The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1946-03-02

Of former chronic alcoholics
who unburdened their souls.
They told bitter tales of sad
experiences with years of hor-
ror and pain, of lives almost
ruined and families destitute
and broken health, and of how
@ new idea called Alcoholics
Anonymous brought a new
meaning to these "dregs of So
ciety' and / know God was
there because He must have
been. Nowhere else have l ever
seen such humility, contrition
and common brotherhood am
ong men of all creeds.
1t was a privilege to have
been assigned to attend this
"off the record" gathering,
where names meant nothing
ana background less, where
millionaire and poor man
share their Affections and con-
fession brings the same pitifuI
story OF men and women vic
Tins Of the disease alcoholism.
You'll travel far and wide to
ind a group Of human beings
so sincere in their desire to
help each other and so bounti-
full in their living proof that Al
coholics Anonymous is fast be-
coming the answer to a dread
disease.
The Dorchester alcoholics are
part of the national organizs-
ton Of more than $4,000 active
members in 600 groups across
the nation.
Secrecy is the byword Of AL
coholics Anonymous. Among
themselves they expect none,
but in contacts with the public
they rightly expect to remain
Rloof. 1t is automatic in the A.A,
that not a few people would be
surprised to see some Of their
members classified as chronic
alcoholics.
At the meeting here Saturday
night, a very prominent man
giving his testimony made it
clear that his greatest proof Of
a cure was the fact that many
of his friends today never knew
that he touched a drop Of liquor,
whereas his alcoholic past read
like a barroom saga. No punch
es are pulled when these people
open-up the story of their alco~
holic lives so that new members
may be convinced and started
on the road to recovery.
Anether businessman confess
ed that drink had ruined his
business, his health and almost
caused him to lose his family.
He spared none OF the lurid
details. Now with AA he has
found himself, his family and a
new life of prosperity.
It's a great experiesce to at
tend one Of these meetings.
Learning what real sincerity
and humility means a m o n g
strangers gathered for a COM
mon cause would do wonders
for many non-alcohoncs -- a
bit of soul-washing straight
from the books.
Prospective members Of IA,
are advised to face with brutal
honesty the following official
definition OF a true alcoholic;
"An alcoholic is any person
whose indulgence in alcohol
continuously or periodically re-
ults In behavior such as to dis
rupt his normal relations with
his or her work, family or So
ciety, and is of such nature as
to cause him or her serious
trouble.
An alcoholic is any person
whose mental or physical con-
dition is so affected as to SER
iously jeopardize his or her nor
NAL relations with his or her
work, family or society and who
experiences an abnormal cray
ing after drinking and who
finds it necessary to use alcohol
the next day to alleviate the
condition.
"An alcoholic is any person
who thus finds it impossible to
discontinue both its constant or
periodic use"
Two alcoholics, a New York
Btockbroker and an Akron ply
stefan FIRST met in 1885 in Akron
and conceived the idea Of help
ing themselves by keeping con-
stantly busy helping o t h e r
drunkards to gain sobriety and
stay on the water wagon" Pill
grin1s who came In contact with
the original pair spread the
movement over the states.
With centers in fifty cities,
the group has no overhead, no
dues and merely passes the plate
at each of the regular weekly