Reproduction of the First Grapevine, page 8

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You are on page 8 of the 1st AA Grapevine ever printed

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THE GRAPEVINE
P.O. Box 328
Grand Central Annex, N. Y. 17, N. Y.
Herewith 1.50 for one year's subscription
to The Grapevine (Monthly)
For additional subscriptions enclose separate
sheet with name and address clearly printed.
Checks payable to The Grapevine.

Total Enclosed ................................

PLEASE PRINT

Name .......................................................................
Address ..................................................................
..................................................................................

(Continued from page 4 )

3 are workers from the mainland. It is quite
a representative group. One lawyer, one radio
telegraph operator, one member of a Federal
commission, one   electrician,   one carpenter,
and myself–a   small-boat builder,   aged 32.
I am enclosing $5.00. Please send me a copy
of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, and some
more pamphlets. If there is any left it is my
donation to the Foundation.
                                    Sincerely yours,
                                                                         E.G.
                                                           Dec. 14, 1943
                                    Shop — —, Pearl Harbor
Dear — :
You   may definitely stick a pin in   Honolulu
on your map. Tonight we had a meeting of
the   entire group   for   the   first   time.   There
were supposed to be 7–but only 5 came. All
have been sober with   the help of the A.A.
program   for   a   time   varying   from   over   a
month to 1 week before their   first meeting.
The meeting was so interesting to everyone
we had trouble leaving in time to get home
before curfew.   And   not bragging   (much) I
don't   think   there are any more intelligent 5
people in Honolulu who meet as a group than
we had   there tonight . . .   One reason that
I am so optimistic about our   little group is
that every one of them sought the help. There
has been no evangelism, no compulsion. All
of   us really want to quit . . .   Please don't
think   you're   presuming to give me advice.
We have not been able to contact any old
members   here.   If   ever   there was a   place
where the blind are leading the blind, that
place is Honolulu right now.   We not only
will accept any advice you care to give, we're
begging for it . . . I have had several bitter
disappointments . . . I have discovered that
a desire to stop and mere knowledge of the

program of A.A are not enough. It is those
of us who are really trying to put into prac-
tice the 12 steps who are succeeding. Now
that we are holding meetings I feel sure that
more of   us will   be able to put   them   into
practise.
About my own case. I have for years con-
sidered myself an agnostic. After reading the
A.A . literature, expecially the part about an
alcoholic who wanted to get well not being
able to afford the luxury of a closed mind,
I began asking myself what I really believed.
The more I though and worked with others
the nearer to faith I came . . . The psychiatric
social worker at —— Hospital, who has been
trying to help me since July to quit drinking
has remarked at the great change in me since
I became acquainted with A.A. When I told
her of my new source of strength she sug-
gested   that maybe that strength   had been
lying   latent   in me   all   along. I told   her I
didn't really know what the source of strength
was, but that I did know the formula I had
used to tap it, and that was humble, sincere,
unselfish prayer . . .
                                      Yours in A.A.
                                                                        E.G.

(TO BE CONTINUED NEXT MONTH)

CONFERENCE    ON    ALCOHOLISM

On April 19th, a one-day conference on "Al-
coholism, Prevention   & Cure" was held in
Lansing,   Michigan, at Michigan State Col-
lege. It was sponsored by the Michigan Tem-
perance Foundation (!) and Yale University
School of   Alcoholic   Studies, and   the   last
speech of the day was on Alcoholics Anony-
mous. The speaker   was a doctor   from De-
troit, a member of the Detroit group. We are
told he did a swell job, and that the confer-
ence was   followed by an A.A. banquet, at
which some 75 A.A.s and their wives, from
8 different Michigan towns,   AND Chicago,
were present. That, of course turned into a
regular A.A. meeting. These state-wide get-
togethers seem to be gathering in frequency.
The Public Health Commissioner of the State
of   Michigan addressed himself particularly
to the A.A.'s present, and we think one re-
mark of his is worth quoting: "You're listen-
ing here to doctors, psychiatrists, sociologists
and educators . . . but don't pay too much
attention to them!   You people in   A.A. are
doing a fine job in coping with this problem
directly. Keep on doing it in your own way!"

(Continued from page 1 )

"Sir, we don't think   you've got   the correct
slant," the bookseller said thoughtfully, "We
six are sort of   garage mechanics,   servicing
the   paper. We   don't   write   it.   That's    the
creamy part for every Jack and Doris of A.A.
who can lay their hands on some news and
a pencil stub. We wrestle with the punctua-
tion, if any. Hammer for copy as the deadline
creaps up. Paste up the dummy, and   hope
for the best."   "Very neat,  " I said, "and   I
wish you luck. But what's the paper going to
talk about?"
"About us Alcoholics, naturally!", the mother
of two said, "About A.A.'s whole design for
living.   There's going to be a big, full page
on local group doings (there's a Grapevine
reporter in every group   right now with his
pencil at the ready). And we're planning to
get all the big   general stuff on alcoholism
into the paper. Best of all, we think, is the
Servicemen's Letter page . . ."
"Now you're talking," I said with satisfaction.
"Thanks," the cashier said coldly. "We also
hope to have a column on books,   and the
theater and   films and   radio and magazines
articles which   have to do with A.A. or the
12 steps, or constructive living in general."
"And,"   said   the   author,   "a section called
'Do You Know?' which will pin down in print
the things new members wonder about."
"Anything else?",   I asked, reaching for my
hat.   "Oh   yes!", the six said,   "Two things,
particularly.   There'll   be a   write-up   on the
Central Office. And a letters-to-The-Grapevine
where everybody can sound off–pro and con
–on anything that seems to need saying out
loud."
"That positively all?"   I asked, rising.   "No!
Aren't you going to ask us how long we six
are going to stick at this thing?"
"Go on. Go on," I said nervously. "Simple,"
the six said. "We hang on for a trial spin of
three months while the Metropolitan A.A.'s
make up   their   minds whether   they want a
paper or not.   If   the verdicts's No–we bow
out." "And   if   the verdict's Yes?", I asked,
eyeing all six sharpely. "We still bow out; and
hand the paper to fresh new blood," they said.
"Well, it still   looks   like a cabal   to   me, " I
said in my most suspicious manner. "Think
I'll write a leter to The Grapevine demanding
to know how come you six think you can get
a paper going!"
"We'll   print   it, sir. Goodbye;   and   kindly
don't slam the door," was   the last I heard
the six say.

Copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., June 1944
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