for that much money, only something like $30,000, an amount that was little more than pocket change to R.. [00:13:00.472 – 00:13:04.052] Had word of that fact R. thought… [00:13:04.052 – 00:13:14.112] the fact that R. thought money would spoil the project already become so well known among the New York elite that it provided them with a ready-made excuse for saying no without any fear [00:13:14.112 – 00:13:15.492] of troubling their conscience. [00:13:15.492 – 00:13:21.652] In the face of the universal and the summary rejection of all their appeals, this may well have been the case.

[00:13:21.652 – 00:13:29.852] Even more ambitious than his hopes at JP Morgan were Bill's plans for two meetings he encouraged Fitz to set up in Washington, DC. [00:13:29.852 – 00:13:39.932] Before J. Casey project completely unraveled, W. encouraged M. to make contact with Stanley W. and Colonel E. Watson, two important [00:13:39.932 – 00:13:45.772] members of the White H. staff, and convince them that they should attend the meeting then being organized by the judge. [00:13:45.772 – 00:13:48.372] This was shooting very high indeed. [00:13:48.372 – 00:13:55.212] Colonel W. was President R.'s personnel, personal military aide, and Woodward was the White H. chief of protocol. [00:13:55.212 – 00:14:03.012] Two men who were just in daily contact with the President of the United States, but also well known to be among his closest personal friends. [00:14:03.012 – 00:14:03.852] Footnote.

[00:14:03.852 – 00:14:13.972] Given B. W.'s famously low opinion of Franklin R., we can only take this as a measure of the lengths that he was ready to go in his efforts to make [00:14:13.972 – 00:14:15.292] AA successful. [00:14:15.292 – 00:14:25.552] Could B. W. have had any greater hope for the proposed Washington DC meeting than to have it attended by two men who shared the confidential ear of Franklin D. [00:14:25.552 – 00:14:26.212] Roosevelt? [00:14:26.212 – 00:14:28.892] But all of this came to naught. [00:14:28.892 – 00:14:36.632] Despite these grandiose plans and all their efforts, by late September, W. was forced to admit he was rather ashamed to say, "That outside of Mr. [00:14:36.632 – 00:14:46.672] Townes' generous contributions, we have not secured a red cent." The game plan they had been following for the past several months was obviously not working, nor was there any real

[00:14:46.672 – 00:14:53.072] hope that it would start working in time to relieve the growing desperation of their current financial situation. [00:14:53.072 – 00:14:55.852] A completely different approach was clearly needed. [00:14:55.852 – 00:14:58.232] Not surprisingly, Hank G. [00:14:58.232 – 00:15:00.252] P. had a plan. [00:15:00.252 – 00:15:05.592] Hank approaches Silas B. about the, a This Week magazine article. [00:15:05.592 – 00:15:09.982] Predictably, Hank's new plan had to do with promotion and fundraising. [00:15:09.982 – 00:15:19.352] The scheme hinged on the wide circulation of a story praising their work, and his certainty that such publicity would generate tens of thousands of inquiries from the public.

[00:15:19.352 – 00:15:23.752] But it was the second half of this proposal that proved to be the most important. [00:15:23.752 – 00:15:33.912] He claimed that once this well-placed article had put them in touch with a huge and receptive audience, they would then respond to all inquiries by offering several chapters from the soon-to-be finished [00:15:33.912 – 00:15:37.862] book for just $1, the price of a pint of cheap whiskey. [00:15:38.652 – 00:15:42.272] Thereby raising enough money to finance the writing of the rest of the book. [00:15:42.272 – 00:15:52.332] Floyd P. had promised them national explosure, exposure in the Saturday E. Post once the book was published, but what they de- desperately needed right now [00:15:52.332 – 00:15:56.432] was enough cash to support themselves while they wrote, edited, and published the book. [00:15:56.432 – 00:16:03.372] Bill, Hank, and Fitz were flat broke and quickly slipping deeper into debt as they struggled to cover their regular household expenses.

[00:16:03.372 – 00:16:13.372] Something had to be done immediately, and Hank's plan for capitalizing on this proposed wide-ranging publicity sounded like the best way to raise money quickly, maximizing [00:16:13.372 – 00:16:15.992] the resources they had already had on hand. [00:16:15.992 – 00:16:26.152] One of their members, Silas B., had a working relationship with This Week Magazine, a syndicated Sunday supplement distributed locally by the New York Herald T.. [00:16:26.152 – 00:16:32.232] This magazine had a weekly nationwide circulation of over five million copies. [00:16:32.232 – 00:16:42.292] Footnote In the prospectus for the 100 Men C., prepared more than a month later, Hank P. claimed a weekly circulation of [00:16:42.292 – 00:16:44.752] five and a quarter million copies for This Week. [00:16:44.752 – 00:16:47.132] That's from, in a GSO folder.

[00:16:47.132 – 00:16:56.372] Bill W. said circulation was seven million in his letter to Frank A. on September 26, 1938, also in a GSO folder. [00:16:56.372 – 00:17:04.492] And Hank was sure an article in This Week was perfect vehicle for producing the publicity so desperately needed. [00:17:04.492 – 00:17:09.752] How could they fail to raise some money once they had received such penetrating national exposure? [00:17:09.752 – 00:17:19.092] Bill W. had met Silas B. in T. Hospital in November 1935 and helped him become the third sober member of their group in New York City. [00:17:19.092 – 00:17:29.152] But less than a year later, Silas had a spectacular slip, drinking himself into a stupor that lasted for several weeks before his wife placed him, placed a desperate phone [00:17:29.152 – 00:17:30.412] call to, to W.. [00:17:30.412 – 00:17:39.512] Bill took the next train from Grand C. Station to Old G., Connecticut, and found his friend practically unconscious and in a serious deteriorated state.

[00:17:39.512 – 00:17:46.692] In a panic, W. called a cab and dashed the drunken and dangerously ill man down to T. Hospital, where Dr. [00:17:46.692 – 00:17:51.652] S. pronounced B. to be on death's door, holding out little hope for his survival. [00:17:51.652 – 00:17:58.292] Silas, however, quickly proved the doctor's dire prediction wrong by making an amazingly quick and full recovery. [00:17:58.292 – 00:18:06.072] Footnote L. tells this story with rare gusto in Lois R. on page 242, 102. [00:18:06.072 – 00:18:15.472] It is unlikely that Silas B. was one of the more stable members of the group, and the day he achieves permanent sobriety, if at all, is not known. [00:18:15.472 – 00:18:25.512] It is telling that his story was not included in the Big Book, strongly suggesting that despite his prodigious writing skills, his length of sobriety was [00:18:25.512 – 00:18:26.692] not to be trusted.

[00:18:26.692 – 00:18:32.422] The next time Silas shows up in the records is the long letter Bill wrote to Dr. [00:18:32.422 – 00:18:40.452] Bob S. in late 1938, reporting on B.'s glowing opinion of the two chapters just written and his high hopes for the proposed book. [00:18:40.452 – 00:18:50.472] W. reinforced B.'s credibility as a critic by reminding Bob that Silas was a star reporter and writer, who was at one time editor of the New York Times [00:18:50.472 – 00:18:51.372] Sunday magazine. [00:18:51.372 – 00:19:01.372] Whatever his past writing accomplishments, and there were in fact considerable, footnote For some details previously given on Silas [00:19:01.372 – 00:19:05.792] B.'s career, see the footnote found on page 193. [00:19:05.792 – 00:19:11.992] B. was at this time regularly supplying copy for the Page T. feature in This Week Magazine.

[00:19:11.992 – 00:19:19.972] Hank approached Silas and suggested he make a more substantial contribution by writing a full-length article about their success in getting people sober. [00:19:19.972 – 00:19:27.692] Hank also mentioned that whatever Silas might write, he should include a paragraph that would guardedly disclose their need for funds. [00:19:27.692 – 00:19:38.092] Once this article was read by several hundred thousand families where the alcoholic problem exists, AA would surely receive a huge number of requests for information and help, providing [00:19:38.092 – 00:19:48.532] Bill and Hank with an opportunity to sell copies of the already written chapters to many of the people who wrote for help, and thereby raise the money they needed for their ongoing support. [00:19:48.532 – 00:19:55.112] Hank had no doubt that if Silas wrote and submitted such an article, it would be published, and he was not too far wrong. [00:19:55.112 – 00:20:02.792] By mid-September, B. had finished the piece and submitted it to Gerald M., managing director of This Week Magazine. [00:20:02.792 – 00:20:12.792] Mygatt responded enthusiastically on December 19, saying that, "Personally, I think it's most interesting," and he promised B. a prompt answer once the publisher and the

[00:20:12.792 – 00:20:14.792] owner of the magazine found the time to read it. [00:20:14.792 – 00:20:24.752] On the same day that Mygatt was writing this first response to him, Hank, Bill, and Lois drove out to Old G. for a talk with Silas about the Tribune article. [00:20:24.752 – 00:20:34.842] If they were about to receive massive favorable national exposure, then they needed to formulate a plan for handling the deluge of requests for help, which would surely [00:20:34.842 – 00:20:36.552] be generated by this publicity. [00:20:36.552 – 00:20:40.632] It would be interesting to know more about these conversations. [00:20:40.632 – 00:20:42.952] Unfortunately, no record has survived. [00:20:42.952 – 00:20:50.482] But given the typical over-the-top optimism of the participants in that discussion, we can only presume the plans they made that day were both a-

[00:20:50.652 – 00:20:51.952] Ambitious and elaborate. [00:20:51.952 – 00:20:59.811] The need for such planning, however, was called into question the very next day when Magit raised the first of several complications. [00:20:59.811 – 00:21:06.912] He wrote to Silas telling him the publisher had now read the article with interest, but they both felt that something important was missing. [00:21:06.912 – 00:21:12.122] Would it be possible, he asked, to incorporate in the article a description of how the cure works? [00:21:12.122 – 00:21:19.212] "What it boils down to is that you tell us and the reader that this new cure exists, and then don't tell us anything about it. [00:21:19.212 – 00:21:26.752] Could this be written in the first person by some man who has actually gone through the process? [00:21:26.752 – 00:21:35.012] Such an article would be extremely valuable to us and extremely interesting to any reader with an alcoholic problem anywhere in the horizon.

[00:21:35.012 – 00:21:45.432] As it stands, the publisher and I agree with the p- the piece fails to hammer its real interest home, and the real interest lies perforce in the process [00:21:45.432 – 00:21:47.402] rather than the fact that there is hope. [00:21:47.402 – 00:21:53.352] I will hold the piece here awaiting your reply." This was very bad news indeed. [00:21:53.352 – 00:21:56.282] Well, they already had the- There's a footnote. [00:21:56.282 – 00:21:56.452] What? [00:21:56.452 – 00:21:57.332] Oh, I'm sorry. [00:21:57.332 – 00:21:58.742] There's a footnote.

[00:21:58.742 – 00:22:07.352] The following January, an article written by Silas B. entitled There Is H. was published in the Hackettstown C. Post. [00:22:07.352 – 00:22:17.472] Given M.'s use of that phrase in quotes in his letter to Bill, it is possible that the Hackettstown piece was just a recycled version of what Silas had [00:22:17.472 – 00:22:19.232] written for This Week Magazine. [00:22:19.232 – 00:22:23.632] It was very, that was, this was very bad news indeed, as well. [00:22:23.632 – 00:22:26.632] They already had such a first person account in Bill's story. [00:22:26.632 – 00:22:28.672] They didn't want to publish that in the magazine. [00:22:28.672 – 00:22:34.422] Instead, that was exactly what they were hoping to sell to the interested parties who read the magazine article.

[00:22:34.422 – 00:22:44.572] In addition, Bill had not yet written any general description of how the cure works, a l- labor that would prove to be the greatest single challenge of his life and perhaps his most important accomplishment. [00:22:44.572 – 00:22:53.752] But at this point, W. was still almost three months away from his first serious attempt to produce a comprehensive explanation of how the cure actually worked. [00:22:53.752 – 00:23:01.192] Silas passed along copies of this correspondence to Bill and suggested they had reached an impasse that only he could resolve. [00:23:01.192 – 00:23:08.992] "I believe the best thing for you to do is to see Magit, but you must make an appointment to the minute, to the minute. [00:23:08.992 – 00:23:11.072] You just can't drop in on the guy. [00:23:11.072 – 00:23:20.712] Even so, he may keep you waiting." In short, all the problems of revising the article to the publisher's satisfaction had now been dropped directly into Bill W.'s lap. [00:23:20.712 – 00:23:24.472] The third foundation meeting, the lack of money.

[00:23:24.472 – 00:23:28.092] But Bill had more pressing problems to deal with first. [00:23:28.092 – 00:23:38.132] At 3:00 PM on Friday, September the 23rd, just two days after Silas's report of the problems with the This Week article, W. made a dramatic presentation [00:23:38.132 – 00:23:43.302] of their desperate need for money at the third meeting of the Alcoholic F. at R. Center. [00:23:43.302 – 00:23:46.852] In attendance were Willard R., Frank A., A. [00:23:46.852 – 00:23:49.052] Leroy C., and Hank P.. [00:23:49.052 – 00:23:55.552] Absent were John W., Bill R., who sent a proxy to Frank, Frank A., and Dr. [00:23:55.552 – 00:24:02.772] Bob S., who had written a short letter on September 3rd outlining a request he wished to make of the other trustees.

[00:24:02.772 – 00:24:03.382] Footnote. [00:24:03.382 – 00:24:13.482] Note that there are two sets of minutes for this meeting, the second of which, in a GSO folder, contradicts the first set in a few places and, [00:24:13.482 – 00:24:16.692] based on those differences, appears to be the earlier version. [00:24:16.692 – 00:24:21.512] Both documents were used in the presentation of the meeting that is given here. [00:24:21.512 – 00:24:27.212] The meeting was completely focused on money, and more particularly, on their lack of money. [00:24:27.212 – 00:24:37.552] A. gave a treasurer's report noting there was still a balance of $2,000 from the R. contribution, along with a $500 check received from Charles T. [00:24:37.552 – 00:24:39.732] and an anonymous donation of $50.

[00:24:39.732 – 00:24:40.412] Footnote. [00:24:40.412 – 00:24:50.692] In an alternate set of minutes for this meeting, it is noted that $650 of the R. money, not 2,000, was currently in the foundation's account. [00:24:50.692 – 00:25:00.952] While this is likely more accurate than the $2,000 mentioned in the official minutes, neither number seems to be 100% accurate in relation to R.'s [00:25:00.952 – 00:25:04.332] total contribution and the payments already made to Dr. [00:25:04.332 – 00:25:05.332] Bob S.. [00:25:05.332 – 00:25:11.111] These minutes also note that the anonymous $50 contribution was secured by Mr. [00:25:11.111 – 00:25:12.472] A. from Mrs.

[00:25:12.472 – 00:25:13.432] Charles S. [00:25:13.432 – 00:25:16.311] Burke in a GSO, that's in a GSO folder. [00:25:16.311 – 00:25:26.632] Frank also reported the town's donation of 500 had already been distributed to W., P., and M., 150, 150, and 200 respectively, [00:25:26.632 – 00:25:28.292] as the donor had requested. [00:25:28.292 – 00:25:32.682] Finally, he reported the regular monthly payment of $200 had been sent to Dr. [00:25:32.682 – 00:25:34.932] Bob S. earlier that month. [00:25:34.932 – 00:25:40.852] Following this report, the first piece of new business was ne- was how to respond to Dr.

[00:25:40.852 – 00:25:49.782] Bob S.'s letter requesting the trustees take $400 from the money that would be paid to him in March and April 1935- 9 and give it at once to Mr. [00:25:49.782 – 00:25:50.392] William G. [00:25:50.392 – 00:25:51.972] W. and his associates. [00:25:51.972 – 00:26:01.452] Since R. had donated these funds for Smith's exclusive use, this prompted a frank discussion which disclosed that Messers W.G. [00:26:01.452 – 00:26:02.412] W. and H.G. [00:26:02.412 – 00:26:03.222] P. in- [00:26:03.344 – 00:26:13.544] indispensable leaders in this movement for the redemption of alcoholics, had used up all their private funds and much borrowed money in the carrying on of this work, and that either some funds

[00:26:13.544 – 00:26:23.924] must be supplied them or they would have to seek private employment at once of a nature which would take them away most of the time from this work in which they are exceptionally capable leaders. [00:26:23.924 – 00:26:29.804] The trustees decided that for some time to come, it would be vital to keep particularly Messrs. [00:26:29.804 – 00:26:39.844] W. and P. in the New York metropolitan area entirely on this work, providing it would, it were at all possible to secure funds which would barely meet their [00:26:39.844 – 00:26:40.784] actual expenses. [00:26:40.784 – 00:26:46.334] No other funds being available at this time, the trustees reluctantly accepted Dr. [00:26:46.334 – 00:26:51.564] Smith's request and authorized the treasurer to pay this $400 over to Messrs. [00:26:51.564 – 00:26:53.064] W. and M..

[00:26:53.064 – 00:27:03.204] Footnote In the alternate, and almost certainly earlier set of minutes for this meeting, it's noted that rather than approving this reallocation [00:27:03.204 – 00:27:07.584] of $400 to W. and P., that no action was taken. [00:27:07.584 – 00:27:09.824] That's in a GSO folder. [00:27:09.824 – 00:27:19.984] This contradiction might be explained by accepting that no action taken was the actual decision made by the trustees that afternoon, but that the transfer was approved [00:27:19.984 – 00:27:23.524] once Will and R. had a chance to sound out John D. [00:27:23.524 – 00:27:24.624] R. Jr. [00:27:24.624 – 00:27:30.504] on the matter, and the minutes were subsequently modified to reflect that decision.

[00:27:30.504 – 00:27:38.124] Note, on page 338 of his well-researched book, Alcoholics Anonymous and the R. Connection, J.D. [00:27:38.124 – 00:27:46.544] Moore confirms that the foundation made a payment of $200 each to Hank and Bill on September 29th, 1938. [00:27:46.544 – 00:27:48.704] So the mushroom was approved. [00:27:48.704 – 00:27:58.824] This decision was followed by the trustees reviewing the entire financial situation at great length and finally resolving that they would organize an informal [00:27:58.824 – 00:28:05.144] meeting of the trustees with others interested in an effort to raise funds to carry on this work. [00:28:05.144 – 00:28:15.224] Although the minutes do not say so, it is clear from comments Bill W. made shortly after this meeting that R., most likely prompted by A., was considering the possibility of [00:28:15.224 – 00:28:16.224] reapproaching John D.

[00:28:16.224 – 00:28:17.064] R. Jr. [00:28:17.064 – 00:28:17.984] for more money. [00:28:17.984 – 00:28:27.723] This despite his employer's firm declaration the previous March that you will not look to me for further contr- contribution for this pro- object. [00:28:27.723 – 00:28:37.744] That pronouncement was so uncompromising that Richard thought such a request could only be made with the active support of Albert S., and it was agreed that he should be consulted on these matters as soon [00:28:37.744 – 00:28:41.684] as possible because the immediate financial situation was so urgent. [00:28:41.684 – 00:28:51.684] In preparation for that meeting, A. asked W. to write out a fully detailed statement of their current financial distress, a document which could serve as starting [00:28:51.684 – 00:28:55.004] point for the planned discussion with Albert S. the following Wednesday.

[00:28:55.004 – 00:28:58.644] The proposed This Week article is discussed. [00:28:58.644 – 00:29:07.484] The final, the final financial item to be discussed at the meeting was the proposed This Week magazine article, and this raised something of a moral dilemma for Bill. [00:29:07.484 – 00:29:17.644] On the one hand, he was nervous about not mentioning their plan for national publicity to the trustees before making that c- commitment, but he was equally worried the R. men [00:29:17.644 – 00:29:23.504] might veto the project and force them to cancel it outright once they learned the details of the proposal. [00:29:23.504 – 00:29:32.004] Despite these fears, W. launched into a brief discussion of proposed publicity in the New York Herald T. magazine called This Week. [00:29:32.004 – 00:29:33.764] It was suggested by Messrs. [00:29:33.764 – 00:29:43.984] P. and W. that if such a step were taken promptly, new sources of contribution might be disclosed, and that perhaps chapters of the book now under pr- preparation

[00:29:43.984 – 00:29:46.944] could be sold to those seeking help. [00:29:46.944 – 00:29:51.704] This would, they said, make a spiritual beginning in many homes and possibly permit Mr. [00:29:51.704 – 00:29:55.044] P. and the office at Newark, New Jersey to be retained. [00:29:55.044 – 00:30:05.124] All agreed that this course had its disadvantages, that it might not produce much revenue, that it might flood us with inquiries which could not be looked after, that it might put us in a wrong [00:30:05.124 – 00:30:11.204] light with the general public, that it might create the impression we were more interested in money than in spiritual matters. [00:30:11.204 – 00:30:21.324] Having noted in the course of their discussion that more chapters of the book were now under preparation, Bill expanded on this by giving a report on the progress of the book which [00:30:21.324 – 00:30:31.984] has been writing, the purpose of which will be to give r- give workers and alcoholics alike a powerful written help in pointing them towards spiritual redemption from alcoholism

[00:30:31.984 – 00:30:36.744] through reading of exactly how some 100 former alcoholics had been redeemed. [00:30:36.744 – 00:30:43.644] There was much discussion as to methods of publishing this book and promoting its sale, but nothing definite was decided. [00:30:43.644 – 00:30:53.744] In the end, the group simply ran out of time, and in addition to a lack of consensus about the best way to go about publishing and promoting the book, no decision was made with respect [00:30:53.744 – 00:30:57.684] to the Herald T. matter and its possible good or bad consequences. [00:30:57.684 – 00:31:08.524] Although W. left this meeting with no clear solution of their dire financial situation, there was at least the hopeful possibility that Albert S. would be persuaded to open a dialogue [00:31:08.524 – 00:31:09.144] with John D. [00:31:09.144 – 00:31:10.004] R. Jr.

[00:31:10.004 – 00:31:15.384] about making another and perhaps even more substantial contribution to the group. [00:31:17.224 – 00:31:20.704] Bill's letter points a dire finance– paints a dire financial picture. [00:31:20.704 – 00:31:31.074] Responding to Frank A.' suggestion for a summary document he could present to Albert S., Bill wrote one of the longest and most impassioned letters of his life in which he detailed the position [00:31:31.074 – 00:31:34.884] with reference to our alcoholic work of Fitz M., Hank P., and myself. [00:31:34.884 – 00:31:40.104] The opening line striking a tragically biblical note was classic Bill W.. [00:31:40.104 – 00:31:50.104] "So far as I can see, we have three, we have three, we three have sold all our sheep and goats." Footnote T. mention of sheep [00:31:50.104 – 00:31:56.804] and goats is an Old T. reference to the flocks of animals kept by the pastoral Israelites of that time.

[00:31:56.804 – 00:32:03.944] In a pastoral economy, once you had sold all your sheep and goats, you had nothing whatsoever left to live on. [00:32:03.944 – 00:32:11.024] For the complete text of this important and informative letter, see appendix seven on page 651. [00:32:11.024 – 00:32:21.024] He followed this dramatic opening with two paragraphs detailing Fitz M.'s grave situation, noting that he was gradually liquidating [00:32:21.024 – 00:32:23.384] his livestock, equipment, and farm. [00:32:23.384 – 00:32:24.904] This house only is left. [00:32:24.904 – 00:32:30.064] He is also in debt to his sister, and he has no income of his own at all. [00:32:30.064 – 00:32:40.464] Unless M. could get some immediate relief, W. said he may be lost to us so far as much alcoholic work is concerned, and when our book comes out, we shall sorely

[00:32:40.464 – 00:32:42.744] need manpower of this kind. [00:32:42.744 – 00:32:52.904] Knowing A. wanted him to be specific about their needs, Bill noted that Fitz could scrape by for a while on $200 a month, but will [00:32:52.904 – 00:32:54.344] need more eventually. [00:32:54.344 – 00:33:01.504] Hank P. was even in worse shape than M., a situation W. described in some detail over the next several paragraphs. [00:33:01.504 – 00:33:07.024] Hank's business was failing, and he was, has no income and is running into debt at an alarming rate. [00:33:07.024 – 00:33:10.014] He is at least $2,000 in the hole now. [00:33:10.014 – 00:33:18.384] But more important, Hank's services were going to be badly needed in the alcoholic work, which would obviously expand so much on publication of our book.

[00:33:18.384 – 00:33:24.254] In fact, no one was better or more effective with businessmen of his own type than Hank, Henry G. [00:33:24.254 – 00:33:24.953] P.. [00:33:24.953 – 00:33:30.744] In addition, Hank was needed for the critical role of looking over the publicity and distribution of the volume. [00:33:30.744 – 00:33:38.564] There is no one in our crowd who has been sober long enough, has the business capacity and energy that would be available, save Hank. [00:33:38.564 – 00:33:45.084] His services, W. declared categorically, will be invaluable in bringing the book to press and then promoting it. [00:33:45.084 – 00:33:55.084] Added to Hank's personal expenses were the cost of maintaining the office and his secretary in New Jersey with bill notes are now useful to me because I am dictating the book [00:33:55.084 – 00:33:58.204] there and looking after an ever-increasing correspondence.

[00:33:58.204 – 00:34:08.284] It would, of course, be possible to close it down immediately and thereby save some money, but that, they would desperately need an office to deal with the labor entailed by the huge [00:34:08.284 – 00:34:14.284] volume of incries- inquiries and pleas for assistance, which will surely descend upon us when the book is out. [00:34:14.284 – 00:34:21.324] Quite frankly, if that happened and they had no office to serve as a base of operation, the situation would be chaotic. [00:34:21.324 – 00:34:31.504] In addition, if the equipment and furnishings we now possess were sold off and had to be repurchased in just a few short months, it would cost $2,000 to duplicate them. [00:34:31.504 – 00:34:42.004] On the other hand, Bill estimated it would cost only about 600 per month to carry Hank, the office, and the secretary during the brief time before the book's publication, [00:34:42.004 – 00:34:46.144] which would then begin to generate the income needed to sustain our- themselves. [00:34:46.144 – 00:34:50.584] W.'s own situation was hardly any better.

[00:34:50.584 – 00:35:00.654] His W. Street income had stopped the previous fall, and although he was since been made director of a promising company, the fees paid by this Midwest firm were only [00:35:00.654 – 00:35:01.134] nominal. [00:35:01.134 – 00:35:03.404] To make things worse, he was in debt. [00:35:03.404 – 00:35:05.414] Footnote. [00:35:05.414 – 00:35:06.814] We- The company- Oh, sorry … [00:35:06.814 – 00:35:09.984] Bill refers to is the Pierce G. Company. [00:35:09.984 – 00:35:18.684] During the past year, so that I could keep on and have a free hand with this work, I have gone $1,500 into debt.

[00:35:18.684 – 00:35:21.684] I have given my personal notes for $1,200. [00:35:21.684 – 00:35:24.664] This money was shared with Hank and Fix, Fitz. [00:35:24.664 – 00:35:28.464] Contributions amounting to $1,500 were secured from Mr. [00:35:28.464 – 00:35:29.164] Charles B. [00:35:29.164 – 00:35:29.724] T.. [00:35:29.724 – 00:35:34.303] This money was likewise divided among the three of us and has all been spent. [00:35:34.303 – 00:35:44.414] Having brought up the subject of Charles T., W. next went into a long discussion recounting the past relationship with the New York

[00:35:44.414 – 00:35:55.024] City H. and its owner, telling the trustees how T. had offered him a job and the subsequent decision to reject that offer along with any other kind of formal affiliation [00:35:55.024 – 00:35:57.104] with the locally famous drying out spot. [00:35:57.104 – 00:35:58.373] Footnote. [00:35:58.373 – 00:35:59.144] But not… [00:35:59.144 – 00:36:00.564] Really? [00:36:00.564 – 00:36:02.764] There's a foot- footnote in the middle of that sentence. [00:36:02.764 – 00:36:07.464] Even at such a close remove, W. could get his timeline wrong.

[00:36:07.464 – 00:36:17.524] Here he claims that the job offer from T., almost certainly received in December 1936, had come about a year ago before we met you gentlemen, [00:36:17.524 – 00:36:20.064] that is, in September 1937. [00:36:20.064 – 00:36:25.383] I think we need to make those footnote stars a little bit bigger. [00:36:30.664 – 00:36:34.604] We did not go along with Mithter T. at the time because we felt there was a better way. [00:36:34.604 – 00:36:43.284] We did not want any man's chance of finding his God and getting over his alcoholism prejudiced by accusations, however ill-founded, that we were too commercial. [00:36:43.284 – 00:36:46.704] On this point, we have been bending over backward ever since. [00:36:46.704 – 00:36:50.834] I am very glad we have, but our financial backs have been broken with the bending.

[00:36:50.834 – 00:36:55.024] Moving ahead on a less than ideal basis. [00:36:55.024 – 00:37:03.024] Having effectively eliminated Charles T. and his hospital as a potential source of income, Bill states, in not too subtle reference to John D. [00:37:03.024 – 00:37:13.044] R. Jr., that the ideal situat- solution would be to have access to adequate funds given by understanding people quietly and without expectation of personal [00:37:13.044 – 00:37:14.424] publicity or reward. [00:37:14.424 – 00:37:24.664] Although he realizes this is the ideal setup and perhaps we cannot have that, nevertheless, we could well use $30,000 during the coming year to pl- place [00:37:24.664 – 00:37:28.844] the knowledge of our solution in every home and to follow up this initial step. [00:37:28.844 – 00:37:39.184] It will be unfortunate if we bring out a book which is sure to create a huge demand for help, at least by correspondence, and then be totally unprepared to take care of the situation.

[00:37:39.184 – 00:37:48.684] Though the book alone will undoubtedly do much good, it will fall short of this objective if publication finds us without men or money to carry it through. [00:37:48.684 – 00:37:50.704] It is imperative we be ready. [00:37:50.704 – 00:37:52.804] This is no time to bog down. [00:37:52.804 – 00:37:54.384] The next six months are critical. [00:37:54.384 – 00:38:01.024] The general work ought to be pushed and a foundation built that will withstand the pressure which is inevitably coming. [00:38:01.024 – 00:38:11.144] As there are no funds yet in sight to carry the work upon the ideal basis we would like, we are plainly faced with the question as to whether we should go ahead on something less than an [00:38:11.144 – 00:38:17.164] i- ideal basis, or shall we stick to our vision of the ideal yet accomplish little or nothing for lack of money?

[00:38:17.164 – 00:38:23.244] For example, we could let the status of the work revert to where it was a year ago. [00:38:23.244 – 00:38:25.784] Those of us now active could go back to business. [00:38:25.784 – 00:38:32.484] In that event, we might continue to grow at such a rate that perhaps several hundred more men could be reached over the next few years. [00:38:32.484 – 00:38:38.724] But what shall we say of the many thousands who might pass out of the picture just because we failed to let them know? [00:38:38.724 – 00:38:46.564] May they not be obliged to suffer because we are now too timid, too conservative, or too fearful of what people may say? [00:38:46.564 – 00:38:54.504] Assuming that the trustees by private contribution think it unlikely we can take care of this situation, should we not consider other means? [00:38:54.504 – 00:39:04.564] The New York H. Tribune, for example, seems willing to carry on an article description of our work, which would guardedly disclose our need

[00:39:04.564 – 00:39:05.164] for funds. [00:39:05.164 – 00:39:08.813] I refute, refer to their Sunday magazine called This Week. [00:39:08.813 – 00:39:11.684] This section of the Tribune is widely syndicated. [00:39:11.684 – 00:39:15.084] It has a weekly circulation of 7 million. [00:39:15.084 – 00:39:21.904] Perhaps it would bring out our work to the attention of several hundred thousand families where the alcoholic problem exists. [00:39:21.904 – 00:39:27.063] The managing editor of This Week thinks that 20,000 r- of them would get in touch with us. [00:39:27.063 – 00:39:34.484] We could offer these families, say, five of the vital chapters of our book in photolithographic form.

[00:39:34.484 – 00:39:42.024] We could frankly let them know about our finances and the necessity for money to publish the book and take care of this aftermath. [00:39:42.024 – 00:39:46.304] We could ask them one, $1 for three chapters. [00:39:46.304 – 00:39:51.544] Admittedly, this is not the best possible approach, but it would, if not, be better than to drift. [00:39:51.544 – 00:39:53.944] Frankly, I don't know. [00:39:53.944 – 00:39:56.864] We would much like the advice of the trustees on this point. [00:39:56.864 – 00:40:03.844] Bill next revised the possibility of making some kind of commercial arrangement with T.' Hospital. [00:40:03.844 – 00:40:05.474] Again, I am not sure.

[00:40:05.474 – 00:40:07.364] What do the trustees think? [00:40:07.364 – 00:40:17.384] And then offered yet another option, one in which he would concentrate entirely on the book, letting Fitz and Hank and the office form from out of active [00:40:17.384 – 00:40:21.124] participation, but even this would cost a significant amount of money. [00:40:21.124 – 00:40:28.544] These expenses, allowing myself $250 a month to cover everything, will amount to $1,500 for six months. [00:40:28.544 – 00:40:37.224] To sum up then, it seems doubtful whether the status quo of all three of us can be maintained during the month of October for less than $1,000. [00:40:37.224 – 00:40:41.564] That would be 600 to Frank in the office, 200 to Fitz, and 200 to me. [00:40:41.564 – 00:40:46.744] Perhaps F. can get through October without any more money, though he could certainly use it.

[00:40:46.744 – 00:40:53.104] In any event, he will be flat on November 1st, unless the Washington businessmen pick up the load. [00:40:53.104 – 00:40:56.844] Six pointed questions for the trustees. [00:40:56.844 – 00:41:06.944] Having spent the better part of six pages arriving at this inescapable and unpleasant conclusion, W. then organized all of these details into six comprehensive questions, [00:41:06.944 – 00:41:08.924] which he challenged the trustees to answer. [00:41:08.924 – 00:41:18.744] With the ongoing in mind, does it seem proper that the trustees consider and perhaps come to some conclusion at their next meeting on the following questions? [00:41:18.744 – 00:41:27.374] One, assuming that contributions can be obtained, should the foundation attempt to maintain the three of us in active work for, let us say, six months? [00:41:27.374 – 00:41:34.304] Two, should the trustees decide the status quo should be maintained, how are we going to do that for the month of October?

[00:41:34.304 – 00:41:41.154] Three, do the trustees think there is real likelihood that we can maintain the status quo, $1,000 a month for six- [00:41:41.264 – 00:41:44.304] six months on the basis of private contributions only. [00:41:44.304 – 00:41:54.364] Four, in the event the trustees think it improbable we can maintain the status quo for six months by private contribution, what is their pleasure with respect [00:41:54.364 – 00:42:02.384] to the proposal we augment our income through the Herald T. publicity, the sale of book chapters, and perhaps a closer working arrangement with Mr. [00:42:02.384 – 00:42:03.064] T.? [00:42:03.064 – 00:42:13.103] Five, if the trustees think it is impossible or undeniable to maintain the status quo by any of the foregoing methods, what do they think of the proposal that I continue alone on the [00:42:13.104 – 00:42:13.364] book?

[00:42:13.364 – 00:42:19.684] Six, if it is decided I continue on the book, what is their advice as to how I should be financed? [00:42:19.684 – 00:42:21.564] Should I immediately commit myself to Mr. [00:42:21.564 – 00:42:22.574] T. or not? [00:42:22.574 – 00:42:25.464] These were not rhetorical questions. [00:42:25.464 – 00:42:35.484] Bill was genuinely looking for answers, insisting his R. friends not only acknowledge the reality of their dire situation and their own complete failure to raise any money during the past [00:42:35.484 – 00:42:41.114] several months, but also make a serious effort to formulate a working solution for these pressing problems. [00:42:41.114 – 00:42:46.723] Bill did not, however, manage to temper his, this insistence a bit in his closing statement.

[00:42:46.723 – 00:42:53.864] "Though I have expressed some personal views, I would like to make it clear I shall not be at all disturbed if they are vetoed. [00:42:53.864 – 00:43:00.424] Hank and Fitz and I are sensible that our thinking at this time of financial embarrassment may be warped. [00:43:00.424 – 00:43:03.584] We would like the trustees to help us guard against this possibility. [00:43:03.584 – 00:43:08.144] We must at all costs avoid being driven into arrangement we might later regret. [00:43:08.144 – 00:43:16.304] Though we are grateful we have you gentlemen to go to, we do not want to cast too much responsibility on the shoulders of our ever-willing trustees. [00:43:16.304 – 00:43:21.824] Let us say once more how much we appreciate the time and devotion which you, Frank, Mr. [00:43:21.824 – 00:43:22.744] R., Mr.

[00:43:22.744 – 00:43:23.604] C., Mr. [00:43:23.604 – 00:43:24.124] S., and Mr. [00:43:24.124 – 00:43:25.874] Wood have given this undertaking. [00:43:25.874 – 00:43:28.684] Please do not take our problems too seriously. [00:43:28.684 – 00:43:37.804] After all, God has a way of working things out if we are willing to be used as He would like." Continuing here is William G. [00:43:37.804 – 00:43:38.344] W.. [00:43:38.344 – 00:43:44.504] Challenging the R. trustees.

[00:43:44.504 – 00:43:49.984] The previous December, Bill W. had forged what seemed to be an amazingly fortunate alliance with four of John D. [00:43:49.984 – 00:43:59.904] R. Jr.'s closest associates in the hope that with their help, he would be able to open the wallets of wealthy New Y. and garner substantial contributions for their cause. [00:43:59.904 – 00:44:09.984] Nine months later, R., A., C., and S. had been responsible for facilitating just one donation, $5,000 from John [00:44:09.984 – 00:44:10.104] D. [00:44:10.104 – 00:44:17.364] himself, with absolutely no money coming from it, from any of their other many contacts and recommendations. [00:44:17.364 – 00:44:27.424] W.'s frustrations with this complete failure and the dwindling prospect that this plan would produce any positive results in the near future was fast eroding what [00:44:27.424 – 00:44:33.804] little remained of his original confidence that the R. group would be their passport to financial security.

[00:44:33.804 – 00:44:44.044] With his six-pointed questions, Bill W. had thrown down the gauntlet, giving the R. men at least the last chance to propose a solution of their disastrous situation. [00:44:44.044 – 00:44:54.064] Despite the conciliatory closing paragraphs, W. knew if these men could not come up with a realistic and viable way for them to support themselves throughout the next six [00:44:54.064 – 00:45:00.604] months, then other means, perhaps even arrangements they might later regret, would have to be entertained. [00:45:00.604 – 00:45:10.604] Whatever might happen, Bill W. had no intention of walking away from his plan to rapidly expand the reach of their program of recovery, even if such a decision required him to take [00:45:10.604 – 00:45:16.044] several giant steps away from the R. connections that had originally held out so much hope and promise. [00:45:16.044 – 00:45:26.144] On S. 27, the day after he wrote this long letter, Bill explained to Silas B. the extent and import of his current dilemma with the trustees and the [00:45:26.144 – 00:45:29.604] reason he had not yet contact, contacted This Week Magazine.

[00:45:29.604 – 00:45:39.814] "As you know, the Alcoholic F. has five trustees, three of whom are loosely related to the source from which we have already derived some funds, and from [00:45:39.814 – 00:45:42.284] which it looks as though we presently might get some more. [00:45:42.284 – 00:45:49.004] I favor the Herald T. publicity at this time because it would be, bring in a great number of inquiries for help. [00:45:49.004 – 00:45:55.884] To the people who wrote in, we could send five vital chapters of our book, the backbone of it. [00:45:55.884 – 00:46:03.484] We might charge $1 for these chapters and thus make enough profit on them to help us over the tight spot we are now in. [00:46:03.484 – 00:46:06.784] A considerable advanced demand for the book might be created. [00:46:06.784 – 00:46:10.704] Actual contributions of, or sources thereof might come to light.

[00:46:10.704 – 00:46:13.844] I am urging these points upon the trustees. [00:46:13.844 – 00:46:19.984] It seemed to me that they should be consulted and their approval secured before we go to bat, for money or no money. [00:46:19.984 – 00:46:22.324] We want to do this thing in the best possible way. [00:46:22.324 – 00:46:23.764] One of the trustees, Mr. [00:46:23.764 – 00:46:31.284] Frank A., approved the Herald T. project, but as luck would have it, we cannot get down to cases with the other two until next week. [00:46:31.284 – 00:46:40.504] So I have not gone to the Tribune, for if any, an off chance the trustees felt this publicity unwise at the moment, we might feel quite uncomfortable. [00:46:40.504 – 00:46:50.614] Though I suppose I occupy in unofficial way a position of considerable authority in this work, I do not think it wise for me in a case like this to take action first

[00:46:50.614 – 00:46:52.264] and tell the trustees afterward. [00:46:52.264 – 00:46:53.343] I am sure you will agree." [00:46:55.344 – 00:47:05.044] W. was hoping the R. trustees would endorse his plan to pub- publish the w- story, and he also at this point, still reluctant to go against their wishes or advice. [00:47:05.044 – 00:47:15.164] He did not want to place himself in an uncomfortable position of acting before receiving their approval, but this stance would change dramatically with their subsequent failure [00:47:15.164 – 00:47:19.324] to come up with a reliable means of ongoing support for them. [00:47:19.324 – 00:47:28.563] Bill's sheep and goats letter was in fact the last time he would throw himself and his growing movement at the feet of these four men in such an abject way. [00:47:28.563 – 00:47:38.584] Their failure to raise money for him and his team left him no choice but to c- turn away from these, those rich friends and become more receptive

[00:47:38.584 – 00:47:43.843] to the promotional and profit m- making schemes Hank H- P. was constantly suggesting. [00:47:43.843 – 00:47:53.844] The time was fast approaching when in desperation, Bill would begin to exercise his position of considerable authority in this work and start taking actions that were contrary to the [00:47:53.844 – 00:47:56.064] advice being offered by the R. men. [00:47:56.064 – 00:47:59.004] The question of the dues is raised. [00:47:59.004 – 00:48:02.264] Bill had told Silas B. that Rock- John D. [00:48:02.264 – 00:48:03.064] R. Jr. [00:48:03.064 – 00:48:11.864] might be considering another contribution, and it looks as though we presently might get some mar- money, more money from him.

[00:48:11.864 – 00:48:18.444] That same day, Bill also wrote to Bob S. telling him the renowned preacher, m- Dr. [00:48:18.444 – 00:48:20.064] Harry E. F.. [00:48:20.064 – 00:48:30.064] Footnote H. Emerson F., 1878 to 1969, was one of the most prominent liberal ministers of the early 20th [00:48:30.064 – 00:48:34.324] century and the original pastor at R.'s Riverside C.. [00:48:34.324 – 00:48:45.084] He was deeply involved with many facets of R.'s religious affairs, while his brother Raymond was at this time the president of the R. Foundation. [00:48:45.084 – 00:48:53.624] Also of note, Harry E. F. after, uh, later wrote a favorable review of the book Alcoholics Anonymous when it first came out. [00:48:53.624 – 00:48:56.204] This is from a Wikipedia article.

[00:48:56.204 – 00:48:58.674] Dr. [00:48:58.674 – 00:49:01.804] Harry E. F. was back in town and that A. [00:49:01.804 – 00:49:12.084] Leroy C. planned to enlist his support for their cause, and then once his enthusiasm is roused, I think the boys intend to use that as a means of putting some heat [00:49:12.084 – 00:49:13.104] on the big chief. [00:49:13.104 – 00:49:23.384] But more than F., William's highest hopes were pinned on Albert S., whom Frank A. had agreed to approach and arrange a meeting so that the money issue would be discussed [00:49:23.384 – 00:49:24.024] in detail. [00:49:24.024 – 00:49:34.144] Bill was confident S. would be able to broker a deal that included another R. contribution, and thereby resolve the laundry list of intractable financial problems he had presented

[00:49:34.144 – 00:49:35.014] to the foundation. [00:49:35.014 – 00:49:45.044] Although B. referred to it as a trustee meeting, the meeting with Albert S. held on Wednesday, September 28th, was not a formal gathering [00:49:45.044 – 00:49:49.224] of the Alcoholic F., and no official minutes were kept of what happened there. [00:49:49.224 – 00:49:59.164] Footnote T. next official meeting of the Alcoholic F. did not occur until four months later on January 18th, 1939. [00:49:59.164 – 00:50:01.574] That's in the GSO archives. [00:50:01.574 – 00:50:12.004] Those minutes do not include a reading of the minutes from the previous meeting, so it is impossible to state categorically that no meetings had taken place in the intervening [00:50:12.004 – 00:50:12.584] four months.

[00:50:12.584 – 00:50:17.404] But there are no other minutes preserved in the GSO archive from that time. [00:50:17.404 – 00:50:27.604] In addition, the headstrong and willful pursuit by W. and P. of their own plans to write and publish the Big Book, contrary to the advice [00:50:27.604 – 00:50:36.064] of the R. trustees, would certainly go a long way toward explaining the lack of any such formal meetings during that time. [00:50:36.064 – 00:50:40.424] S. sat down with Frank A. and most likely A. [00:50:40.424 – 00:50:45.924] Leroy C. and possibly even Willard R., but there are no alcoholics invited. [00:50:45.924 – 00:50:51.364] Bill's expansive letter with its six-pointed question was the only presence they had at the meeting. [00:50:51.364 – 00:51:00.404] That letter did, however, provide a preliminary focus on the discussions as Albert S. was sounded out on whether or not he thought it might be a good idea to approach John D.

[00:51:00.404 – 00:51:01.364] R. Jr. [00:51:01.364 – 00:51:03.564] for another contribution. [00:51:03.564 – 00:51:05.204] He did not. [00:51:05.204 – 00:51:15.684] Instead, S. took a completely different and unexpected approach, insisting that the members of Alcoholics Anonymous show good faith by taking primary responsibility for the financing [00:51:15.684 – 00:51:23.784] of their own organization before he would be willing to make any suggestion to R. or to anyone else about further donations to their cause. [00:51:23.784 – 00:51:33.924] He wanted W. and P. to approach their members and ask each ex-alcoholic to contribute something, however little, to the Alcoholic F. regularly, preferably [00:51:33.924 – 00:51:34.354] weekly.

[00:51:34.354 – 00:51:43.484] S. considered this demonstration of self-support absolutely vital as a pr- as a preliminary to securing any larger subscriptions from outside sources. [00:51:43.484 – 00:51:53.784] This was not the first nor the last time that a proposal of enforced regular dues for AA membership would be made, but S.'s intrenchment at this time [00:51:53.784 – 00:51:59.024] made it one of the most more fateful presentations of that idea in the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. [00:51:59.024 – 00:52:06.464] W. and P. felt it left them no other option than to begin significantly distancing them- themselves from their rock- [00:52:06.576 – 00:52:07.656] R. colleagues. [00:52:07.656 – 00:52:11.036] Bill and Hank reject the dues idea. [00:52:11.036 – 00:52:19.126] The day after the meeting, Frank A. invited Bill and Hank to his office and told them of S.'s fixed position on the question of financing.

[00:52:19.126 – 00:52:29.376] In a letter he wrote to Albert S. the following Tuesday, A. said that on hearing this news, W. and P. endeavored to canvas the situation from every angle, but could not [00:52:29.376 – 00:52:32.356] in the end find any way they could agree to this proposal. [00:52:32.356 – 00:52:36.455] From their perspective, the experience is wrong on far too many levels. [00:52:36.455 – 00:52:42.436] They feared the results of such a plan at this time and stressed the following pertinent points. [00:52:42.436 – 00:52:52.436] One, every ex-alcoholic, ought to be sure of remaining permanently sober, must keep active without working with others for their emancipation, otherwise they definitely [00:52:52.436 – 00:52:56.916] face a recurrence of the disease and death or the insane asylum for their destination. [00:52:56.916 – 00:53:01.515] Therefore, regular dues are not necessary to keep them active or interested.

[00:53:01.515 – 00:53:10.016] Two, every ex-alcoholic without any funds whatever is being called on constantly to contribute to the desperate needs of others who are destitute. [00:53:10.016 – 00:53:16.636] Their wives and families, seeing personally this need, do not object seriously to these individual gifts. [00:53:16.636 – 00:53:24.336] Three, the moment this work is put on what they would consider a dues-paying basis, the wives would want to know the purpose of these dues. [00:53:24.336 – 00:53:31.556] When it became known, as it soon would, that this money was to provide for two or three leaders, it would cause serious trouble in their families. [00:53:31.556 – 00:53:36.516] Family dissension is frequently a factor in causing an ex-drunk to drop the ex. [00:53:36.516 – 00:53:46.656] We must all remember that this situation is different from the average church, service club, or nonprofit [00:53:46.656 – 00:53:47.386] organization.

[00:53:47.386 – 00:53:52.216] In most cases, the wives and families have suffered cruelly for years through the husband's depravity. [00:53:52.216 – 00:54:01.356] Now that they are redeemed, it is only natural that these wives expect their husbands to concentrate their meager resources on providing food, clothing, education, et cetera. [00:54:01.356 – 00:54:10.536] They will respond to desperate individual cases before their own eyes, and are doing it liberally, but they rebel against the systematic dues to a central organization. [00:54:10.536 – 00:54:20.636] Four, even were they accepted the regular contribution idea and some through, they then would feel that all requests for relief [00:54:20.636 – 00:54:23.236] should be referred to al- the Alcoholic F.. [00:54:23.236 – 00:54:33.596] As we are not the US government with tax, taxing power and ability to issue IOUs, we could not and should not for some time to, to come undertake to finance [00:54:33.596 – 00:54:35.336] the general rehabilitation cost.

[00:54:35.336 – 00:54:39.776] The individual help, the man to man, is vital and should be continued indefinitely. [00:54:39.776 – 00:54:49.396] Five, last February, P. put the proposition of monthly contributions up to a large number of New York alcoholics who accepted the plan in principle. [00:54:49.396 – 00:54:54.336] Several of the wives, however, raised a kick and the plan was abandoned for the time being. [00:54:54.336 – 00:54:56.176] Upon being consulted, Dr. [00:54:56.176 – 00:55:02.156] Smith advised emphatically that such a plan attempted at present with the Akron crowd would be demoralizing. [00:55:02.156 – 00:55:08.136] These are S. and persuasive counterarguments, and Frank A. agreed with them wholeheartedly. [00:55:08.136 – 00:55:12.276] "For nine months," he told S., "I have kept in almost daily touch with this work.

[00:55:12.276 – 00:55:17.166] It is my conviction that we, conviction that we should not yet attempt this organized giving. [00:55:17.166 – 00:55:27.356] When larger numbers of the ex-alcoholic become rehabilitated economically, such a plan would be evolved, but definitely not now." A.'s [00:55:27.356 – 00:55:28.236] alternate plan. [00:55:28.236 – 00:55:38.056] Despite his unanimous disagreement, Albert S.'s reputation and his close personal relationship with R. required nothing less than a respectful response. [00:55:38.056 – 00:55:48.116] After you read this me- memorandum, Frank A. allowed, "If you are still convinced such a more move is vital, then both gentlemen agree to have no, [00:55:48.116 – 00:55:58.296] to have me go before their crowd to prevent this proposal." Clearly, W. and P. were intent on distancing themselves as far as possible from this suggestion, placing [00:55:58.296 – 00:56:05.676] the full responsibility for the scheme and whatever fallout might occur from it directly onto Frank A. and his three R. friends.

[00:56:05.676 – 00:56:15.706] In the hope that S. would not require him to do something that he and those two men completely disagreed with, A. offered his own alternative plan for responding to Bill W.'s [00:56:15.706 – 00:56:16.816] six questions. [00:56:16.816 – 00:56:25.996] At this period, I recommend, A, that the four of us, you, R., Shipman, and myself, endeavor at once to raise $10,000. [00:56:25.996 – 00:56:30.896] B, that we ascertain what advance we can get from a publisher on the book. [00:56:30.896 – 00:56:34.276] This might be sufficient for W.'s bare expenses while writing it. [00:56:34.276 – 00:56:39.606] C, that P. continue until n- November 1st to try and secure a contribution. [00:56:39.606 – 00:56:42.176] D, that P. handle with Ms.

[00:56:42.176 – 00:56:47.396] Hawk, the secretary, such office details as is necessary until November the 1st. [00:56:47.396 – 00:56:57.776] E, if by November 1st all of our efforts had failed to secure sufficient funds to maintain P., secretary, and office until April 1st, that we abandon [00:56:57.776 – 00:57:04.216] for the present the suggestion to take over the Newark office and leave P. free to reenter business on a full-time basis. [00:57:04.216 – 00:57:14.596] F, that we maintain the principle that the work among alcoholics must be voluntary, that we endeavor for as long a period as necessary to provide funds [00:57:14.596 – 00:57:19.106] so that W. can pursue his work as an author of 100 mil- [00:57:19.216 – 00:57:22.616] And, and P. can handle the business end of our operations. [00:57:22.616 – 00:57:32.706] A. closed his letter to S. by noting that he was crowded with rush work and trying to clear his desk before leaving on Friday morning for a three-week vacation.

[00:57:32.706 – 00:57:40.976] He would therefore not be available for a private conversation to give full information on anything that might have left, been left out of the memo. [00:57:40.976 – 00:57:48.956] Instead, he provided S. with Bill's contact information and suggested, "You ask W. to come to your office as soon as convenient for you. [00:57:48.956 – 00:57:59.126] He can make clear any points and give you this correct picture." Whether or not Albert S. ever called Bill for that appointment is unknown, but his insistence that AA become self-supporting [00:57:59.126 – 00:58:03.356] by instituting a policy of enforced weekly dues was not implemented. [00:58:03.356 – 00:58:13.356] It's also not clear to what degree S. and the others ever embraced A.' ju- suggestion that they commit themselves to quickly raise $10,000 to support the [00:58:13.356 – 00:58:15.496] three men until the following April. [00:58:15.496 – 00:58:20.085] Whatever efforts they may have made, no such sum was ever raised.

[00:58:20.085 – 00:58:30.156] On the other hand, Frank's all, all important suggestion that we ascertain what advance we can get from a publisher on the book would, in just a few days, lead Bill W. and Hank [00:58:30.156 – 00:58:39.816] P., in defiance of the advice they were receiving from the R. contingent, to embark upon an ambitious plan to publish the book One H. Men on their own. [00:58:39.816 – 00:58:49.936] To avoid any confusion, it's important to emphasize that the name of the proposed book at this point was not Alcoholics Anonymous, but rather One H. [00:58:49.936 – 00:58:50.296] Men. [00:58:50.296 – 00:59:01.596] That title was first suggested by Ebby T.'s brother, Tom, when he wrote his proposed introduction entitled Victor- Victors A. the previous June. [00:59:01.596 – 00:59:11.636] At that time, both W. and P. had enthusiastically adopted the name, and it was the one they had bandied about with regular, regularity whenever they spoke about the proposed book during [00:59:11.636 – 00:59:12.516] the following months.

[00:59:12.516 – 00:59:22.796] From this point in early October 1938 until mid-February 1939, the title One H. Men would become much more prominent in all their correspondence [00:59:22.796 – 00:59:33.016] and other preserved documents, being constantly mentioned at this as the name of the proposed book and also as the name of the corporation Hank P. would soon organize [00:59:33.016 – 00:59:35.296] in an effort to raise money for the book project. [00:59:35.296 – 00:59:41.996] The decision that led to the selection of Alcoholics Anonymous as the title of the Big Book was still several months away. [00:59:41.996 – 00:59:45.536] This Week article rejected. [00:59:45.536 – 00:59:56.036] Like the ill-fated Washington project, the possibility of publishing their article in, in This Week Magazine limped along for another two months before it was decisively rejected by the publisher [00:59:56.036 – 00:59:57.416] on November 25.

[00:59:57.416 – 01:00:07.616] Silas B. had advised Bill on September 21st that he should call on the magazine's managing editor, Gerald M., but that appointment was delayed by the [01:00:07.616 – 01:00:14.456] excitement of the late September trustee meetings, W.'s ongoing writing of the book, and P.'s aggressive effort to raise money. [01:00:14.456 – 01:00:24.816] Almost two months later, Bill frankly wrote to the editor, reminding him of his earlier request for changes to Silas B.'s, B.'s article and of Silas's promise [01:00:24.816 – 01:00:29.316] that he and Hank P. would be calling to offer their assistance in making those changes. [01:00:29.316 – 01:00:37.756] Bill apologized for the immoderate delay but offered no other explanation than to say that there were several reasons we could not see you then. [01:00:37.756 – 01:00:47.776] More important, he wanted to correct Mygatt's impression that this piece was no longer relevant because an article about our work had recently been published in competing publication, The [01:00:47.776 – 01:00:49.656] American W..

[01:00:49.656 – 01:00:59.656] W. assured Mygatt that the article in that magazine had no relation to our activities whatsoever, "So I assume that you will still be interested." Bill then ended by playing [01:00:59.656 – 01:01:02.796] what he must have considered to be a powerful trump card. [01:01:02.796 – 01:01:04.956] "Mr. [01:01:04.956 – 01:01:05.716] W.S. [01:01:05.716 – 01:01:07.076] R., secretary to Mr. [01:01:07.076 – 01:01:07.616] John D. [01:01:07.616 – 01:01:09.526] R. Jr., knows about us.

[01:01:09.526 – 01:01:14.796] He has given us much of his time and effort, and it turns out he is a friend of M- Mrs. [01:01:14.796 – 01:01:21.296] Maloney, the owner of This Week Magazine, and has been good enough to let her know that you may rely upon what we say. [01:01:21.296 – 01:01:22.655] Mr. [01:01:22.655 – 01:01:32.776] P. and I would like very much to call as soon as you are at liberty." A flurry of correspondence went back and forth between W., A., Mygatt, and R., and Maloney for two weeks [01:01:32.776 – 01:01:41.176] before the owner finally replied with finality, "The piece is not for us." This must been a tremendously disappointing for W. and P.. [01:01:41.176 – 01:01:50.776] Bill had done everything he could to get This Week to run the article, including sending Willard R. a sample of some language he thought should be used in the letter to Mrs. [01:01:50.776 – 01:02:00.816] Maloney, which R. ignored, writing his own text and said, "Altogether no available." This appears to be another one of the fortunate failures that to dominate the early

[01:02:00.816 – 01:02:02.356] history of Alcoholics Anonymous. [01:02:02.356 – 01:02:12.476] If an article had been printed in This Week Magazine, which had a national circulation of at least five million copies in September or November 1938, it may well have proved more disaster [01:02:12.476 – 01:02:14.496] than beneficial to the fledgling movement. [01:02:14.496 – 01:02:24.656] The article might have produced an overwhelming response and thousands of requests for help, requests that were simply not capable of dealing with at the time when they had less than 100 members, [01:02:24.656 – 01:02:31.746] just two weekly meetings, no book explaining their method for staying sober, and no infrastructure or place for organizing rece- [01:02:31.876 – 01:02:33.516] responding to these desperate requests. [01:02:33.516 – 01:02:43.666] When J. Alexander's famous article on AA appeared in the Saturday E. Post, which had a national circulation of three million copies, on March 1st, 1941,

[01:02:43.666 – 01:02:47.456] it produced a tidal wave of attention and requests for help. [01:02:47.456 – 01:02:56.056] But by that time the movement had 2,000 members and a book of instructions on how to stay sober, along with meetings that were springing up all over the country. [01:02:56.056 – 01:03:01.396] And a New York office that, however understaffed, had been s- functional for more than two years. [01:03:01.396 – 01:03:09.036] The rejection of Silas B.'s article by This Week Magazine was a very large blessing in disguise for Alcoholics Anonymous. [01:03:09.036 – 01:03:10.256] Oh, Bill. [01:03:10.256 – 01:03:11.916] Cleveland, what a read. [01:03:11.916 – 01:03:13.356] Thank you, Riley K as well.

[01:03:13.356 – 01:03:13.426] Wow. [01:03:13.426 – 01:03:14.176] Please unmute. [01:03:14.176 – 01:03:14.636] Wow. [01:03:14.636 – 01:03:16.036] Fantastic. [01:03:16.036 – 01:03:17.236] Yeah, great job. [01:03:17.236 – 01:03:17.816] Thank you. [01:03:17.816 – 01:03:19.076] Wow, Cleveland and Riley.

[01:03:19.076 – 01:03:19.676] Good job. [01:03:19.676 – 01:03:19.865] Good job, Bill. [01:03:19.865 – 01:03:20.725] So marching. [01:03:20.725 – 01:03:23.406] Positive thinking there, Bill. [01:03:23.406 – 01:03:24.016] Woo-hoo. [01:03:24.016 – 01:03:25.586] Well done, guys. [01:03:25.586 – 01:03:25.836] Thank you, Bill and Riley.

[01:03:25.836 – 01:03:28.466] Loved your inflection and chuckles. [01:03:28.466 – 01:03:31.216] Wow. [01:03:31.216 – 01:03:31.656] Thank you. [01:03:31.656 – 01:03:34.826] Now before we get into the Q&A, is there anyone here- Thank you … [01:03:34.826 – 01:03:35.106] thank you, Gordon. [01:03:35.106 – 01:03:37.216] Is anyone here new who would like to just say hello? [01:03:37.216 – 01:03:38.406] Maybe raise your hand.

[01:03:38.406 – 01:03:39.455] Anyone for the first time here? [01:03:39.455 – 01:03:42.016] Introduced to Bill S.'s book, anyone? [01:03:42.016 – 01:03:43.776] We're all… [01:03:43.776 – 01:03:46.496] No, I don't see anyone waving. [01:03:46.496 – 01:03:48.456] No, no. [01:03:48.456 – 01:03:50.596] Okay. [01:03:50.596 – 01:03:53.076] Uh, Jim W., well we go straight to you I think.

[01:03:53.076 – 01:03:53.646] Jim, do you have your hand up? [01:03:53.646 – 01:03:54.126] Thanks, Bill. [01:03:54.126 – 01:03:54.836] Thanks, Riley. [01:03:54.836 – 01:03:57.256] Thank you, David. [01:03:57.256 – 01:03:58.576] Thanks B. and Riley. [01:03:58.576 – 01:04:02.256] Uh, great reading and, uh, thanks to the author, Mr. [01:04:02.256 – 01:04:03.916] Schaefer, who's also here.

[01:04:03.916 – 01:04:05.836] We'll go into the Q&A. [01:04:05.836 – 01:04:14.456] If you have a question, uh, that you'd like to ask, uh, raise your hand on the participants page there and we'll call on you. [01:04:14.456 – 01:04:19.296] You can also send me, uh, any questions that you may have. [01:04:19.296 – 01:04:27.556] Uh, let's try and keep them on the topic of what we read today, the general area, and not general discussion. [01:04:27.556 – 01:04:31.536] Um, and we'll start off with Burt in New York. [01:04:31.536 – 01:04:32.456] Okay. [01:04:32.456 – 01:04:34.856] I'm sorry family, but I might be making, breaking a rule.

[01:04:34.856 – 01:04:39.346] I just wanted to know, have, uh, where's my friend, the gentleman that's always asking questions? [01:04:39.346 – 01:04:43.436] He's from, um… [01:04:43.436 – 01:04:47.836] Oh, man, he wears a hat and I haven't seen him in a while. [01:04:47.836 – 01:04:49.936] Randy. [01:04:49.936 – 01:04:50.596] Do you mean Randy? [01:04:50.596 – 01:04:50.976] Randy. [01:04:50.976 – 01:04:52.156] Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[01:04:52.156 – 01:04:52.746] How's he doing? [01:04:52.746 – 01:04:53.556] I mean, what's up? [01:04:53.556 – 01:04:54.636] I'm, I'm sorry, okay. [01:04:54.636 – 01:04:58.135] I, I just, I, I- Yeah, well maybe we should talk about that in a minute. [01:04:58.135 – 01:04:58.516] Okay. [01:04:58.516 – 01:04:58.726] Uh. [01:04:58.726 – 01:04:59.416] Thank you, Burt.

[01:04:59.416 – 01:05:03.036] If anyone have any, anyone have any questions on the reading today? [01:05:03.036 – 01:05:04.556] I'm sorry, family. [01:05:04.556 – 01:05:05.236] I'm- No worries, Burt. [01:05:05.236 – 01:05:05.896] No worries, Burt. [01:05:05.896 – 01:05:10.556] Anyway, no questions. [01:05:10.556 – 01:05:13.696] Gigi from Eugene, Oregon. [01:05:13.696 – 01:05:16.216] Hey everybody, can you hear me?

[01:05:16.216 – 01:05:17.476] Yes, ma'am. [01:05:17.476 – 01:05:19.256] Okay. [01:05:19.256 – 01:05:29.316] Um, there may not be any evidence of this, but I wonder if s- since Bill and Hank and Fitz [01:05:29.316 – 01:05:39.355] were in such desperate straits, is there any evidence that some of their friends might have slipped them, you know, a little cash [01:05:39.356 – 01:05:40.236] on the side? [01:05:40.236 – 01:05:50.076] Um, it's an interesting question, Gigi, but, uh, I've never seen any evidence of that. [01:05:50.076 – 01:05:50.916] And there was the…

[01:05:50.916 – 01:05:56.176] But there's, there, there's like, Bill W.'s out borrowing $200 from some guy, you know? [01:05:56.176 – 01:06:01.296] And he's, he's, he's, he's, he's making promises on when he's gonna pay it back and things like that. [01:06:01.296 – 01:06:07.176] But as far as somebody slipping Lois five or 10 bucks so she can buy groceries, got no idea on that. [01:06:07.176 – 01:06:07.656] Sorry. [01:06:07.656 – 01:06:12.036] Anyone else have any questions? [01:06:12.036 – 01:06:16.596] Wayne from Trinidad. [01:06:16.596 – 01:06:17.836] Good to see you, Wayne.

[01:06:17.836 – 01:06:19.056] What is your question? [01:06:19.056 – 01:06:20.876] Hi. [01:06:20.876 – 01:06:21.855] Good afternoon, everyone. [01:06:21.855 – 01:06:23.916] Wayne, alcoholic zooming in from Trinidad. [01:06:23.916 – 01:06:25.716] Well, it's so awesome to be here again. [01:06:25.716 – 01:06:27.656] Thank you all for doing this. [01:06:27.656 – 01:06:28.656] I'm learning so much.

[01:06:28.656 – 01:06:34.496] In the reading today, I heard so much about Hank P., Hank, Hank H.. [01:06:34.496 – 01:06:44.516] But you know, um, I don't know if it's a question or it's just a query, but in our literature when I read like Pass It On, AA Comes, a lot of the literature, I am, I [01:06:44.536 – 01:06:46.556] don't see much about him in our history. [01:06:46.556 – 01:06:56.176] But the book, Bill S.'s book have so much about his involvement in the writing of the Big Book and the setting up of the foundation and everything. [01:06:56.176 – 01:06:59.336] But he's just me- hardly mentioned anywhere. [01:06:59.336 – 01:07:03.896] Is there re- if somebody could tell me if they know if there is a reason why. [01:07:03.896 – 01:07:05.356] Thank you very much, Jim.

[01:07:05.356 – 01:07:08.166] Well, that'll, that'll get Mr. [01:07:08.166 – 01:07:09.356] Schaefer going. [01:07:09.356 – 01:07:15.656] Well W., you've read the book so you can see how important this guy was. [01:07:15.656 – 01:07:25.696] Whenever I do a PowerPoint presentation there is always a slide with big lettering that says, "No H., no Big Book." Uh, the problem was that Hank P. drank six months after the book [01:07:25.696 – 01:07:28.896] was published, and he did not go gently into the night. [01:07:28.896 – 01:07:37.976] He was, uh, sniping at Bill W. and spreading slander about Bill W. and they, they were, they were not doing well after, uh, after Hank started drinking. [01:07:37.976 – 01:07:44.336] He is mentioned in, uh, Henry, he calls him Henry in, uh, in, uh, AA Comes of Age.

[01:07:45.016 – 01:07:45.836] And, and Henry P. [01:07:45.836 – 01:07:50.096] He gets mentioned, he could, gets mentioned because he just could not be left out of the story. [01:07:50.096 – 01:07:52.556] But, but, but there's, you know, people… [01:07:52.556 – 01:08:02.516] I've had, I've had some, I, I think of as AA fundamentalists get on me about the fact that I say that Hank is the most forgotten guy in AA history, and they say, "He's not forgotten. [01:08:02.516 – 01:08:06.716] He's…" They just go and they got all these references to him in, in AA Comes of Age. [01:08:06.716 – 01:08:16.936] And there are a bunch of references to him in AA Comes of Age, but not a single one of those references gives him any kind of real importance or value in, in terms of producing [01:08:16.936 – 01:08:21.196] this book, which was, which was one of the three biggest shocks that came to me just as…

[01:08:21.196 – 01:08:23.716] I mean, I didn't know that when I started doing research on this. [01:08:23.716 – 01:08:25.096] It just came out of the research. [01:08:25.096 – 01:08:32.036] And, uh, yeah, yeah, Hank P., AA's most forgotten co-founder. [01:08:32.036 – 01:08:34.116] Our, our drunken co-founder. [01:08:34.116 – 01:08:37.236] Thank, thank you, Bill. [01:08:37.236 – 01:08:43.016] And, uh, Dennis- Jim, can I just mention that I put a link for a presentation by Bill S. or Gone H. in the, in the chat. [01:08:43.016 – 01:08:43.435] Thank you.

[01:08:43.435 – 01:08:44.516] Uh-huh. [01:08:44.516 – 01:08:46.636] Dennis from Naples, Florida. [01:08:46.636 – 01:08:48.655] Hi, Bill. [01:08:48.655 – 01:08:49.396] How are you? [01:08:49.396 – 01:08:50.716] Dennis, I'm good. [01:08:50.716 – 01:08:51.636] Good to see you, man. [01:08:51.636 – 01:09:01.716] Yeah, well it looks to me like when they offered the weekly magazine article, W. should have acted on it right at once, because after they had time to think of it

[01:09:01.716 – 01:09:02.736] they changed their mind. [01:09:02.736 – 01:09:12.996] And because he was so stressed out about money and trying to reach all the pockets of the rich, he should've just thought of us nor- ordinary drunks [01:09:12.996 – 01:09:16.256] that would've donated money anyway and it'd done a lot better. [01:09:16.256 – 01:09:18.136] That's my comment on the readings. [01:09:18.136 – 01:09:19.616] Thank you. [01:09:19.616 – 01:09:20.576] Thank you, Dennis. [01:09:20.576 – 01:09:21.026] So sometimes…

[01:09:21.026 – 01:09:31.056] Okay, but I, I, I think the, the problem with that with, with Meg's request for the solution is if they put the solution in the article, nobody would be sending him a dollar for the thr- for [01:09:31.056 – 01:09:31.976] the five chapters. [01:09:31.976 – 01:09:32.236] You know? [01:09:32.236 – 01:09:34.796] It'd be like they already, they already got the solution right there. [01:09:34.796 – 01:09:39.756] So that, that didn't work, uh, in relation to Hank's plan as a money-raising gig, you know? [01:09:39.756 – 01:09:45.356] And, uh- Well, all they, all they would've had to say was "God is the answer." Yeah. [01:09:45.356 – 01:09:49.376] And of course, we weren't passing the basket in AA until after the book came out.

[01:09:49.376 – 01:09:50.816] Uh- I k- I know that. [01:09:50.816 – 01:09:51.446] Yeah … [01:09:51.446 – 01:09:57.326] I, I, I've, I've, I've read s- it was, uh, it was, uh, Jim B- not not Jim B., it was, um- Hmm. [01:09:57.326 – 01:09:58.866] Well- Tom B.. [01:09:58.866 – 01:10:07.636] Tom B. was the guy who suggested that, that they pass the basket, and I think W. talked about putting 50 cents in the basket, and then we're talking something like 1942. [01:10:07.636 – 01:10:10.436] So do the math on that one, people. [01:10:10.436 – 01:10:11.516] You know?

[01:10:11.516 – 01:10:13.556] I was- Well, the- I was, I was shocked one time. [01:10:13.556 – 01:10:13.876] I was… [01:10:13.876 – 01:10:15.236] This is a decade ago. [01:10:15.236 – 01:10:19.276] I was on an American A. flight, and the guy next to me bought a beer and it was $5. [01:10:19.276 – 01:10:28.736] And I thought, "What the hell am I doing putting a dollar in the basket if it, it costs $5 to buy a can of beer on American A. 10 years ago?" So. [01:10:28.736 – 01:10:30.496] Well, I, I know that. [01:10:30.496 – 01:10:40.476] Well, just now in our meeting in the, uh, business meeting of the group they just asked for a $2 donation each week to maintain self-supporting.

[01:10:40.476 – 01:10:42.856] All right. [01:10:42.856 – 01:10:43.956] Tha- thank you, Dennis. [01:10:43.956 – 01:10:46.596] And, uh, Hank, did you have a question? [01:10:46.596 – 01:10:48.536] Yeah. [01:10:48.536 – 01:10:52.856] Um, I really love, love this history and stuff. [01:10:52.856 – 01:10:59.936] I was really curious about, uh, they say that Hank had no money and Bill had no money. [01:10:59.936 – 01:11:01.836] What about Ruth H.?

[01:11:01.836 – 01:11:04.116] She was being paid weekly, wasn't she? [01:11:04.116 – 01:11:06.256] And where were they getting that money from? [01:11:06.256 – 01:11:09.196] She wasn't l- I mean, she was doing a hell of a lot of the work. [01:11:09.196 – 01:11:09.876] Where… [01:11:09.876 – 01:11:11.796] She had to be paid something, I would think. [01:11:11.796 – 01:11:15.716] I, I would think she was being paid something, but I don't really have details on that. [01:11:15.716 – 01:11:21.916] Although as, as we get a little bit farther down in the story in the next couple of months, they start paying her off with stock.

[01:11:21.916 – 01:11:23.216] Oh. [01:11:23.216 – 01:11:24.556] Yeah. [01:11:24.556 – 01:11:25.376] I remember that. [01:11:25.376 – 01:11:26.136] Yeah. [01:11:26.136 – 01:11:26.465] Yeah. [01:11:26.465 – 01:11:30.476] So, you know, I mean- But she almost had to have money to live on, you would think. [01:11:30.476 – 01:11:31.096] You know what I mean.

[01:11:31.096 – 01:11:31.816] Yeah. [01:11:31.816 – 01:11:33.496] Well, we all need money to live on. [01:11:33.496 – 01:11:34.426] Yeah, exactly. [01:11:34.426 – 01:11:34.736] Yeah. [01:11:34.736 – 01:11:35.126] Yeah. [01:11:35.126 – 01:11:35.416] You'd think. [01:11:35.416 – 01:11:36.086] She was the head secretary.

[01:11:36.086 – 01:11:40.916] Now, now she also had a, a, a father who was relatively local to her. [01:11:40.916 – 01:11:42.476] I know that he bought some… [01:11:42.476 – 01:11:44.926] I think he bought a couple of shares of stock, to tell you the truth. [01:11:44.926 – 01:11:47.976] So, so maybe she was, she was getting money from Dad. [01:11:47.976 – 01:11:53.706] I mean, you know, she was, she was what, a 26, 27 years, probably 27 years old at this point. [01:11:53.706 – 01:11:54.756] You know? [01:11:54.756 – 01:11:57.816] Um, I've got a 21-year-old granddaughter.

[01:11:57.816 – 01:12:00.556] We, uh, we help her out with some regularity, you know? [01:12:00.556 – 01:12:01.466] It's just- Yeah. [01:12:01.466 – 01:12:03.756] Comes with a 20-year-old territory, so. [01:12:03.756 – 01:12:07.696] At the time, wasn't she in a relationship with, uh, Hank? [01:12:07.696 – 01:12:10.216] Uh, probably. [01:12:10.216 – 01:12:11.816] I don't know when that started. [01:12:11.816 – 01:12:16.716] Certainly by November I think it was going full tilt boogie, but Hank didn't have any money to be giving her.

[01:12:16.716 – 01:12:17.286] Yeah. [01:12:17.286 – 01:12:20.316] And I'm sure if he did, Kathleen would've had a problem with that, so. [01:12:20.316 – 01:12:22.316] Okay. [01:12:22.316 – 01:12:25.556] And, uh, next question comes from Floyd. [01:12:25.556 – 01:12:29.176] Hi. [01:12:29.176 – 01:12:31.576] Floyd, alcoholic from Aurora, Colorado. [01:12:31.576 – 01:12:34.076] Uh, couple of things.

[01:12:34.076 – 01:12:39.556] Um, I just Googled the population of the US in 1938. [01:12:39.556 – 01:12:41.916] That's 130 million people. [01:12:41.916 – 01:12:51.956] Uh, I was curious, you know, when the magazines were, uh, what was it, This Week magazine and, and then, [01:12:51.956 – 01:12:53.916] um, uh, what's the other one? [01:12:53.916 – 01:12:56.056] The Jack Alexander S. Evening P.. [01:12:56.056 – 01:12:56.536] Is that it? [01:12:57.188 – 01:13:02.468] Uh, they had what, uh, 7 million for Saturday E. Post subscription.

[01:13:02.468 – 01:13:03.748] At least that's what Bill said. [01:13:03.748 – 01:13:07.308] And then I think 5 million for this week or something. [01:13:07.308 – 01:13:10.868] I didn't know what kind of context that, to put that in. [01:13:10.868 – 01:13:13.668] So, uh, 130 million people. [01:13:13.668 – 01:13:14.968] That's a, that's one… [01:13:14.968 – 01:13:20.308] about close to one-third of what our population in the US is today. [01:13:20.308 – 01:13:22.428] Um, just FYI.

[01:13:22.428 – 01:13:29.788] And my question, uh, Bill, is, uh, uh, was Lois employed during this time? [01:13:29.788 – 01:13:31.968] I, I don't recall her specific history. [01:13:31.968 – 01:13:35.068] No, Lois was not employed at this time. [01:13:35.068 – 01:13:35.418] Okay. [01:13:35.418 – 01:13:38.108] Lois had, uh, left her job at the department store. [01:13:38.108 – 01:13:39.528] I don't remember the date on that. [01:13:39.528 – 01:13:41.968] I think it was in 1936 sometime.

[01:13:41.968 – 01:13:42.558] Okay. [01:13:42.558 – 01:13:48.698] And she, she, uh, she had a little, uh, uh, interior decorating business that she was running. [01:13:48.698 – 01:13:53.248] The problem was that Lois was bad on writing bills, and she was even worse on getting people to pay her. [01:13:53.248 – 01:13:55.268] And, um- Oh, yeah … [01:13:55.268 – 01:13:58.288] it wasn't, wasn't really a, a going operation for them. [01:13:58.288 – 01:14:01.808] I, I've seen, I've seen the tax returns for… [01:14:01.808 – 01:14:06.488] and I got a footnote someplace in the book on how much they were making on these tax returns in the mid-'30s.

[01:14:06.488 – 01:14:08.328] It wasn't a lot of money, believe me. [01:14:08.328 – 01:14:09.188] They were in tough shape. [01:14:09.188 – 01:14:12.308] One thing you gotta remember, though, about the magazines is there was… [01:14:12.308 – 01:14:12.928] so we got… [01:14:12.928 – 01:14:14.267] look, we got no television. [01:14:14.267 – 01:14:15.188] We got no internet. [01:14:15.188 – 01:14:17.028] We got no Google.

[01:14:17.028 – 01:14:20.248] Uh, people are, people are honest to God readers in these days, you know? [01:14:20.248 – 01:14:23.428] People don't read to- I mean, really, people do not read today. [01:14:23.428 – 01:14:25.648] But people were readers in those days. [01:14:25.648 – 01:14:32.428] And, uh, and, uh, Reader's Digest, which was the monthly that they were trying to get into, had this huge circulation. [01:14:32.428 – 01:14:39.708] Uh, and, but a Reader's Digest would get read, and then it would go to the husband, and then it would go to the kids, and then it would go to your Aunt S.. [01:14:39.708 – 01:14:44.448] It would sit, you know, the, the, every doctor's office in, uh, in the country had a Reader's… [01:14:44.448 – 01:14:47.048] They had these magazines out so that people could read them.

[01:14:47.048 – 01:14:52.848] So it wasn't just the fact that 3 million or whatever number of people were buying these magazines. [01:14:52.848 – 01:14:54.858] There, it was a question of what was the readership. [01:14:54.858 – 01:14:58.108] And in those days, the readership of magazines was just huge. [01:14:58.108 – 01:15:00.028] It was, it was how we communicated. [01:15:00.028 – 01:15:06.908] We had radio going in this time, obviously, and it was a hugely popular medium, but, but people were readers. [01:15:06.908 – 01:15:07.248] You know? [01:15:07.248 – 01:15:17.548] I, I'm, I'm, I'm a rare book dealer, and, and I'm just amazed at, at the, the books that were published in the first 20 years of, you know, from 1900 to 1920, that were huge,

[01:15:17.548 – 01:15:18.758] huge, huge sellers. [01:15:18.758 – 01:15:20.508] Things that today you couldn't give away. [01:15:20.508 – 01:15:22.408] You just couldn't give them away, you know? [01:15:22.408 – 01:15:26.008] And, uh, and, and people, people bought those books and read those books. [01:15:26.008 – 01:15:28.148] It was a, it was a, it was a different culture. [01:15:28.148 – 01:15:32.528] It was a literate culture in a way that we do not have today at all. [01:15:32.528 – 01:15:34.828] Yeah, that's interesting.

[01:15:34.828 – 01:15:35.388] Thank you, Bill. [01:15:35.388 – 01:15:37.697] Jim, can I just mention that we have- No, you're welcome. [01:15:37.697 – 01:15:38.568] Oh, go ahead, Floyd. [01:15:38.568 – 01:15:40.488] Uh, it's just that Benzy is here. [01:15:40.488 – 01:15:41.288] His first time here. [01:15:41.288 – 01:15:42.128] He was waving at us. [01:15:42.128 – 01:15:43.508] I, Debbie brought it to my attention.

[01:15:43.508 – 01:15:44.667] Benzy is from Iceland. [01:15:44.667 – 01:15:46.768] We've got another contingent from Iceland. [01:15:46.768 – 01:15:47.628] His first time here. [01:15:47.628 – 01:15:49.268] You're very welcome, Benzy. [01:15:49.268 – 01:15:50.378] Yeah, great. [01:15:50.378 – 01:15:51.228] Would you like to say hello? [01:15:51.228 – 01:15:53.248] Would you like to say hello on mute, yourself, Benzy?

[01:15:53.248 – 01:15:54.468] We put the spotlight on you. [01:15:54.468 – 01:15:56.368] Go ahead. [01:15:56.368 – 01:15:58.448] I always can speak, thank you. [01:15:58.448 – 01:16:03.978] Yeah, I'm just got the note about this meeting, and I was curious. [01:16:03.978 – 01:16:09.688] Uh, thank you for what I've heard s- so far. [01:16:09.688 – 01:16:13.188] I was on another meeting just before. [01:16:13.188 – 01:16:17.248] So might, I might maybe next time.

[01:16:17.248 – 01:16:17.968] Thank you. [01:16:17.968 – 01:16:19.188] Well, well done. [01:16:19.188 – 01:16:20.248] Great. [01:16:20.248 – 01:16:20.988] Fantastic. [01:16:20.988 – 01:16:21.018] Yeah. [01:16:21.018 – 01:16:21.468] Welcome. [01:16:21.468 – 01:16:24.408] Any other questions?

[01:16:24.408 – 01:16:27.488] Uh, here we are, Mitch from New Jersey. [01:16:27.488 – 01:16:30.448] Yeah, I, I was just curious. [01:16:30.448 – 01:16:36.248] These guys that, um, these trustees that, i- in that chapter said they, uh… [01:16:36.248 – 01:16:46.468] I- is it my understanding after, uh, uh, this reading that they wanted to solicit funds to get a general fund of $10,000- [01:16:46.468 – 01:16:47.068] No … [01:16:47.068 – 01:16:47.998] and, and they got nothing? [01:16:47.998 – 01:16:50.288] Is that my understanding?

[01:16:50.288 – 01:16:51.808] That, that is, that is correct. [01:16:51.808 – 01:16:53.128] They, they, these are the really… [01:16:53.128 – 01:16:55.788] I mean, these are all personal friends of John D. [01:16:55.788 – 01:16:58.118] R. Jr., the richest man in the world. [01:16:58.118 – 01:17:00.128] And they knew all of his friends. [01:17:00.128 – 01:17:04.008] And they, you know, they were like, these guys are gatekeepers for him. [01:17:04.008 – 01:17:08.408] So they're, they were well-known within the, the community of the rich.

[01:17:08.408 – 01:17:14.528] And supposedly, right, right from early December when W. first met up with these guys, he thought, "Man, this is it. [01:17:14.528 – 01:17:15.487] This is it. [01:17:15.487 – 01:17:17.528] We are, we are in the money now. [01:17:17.528 – 01:17:27.928] We, we, we got, we got an open passport to these guys that are gonna open their checkbooks and give us a ton of cash." And according to Frank A.'s, uh, he was the secretary [01:17:27.928 – 01:17:29.928] for that particular meeting. [01:17:29.928 – 01:17:39.568] According to his notes on that meeting, he was, he was requesting that they, that they, they, they make a commitment to, uh, to, to raise $10,000. [01:17:39.568 – 01:17:45.388] And, you know, to get off, to get off of, get off your butts and actually go raise some damn money.

[01:17:45.388 – 01:17:47.688] Because, because here it is, it's September. [01:17:47.688 – 01:17:50.308] It's really bleeding over into October now. [01:17:50.308 – 01:17:54.368] And, uh, and they've been, they've been talking about this since, certainly since the first of the year. [01:17:54.368 – 01:17:57.848] They've been committed to this pretty seriously since the first of the year. [01:17:57.848 – 01:17:59.548] Um, and nothing. [01:17:59.548 – 01:18:00.668] They re- they got nothing. [01:18:00.668 – 01:18:01.148] Nothing.

[01:18:01.148 – 01:18:01.628] Zero. [01:18:01.628 – 01:18:03.168] They continued to get zero. [01:18:03.168 – 01:18:03.908] Zero. [01:18:03.908 – 01:18:04.687] Nothing. [01:18:04.687 – 01:18:05.687] Yeah. [01:18:05.687 – 01:18:08.248] And that, that made me laugh. [01:18:08.248 – 01:18:09.698] Uh, you know, they hadn't al-

[01:18:09.808 – 01:18:19.848] All this time they had not been able to raise anything, and so then they decided, "Let's raise the $10,000," which is the equivalent of about $200,000 today. [01:18:19.848 – 01:18:24.828] So anyway- No, I, you know, one of the things I talk about in the book is I, I couldn't… [01:18:24.828 – 01:18:24.838] I couldn't… [01:18:24.838 – 01:18:25.818] Why couldn't they get the money? [01:18:25.818 – 01:18:26.128] You know? [01:18:26.128 – 01:18:33.388] I mean, now these people, the people they were talking to were people who had ponied up for, for temperance and for prohibition and for all of that stuff. [01:18:33.388 – 01:18:43.088] And I, the only thing I could speculate on, and it's a speculation, is that, is that, you know, as I said, the, the, the, the rich community is an incestuous community.

[01:18:43.088 – 01:18:44.588] I'm sure they all knew that John D. [01:18:44.588 – 01:18:45.248] R…. [01:18:45.248 – 01:18:47.468] Maybe they didn't know R. had caught… [01:18:47.468 – 01:18:51.028] But W.'s always kind of cagey about that, but in his letters. [01:18:51.028 – 01:18:52.788] But maybe he was actually talking about it. [01:18:52.788 – 01:18:55.148] But I really think they were thinking, "What the hell? [01:18:55.148 – 01:18:56.488] If J. D.

[01:18:56.488 – 01:18:57.208] R. Jr. [01:18:57.208 – 01:19:01.348] is not ponying up the $30,000, why the hell should I be doing that?" You know? [01:19:01.348 – 01:19:06.648] I, I, I mean, I don't know that for a fact, but it's, it, it would be one explanation. [01:19:06.648 – 01:19:07.368] I haven't come up… [01:19:07.368 – 01:19:10.508] If somebody's got a better one, I'd love to hear it, because I like good explanations. [01:19:10.508 – 01:19:13.747] But that's the best explanation I've got for why they couldn't get any money from these guys. [01:19:13.747 – 01:19:16.668] They're all talking to each other and saying, "Fuck this." Thank you.

[01:19:16.668 – 01:19:17.267] Thank you. [01:19:17.267 – 01:19:18.848] It's, uh, Larry. [01:19:18.848 – 01:19:25.448] "If you can't avoid a meeting with them, if you can't avoid taking a meeting with them, then take the meeting, but don't give them any money for God's sakes." Good afternoon, everybody. [01:19:25.448 – 01:19:26.038] Hello, Bill. [01:19:26.038 – 01:19:28.188] Uh, uh, and thank you, David, as always. [01:19:28.188 – 01:19:37.508] Bill, um, I, I have the Kindle edition of your book, but just now during the meeting I was inspired to order the hard copy, uh, by way of Amazon. [01:19:37.508 – 01:19:38.888] But, but here, here's the gift.

[01:19:38.888 – 01:19:42.108] Where were Bill and Lois living at this point? [01:19:42.108 – 01:19:43.538] Because, uh, what… [01:19:43.538 – 01:19:48.038] Had they left the Clinton A- uh, Clinton, uh, Street address and have, uh, uh… [01:19:48.038 – 01:19:51.838] Were they up in, uh, Bedford H. at that time, or were Bill- No … [01:19:51.838 – 01:19:53.487] Bill staying at the, uh, Midtown? [01:19:53.487 – 01:20:03.528] They, they were still living at 182 Clinton S. in Brooklyn, and they, they didn't get thrown out of that building, uh, that, the, her family home, actually, was foreclosed on on [01:20:03.528 – 01:20:07.848] April 24th, I think, which is, like, like two weeks after the book comes out.

[01:20:07.848 – 01:20:09.688] And, uh, and they got thrown out. [01:20:09.688 – 01:20:17.908] And for the next two and a half years they were just, they were sleeping on people's couches and on tents out in the woods and, uh, it was a while before they got to Bedford H.. [01:20:17.908 – 01:20:19.418] And the- Thank you, Bill. [01:20:19.418 – 01:20:19.419] Thank you … [01:20:19.419 – 01:20:22.648] and the name of the lady that gave them that home, uh, do you… [01:20:22.648 – 01:20:24.648] Could, could you, uh, mention that? [01:20:24.648 – 01:20:27.448] I, I, you know, we're way outside my area of research.

[01:20:27.448 – 01:20:28.508] I don't know anything about it. [01:20:28.508 – 01:20:29.288] Okay. [01:20:29.288 – 01:20:30.068] Thank you very much. [01:20:30.068 – 01:20:30.868] You're welcome. [01:20:30.868 – 01:20:33.008] Her name, her last name was Griffith. [01:20:33.008 – 01:20:34.868] But, uh, anyway, Paul B. [01:20:34.868 – 01:20:36.208] from Marco I..

[01:20:36.208 – 01:20:41.808] Paul, you un-mute yourself. [01:20:41.808 – 01:20:48.048] Paul? [01:20:48.048 – 01:20:50.348] Do you have a question? [01:20:50.348 – 01:20:51.428] How's that? [01:20:51.428 – 01:21:01.548] Yeah, my question is, uh, thank you, Bill, for writing this great, great book and because of the big book, I have, um, celebrated 50 years [01:21:01.548 – 01:21:03.488] of sobriety this week. [01:21:03.488 – 01:21:05.848] And Dennis and I- Oh, wow.

[01:21:05.848 – 01:21:07.108] Let's all, let's, let's, let's… [01:21:07.108 – 01:21:10.068] Whoa, you c- Boy, we have to give you a round of applause for that. [01:21:10.068 – 01:21:10.788] Whoa. [01:21:10.788 – 01:21:12.408] Fantastic, Paul. [01:21:12.408 – 01:21:16.728] Dennis and I are having a real great time reading this book- Wow … [01:21:16.728 – 01:21:19.948] and passing it out to other people and, and promoting it. [01:21:19.948 – 01:21:27.748] I was in my Intergroup office the other day, and they had a whole table, and, uh, they probably had six or eight of the books there.

[01:21:27.748 – 01:21:37.688] But my question to you, Bill: Didn't at one time W. have a, um, a verbal commitment with Reader's Digest to do an article? [01:21:37.688 – 01:21:39.628] Yes, absolutely. [01:21:39.628 – 01:21:39.938] Thank you. [01:21:39.938 – 01:21:40.468] He, they, they… [01:21:40.468 – 01:21:41.908] Well, they certainly thought they had it. [01:21:41.908 – 01:21:45.408] But, but, and we'll, we'll get to that as we get further into the book, but sure. [01:21:45.408 – 01:21:53.288] And then, then when they came back, when they had the book, they went, well, they went up and say, "Okay, we're ready for you to do the article." And the guy said, "Who are you guys?

[01:21:53.288 – 01:21:54.337] What, what, what? [01:21:54.337 – 01:21:56.738] Oh, oh, oh yeah, yeah, I remember that. [01:21:56.738 – 01:22:01.588] I took that to the committee and the committee said, 'Nah, we don't wanna do that.'" So that was the end of that. [01:22:01.588 – 01:22:02.388] It never happened. [01:22:02.388 – 01:22:04.458] That's tremendous. [01:22:04.458 – 01:22:05.408] Thank you, Bill. [01:22:05.408 – 01:22:07.628] And thank you, Paul, and congratulations.

[01:22:07.628 – 01:22:08.288] Yeah. [01:22:08.288 – 01:22:11.288] Uh, Patrick O.. [01:22:11.288 – 01:22:11.888] Yeah. [01:22:11.888 – 01:22:12.828] Thank you. [01:22:12.828 – 01:22:22.898] Um, I just wanna s- I get amazed when I, when I read that Ruth H. possibly did as many as 50 revisions to some of these stories or pages. [01:22:22.898 – 01:22:24.628] Did I read that right or hear that right? [01:22:24.628 – 01:22:28.408] Well, she said she retyped it at least 50 times, and I can't believe…

[01:22:28.408 – 01:22:32.728] I b- I believe that probably Bill W. was, was, was making additions and changes to it all the time. [01:22:32.728 – 01:22:37.668] Certainly the three copies that I've seen have, have a lot of changes to them, Pat, really. [01:22:37.668 – 01:22:39.608] And this is without word processing. [01:22:39.608 – 01:22:41.238] This is sitting there with a- … [01:22:41.238 – 01:22:44.448] like I have a 1935 typewriter over here. [01:22:44.448 – 01:22:49.138] And dump- And, and you got, and you got five pieces of carbon paper so you end up with six copies, you know? [01:22:49.138 – 01:22:57.098] And, um- Now, the one thing, the one thing that, that God's gift to us was that Ruth H. was not an alcoholic, because I don't think she would've put up with that stuff- …

[01:22:57.098 – 01:22:58.088] if that was the case. [01:22:58.088 – 01:22:59.248] That's just my comment. [01:22:59.248 – 01:23:09.268] People in AA, uh, not in AA helped us an awful lot, because, uh, can you imagine coming to one of, uh, having one of your sponsees coming to you and say, [01:23:09.268 – 01:23:09.948] "Oh, here's another… [01:23:09.948 – 01:23:11.508] I ch- I changed a sentence. [01:23:11.508 – 01:23:16.108] You have to do the whole page over again." It's not just like- She was probably a speed freak. [01:23:16.108 – 01:23:19.208] Thank you.

[01:23:19.208 – 01:23:20.288] Thank you, Pat. [01:23:20.288 – 01:23:21.098] Thank you, Patrick. [01:23:21.098 – 01:23:22.138] And there's Dan. [01:23:22.508 – 01:23:28.288] T calling in from tomorrow in Australia T., Jim. [01:23:28.288 – 01:23:37.068] Yeah, Bill, uh, did I hear it, it correctly this morning that the Judge C. project unraveled? [01:23:37.068 – 01:23:42.428] So B. was actually aiming to get into the ear of, of Roosevelt. [01:23:42.428 – 01:23:43.188] Is that correct?

[01:23:43.188 – 01:23:44.428] Yeah. [01:23:44.428 – 01:23:44.548] Yeah. [01:23:44.548 – 01:23:46.238] Via, via Judge C.. [01:23:46.238 – 01:23:49.148] The Judge, the Judge C. thing definitely fell apart and just never came to anything. [01:23:49.148 – 01:23:53.248] It just, it just petered out over the course of weeks and weeks and weeks. [01:23:53.248 – 01:23:55.748] Yeah, but I, I just real- I thought it was … [01:23:55.748 – 01:24:05.828] When I read the letter that he, when he wrote to Fitz and, and telling him, "You should go see these two guys in the White H. and get them to come to this meeting," I was like, "You gotta be kidding me." 'Cause

[01:24:05.828 – 01:24:08.858] W- W. was really, W. was real- Mm. [01:24:08.858 – 01:24:10.008] He, he thought … [01:24:10.008 – 01:24:15.528] He didn't think Franklin D. Roosevelt was the devil, but it was pretty damn close, you know? [01:24:15.528 – 01:24:16.378] And, uh- Mm … [01:24:16.378 – 01:24:19.238] and w- and, and supposedly, I haven't gone looking for these things. [01:24:19.238 – 01:24:20.498] They must be, somebody must have. [01:24:20.498 – 01:24:21.828] Probably had them at Stepping S..

[01:24:21.828 – 01:24:28.148] Supposedly he wrote these long letters, really vicious letters to Roosevelt when he was drunk, before he got sober- Yeah … [01:24:28.148 – 01:24:29.468] in the early '30s, you know? [01:24:29.468 – 01:24:34.268] Now, I've heard about him doing that, but again, that could be one of those apocryphal stories. [01:24:34.268 – 01:24:37.988] You gotta watch out for those things you hear in meetings, but you've never seen the paper on, you know? [01:24:37.988 – 01:24:40.128] Thanks, Bill. [01:24:40.128 – 01:24:40.198] Thanks, Bill. [01:24:40.198 – 01:24:50.208] The, uh, by the way, those, uh, letters that he, uh, he wrote, uh, in his drunken state to, uh, Roosevelt, uh, uh, th- they show

[01:24:50.208 – 01:24:53.148] up in the, uh, AA presentation tomorrow. [01:24:53.148 – 01:24:54.708] All right. [01:24:54.708 – 01:24:55.808] Good, Jim. [01:24:55.808 – 01:24:58.608] And what presentation is that, Jim? [01:24:58.608 – 01:24:59.928] What, what presentation is that? [01:24:59.928 – 01:25:00.828] Let's, let's stick them in. [01:25:00.828 – 01:25:01.668] What presentation is that?

[01:25:01.668 – 01:25:03.888] Uh, that's at, uh- What is it again? [01:25:03.888 – 01:25:04.928] … [01:25:04.928 – 01:25:06.248] 5:00, uh 5:00, uh, 5:00 PM- … [01:25:06.248 – 01:25:08.108] uh, tomorrow. [01:25:08.108 – 01:25:09.298] Here we have a- That is- … [01:25:09.298 – 01:25:12.368] big promotional, uh, announcement commercial here. [01:25:12.368 – 01:25:14.948] Yeah, let's do the commercial.

[01:25:14.948 – 01:25:25.148] Tomorrow, tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 PM Eastern US time is, uh, uh, three of a trilogy, [01:25:25.148 – 01:25:30.328] and this one tomorrow is on politics, religion, and whiskey. [01:25:30.328 – 01:25:34.028] Uh, and, uh, and Bill W.. [01:25:34.028 – 01:25:39.868] And yes, we talk about the, the drunken letters that, uh, he wrote to, uh, a little bit. [01:25:39.868 – 01:25:41.768] We get to talk a little bit about that. [01:25:41.768 – 01:25:47.748] They are, uh, they are documented in, uh, Borchert's, uh, book, uh, When L. Is N. Enough. [01:25:47.748 – 01:25:54.328] So that- Thank you, Jim M. …

[01:25:54.328 – 01:25:54.697] that, that, that, that … [01:25:54.697 – 01:25:55.238] No, that's tomorrow. [01:25:55.238 – 01:25:56.728] Tomorrow night. [01:25:56.728 – 01:26:01.648] Anyone else, uh, have a question for Mr. [01:26:01.648 – 01:26:05.848] S. before I send Gigi- Well, I'll just mention … [01:26:05.848 – 01:26:06.868] Go ahead. [01:26:06.868 – 01:26:07.268] Go ahead.

[01:26:07.268 – 01:26:10.768] Go on Here comes Gigi again from Eugene, Oregon. [01:26:10.768 – 01:26:11.588] Gigi? [01:26:11.588 – 01:26:12.688] Thank you, Jim. [01:26:12.688 – 01:26:18.128] Thank you, Jim, and thank you, Bill and David, and everybody, the readers as well. [01:26:18.128 – 01:26:28.328] So this question is, um, actually not specifically devoted to this part of the book, but I'm really seriously wondering what did Bill [01:26:28.328 – 01:26:38.328] W. think, or, um, what was the short-term and long-term advantage to all these people that he was [01:26:38.328 – 01:26:40.848] appealing to to give, to donate funds?

[01:26:40.848 – 01:26:45.348] What was the advantage to them to save alcoholics? [01:26:45.348 – 01:26:52.908] I mean, I know what Bill and Hank thought, but what would, you know, looking back at it now, what would the advantage be to them? [01:26:52.908 – 01:27:03.268] Well, Gigi, there were, again, these people, these, they were talking to people who had been giving money to the temperance movement and to, and to, to prohibition movement for years. [01:27:03.268 – 01:27:09.188] Uh, alcoholism was seen as a, as a terrible scourge on the American family. [01:27:09.188 – 01:27:13.408] But from these people's perspective, also on the American business life, you know? [01:27:13.408 – 01:27:17.038] Men, men not showing up for work, men showing up drunk, get hurt on the job. [01:27:17.038 – 01:27:21.608] There was all kinds of, all kinds of problems with alcoholism, uh, going forward.

[01:27:21.608 – 01:27:24.208] So, so these guys, I mean, John D. [01:27:24.208 – 01:27:25.788] R. Sr. [01:27:25.788 – 01:27:31.108] had, had done a 10% match on the Anti-Saloon L.. [01:27:31.108 – 01:27:36.108] And, and, and, and when he was 16, he, he, he, he, he was giving money away. [01:27:36.108 – 01:27:41.028] He was, he was a guy who always gave money away, but he always supported the temperance movement. [01:27:41.028 – 01:27:41.918] Uh, John D. [01:27:41.918 – 01:27:44.728] R. Jr.'s mother, John D.

[01:27:44.728 – 01:27:50.298] R. Sr.'s wife, uh, claims that, uh, if it wasn't for the fact that she was pregnant with her son, John D. [01:27:50.298 – 01:27:57.168] R. Jr., she would've been on her knees in a saloon trying to pray for people that were there drinking and getting drunk. [01:27:57.168 – 01:27:59.768] She was very, very active in the Anti-Saloon L.. [01:27:59.768 – 01:28:04.008] So it was, it was just this huge, not just a political movement. [01:28:04.008 – 01:28:07.028] It was a huge cultural movement in the United States of America. [01:28:07.028 – 01:28:10.528] Right after the Sec- the Civil W. War, it really, really took off. [01:28:10.528 – 01:28:16.778] I mean, it had been around before then, but you know, I mean, late, you know, there was the Washingtonians in the 1840s.

[01:28:16.778 – 01:28:26.848] And, uh, you can even go look up, um, Abraham L. gives a speech before he becomes president to the Washingtonians in Springfield, uh, Springfield, Illinois, I think it was, you know? [01:28:26.848 – 01:28:34.978] And so there was this, it was, it was this whole thing, a- anti-alcoholism and anti-drinking was a, was just a huge thing in American cul- [01:28:35.077 – 01:28:35.348] culture. [01:28:35.348 – 01:28:41.278] And that's what these guys, these guys had always coughed up money for that, always done that in the past, so why wouldn't they do it now? [01:28:41.278 – 01:28:44.508] 'Cause now we got a cure, and he called it a cure. [01:28:44.508 – 01:28:45.508] They called it a cure. [01:28:45.508 – 01:28:49.048] They really thought they had, they had solved the entire problem.

[01:28:49.048 – 01:28:53.368] All right, thank you. [01:28:53.368 – 01:28:54.048] Thank you, Bill. [01:28:54.048 – 01:28:56.748] Any other, uh, any other questions? [01:28:56.748 – 01:29:02.168] If not, I'm gonna send the back to David. [01:29:02.168 – 01:29:02.888] Yeah. [01:29:02.888 – 01:29:05.188] And I'll just mention what we have coming up as well. [01:29:05.188 – 01:29:15.228] Um, we have a lovely talk coming up at the end of the month, um, with Mildred F., gonna do a talk on practicing these principles, applying four-dimensional principles into our third

[01:29:15.228 – 01:29:19.168] dimensional life, and she's gonna do a two-week talk for us. [01:29:19.168 – 01:29:21.268] In power talk, I guess. [01:29:21.268 – 01:29:22.348] Yeah, she's gonna be here for two weeks. [01:29:22.348 – 01:29:24.468] And that was Jim's first one. [01:29:24.468 – 01:29:26.408] Uh, second one on Bill W.. [01:29:26.408 – 01:29:27.968] Just going through these, I wanna… [01:29:27.968 – 01:29:31.408] And this, this one, J- Jay's gonna do this just for information.

[01:29:31.408 – 01:29:35.248] Jay's gonna do this for us on a, he's been good enough to go into the April for us now. [01:29:35.248 – 01:29:38.138] So he, he let Jim B. go through the, the trilogy. [01:29:38.138 – 01:29:43.228] But he's gonna do a talk on what, what happened to the Oxford Group, and that's gonna be on, uh, Friday, March… [01:29:43.228 – 01:29:45.028] Or F., the 1st of April. [01:29:45.028 – 01:29:49.188] And this is P- or Patrick, Patrick O'Donnell is here. [01:29:49.188 – 01:29:50.848] Patrick, do you wanna mention this one? [01:29:50.848 – 01:29:52.547] Because I know it's, we heard it before.

[01:29:52.547 – 01:30:00.668] Patrick O'D is gonna be with recovery speakers, and he's gonna do a talk on Richmond W., a bridge from the Oxford Group to Alcoholics Anonymous. [01:30:00.668 – 01:30:03.698] Patrick, do you wanna give us a little snippet into that or look into that? [01:30:03.698 – 01:30:08.228] No, it's just, uh, like that Ruth H. thing with doing the 50 revisions. [01:30:08.228 – 01:30:17.368] It's a lot easier to keep doing updates and revisions, uh, to Richmond W. with the word processor than she must have been going, thank God. [01:30:17.368 – 01:30:17.588] You know? [01:30:17.588 – 01:30:22.088] It, it's like every day you seem to change a phrase and get a little bit more insight. [01:30:22.088 – 01:30:29.108] So I think you'll be interested in this, 'cause he was a guy that was in the Oxford Group, but it didn't quite work for him.

[01:30:29.108 – 01:30:36.848] And the Oxford Group was the one that recommended that he look up these new people, Alcoholics Anonymous in Boston in 1942. [01:30:36.848 – 01:30:39.788] So that's next Tuesday night, I guess. [01:30:39.788 – 01:30:40.808] Thank you, Patrick. [01:30:40.808 – 01:30:43.428] On M. 15th at 9:00 PM Eastern S. Time. [01:30:43.428 – 01:30:49.048] And if you want information on that, I stay behind and we'll give it to you at the end of the meeting. [01:30:49.048 – 01:30:52.048] I just mentioned this again, Wednesday evenings, Drew H. [01:30:52.048 – 01:30:53.908] does a PowerPoint presentations of this.

[01:30:53.908 – 01:30:55.748] They're looking at AA Comes of Age group. [01:30:55.748 – 01:30:58.688] Again, I will stay behind if you want more information. [01:30:58.688 – 01:31:00.028] I'm just bringing these to your attention. [01:31:00.028 – 01:31:04.408] And, uh, Bob L., uh, Bob is here today, and thanks for dropping in, Bob. [01:31:04.408 – 01:31:07.688] Bob is, uh, getting involved in this one every Sunday at 3:00 PM. [01:31:07.688 – 01:31:15.428] They've just finished the Ernie K. book and now they're starting on, um, Pass It On, the story of Bill W. and how the AA message reached the world. [01:31:15.428 – 01:31:21.008] So you can compare and contrast to the wonderful Writing the Big Book, the Creation of AA as well.

[01:31:21.008 – 01:31:21.968] You can… [01:31:21.968 – 01:31:26.178] So J- uh, uh, I mentioned this to Nick, 'cause I, I meant to do this in the beginning. [01:31:26.178 – 01:31:26.848] Nick P.'s here. [01:31:26.848 – 01:31:32.448] Nick is, comes here every week, and he's gonna get involved in this, uh, physical meeting in L- in the UK. [01:31:32.448 – 01:31:38.288] Big Book 12 Step W. Convention, and that's on 16th of July, 17 July. [01:31:38.288 – 01:31:40.788] And that'll be, we mention that every week. [01:31:40.788 – 01:31:45.108] And Big Book C. Alive, H. Ebert's, um, not on…

[01:31:45.108 – 01:31:51.928] They're going to come back the new cycle on March 20th, and, uh, presently they have this, um, Kurt Z. [01:31:51.928 – 01:31:53.478] sharing on the steps 10 and 11. [01:31:53.478 – 01:31:54.328] But that's gone. [01:31:54.328 – 01:31:58.068] But there's gonna be, um, a step 11 meditation there this Sunday. [01:31:58.068 – 01:31:58.988] Is that right? [01:31:58.988 – 01:32:01.168] Yes, March 6th and 13th. [01:32:01.168 – 01:32:02.788] Okay.

[01:32:02.788 – 01:32:05.408] Uh, Bill C., how wonderful to have you here. [01:32:05.408 – 01:32:07.988] We've got a bonus today, getting you to read as well. [01:32:07.988 – 01:32:11.258] If you'd like to unmute and acknowledge Bill C. and Reilly K. [01:32:11.258 – 01:32:13.888] Bill is in California and Reilly's in Oregon. [01:32:13.888 – 01:32:16.828] If you'd like to unmute yourselves and- Thank you, Bill. [01:32:16.828 – 01:32:17.328] Thank you. [01:32:17.328 – 01:32:18.668] And thank you, Reilly.

[01:32:18.668 – 01:32:20.978] Thank you. [01:32:20.978 – 01:32:20.979] Thank you. [01:32:20.979 – 01:32:20.980] Thank you. [01:32:20.980 – 01:32:21.038] Thank you. [01:32:21.038 – 01:32:21.768] Thanks for having me. [01:32:21.768 – 01:32:23.028] Thank you. [01:32:23.028 – 01:32:23.238] Thank you.

[01:32:23.238 – 01:32:23.239] Thank you. [01:32:23.239 – 01:32:24.108] Thank you so much. [01:32:24.108 – 01:32:26.368] And we go- Thank you very much, you guys … [01:32:26.368 – 01:32:27.768] we go back to Bill C.. [01:32:27.768 – 01:32:29.508] Bill, if you wanna close it for us. [01:32:29.508 – 01:32:32.648] Traditionally we'd ask a prayer or, or reflection or what… [01:32:32.648 – 01:32:33.328] Up to you, Bill.

[01:32:33.328 – 01:32:34.188] All yours. [01:32:34.188 – 01:32:44.188] When I, uh, work the steps with guys, when we get to the third step, I have them write their own third step prayer to make it personal, 'cause we get [01:32:44.188 – 01:32:47.628] so hung up in concepts that we miss the experience of it. [01:32:47.628 – 01:32:51.228] So some years ago, I wrote my own little third step prayer. [01:32:51.228 – 01:32:56.087] I've done several of them, and I really like this one, so maybe I'll share this with you to close the meeting. [01:32:56.087 – 01:32:59.848] Father, open my heart. [01:32:59.848 – 01:33:03.508] Help me to love fearlessly and without concern for consequences.

[01:33:03.508 – 01:33:08.888] Relieve me of the aspects of my nature that block me from being truly intimate with my fellows. [01:33:08.888 – 01:33:13.008] Guide me down the path that leads to the oneness of all things. [01:33:13.008 – 01:33:21.068] Op- open my eyes, that I may see the beauty of what is, the tranquility in the moment, the peace and the acceptance of what is. [01:33:21.068 – 01:33:24.948] Relieve me of the bondage of having to live my life. [01:33:24.948 – 01:33:27.428] Help me to simply watch it unfold. [01:33:27.428 – 01:33:29.128] Amen. [01:33:29.128 – 01:33:30.768] Amen.

[01:33:30.768 – 01:33:31.298] Amen. [01:33:31.298 – 01:33:31.608] Amen. [01:33:31.608 – 01:33:33.808] Lovely, lovely. [01:33:33.808 – 01:33:35.008] Thank you, everyone. [01:33:35.008 – 01:33:36.448] Thank you, David. [01:33:36.448 – 01:33:37.168] Thank you, Bill. [01:33:37.168 – 01:33:37.258] Thank you, Bill.

[01:33:37.258 – 01:33:38.238] Share more with us. [01:33:38.238 – 01:33:39.188] Thank you, everyone. [01:33:39.188 – 01:33:40.578] Thank you, everyone. [01:33:40.578 – 01:33:40.688] Thank you, everyone. [01:33:40.688 – 01:33:41.107] Great meeting. [01:33:41.107 – 01:33:42.208] Everybody. [01:33:42.208 – 01:33:43.638] Thanks, all.

[01:33:43.638 – 01:33:44.168] Thank you. [01:33:44.168 – 01:33:45.008] Right. [01:33:45.008 – 01:33:46.568] And the recording is stopped.