European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 25, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes june 1985 by Kay Bartlett associated press it was fifty years ago that a new York stockbroker stood in the lobby of the Mayflower hotel in dying for a the Bill had been sober about six months and was determined to stay that he had an unusual he Felt that if he could just talk with another hopeless drunk he would not need the he looked at the Church directory on the surely a minister would know a forlorn he after a series of Telephone he reached the wife of an Akron doctor who had All but lost his practice be cause of the Robert Holbrook was too far gone for conversation that his wife said she would try for the next mothers Smith reluctantly agreed to meet Wil but Only for fifteen they talked for about their drinking and their but Smith continued to the doctor had his last drink and on june two sober alcoholics sat and that was the Day alcoholics Anonymous was it had no name and didst until several years later when Wilson wrote a alcoholics and the group took that this As an estimated members prepare to go to Montreal to celebrate Aas Golden anniversary Over the july 4th a is a worldwide Organiza Tion with More than 1 million Many of whom credit a with saving their you can attend an a meeting in 114 countries and read the big As members Call Wilsons in 14 members say theres no other organization quite like for one no ones in theres no Perma nent no official no promotion a refuses Money from anyone who is not a a is not taking Money from it Doest Cost anything to a hat is passed at meetings and that the sole if grateful alcoholics want to leave something to a in their the most the organization will accept is at the meeting leadership changes every six at National the positions Are rotated every two it is truly Headquarters has no membership the Only requirement for belonging is the desire to Stop you dont even have to be sure youre an one member telephoned a and How do i go about joining youre the Volunteer told that How people they just Start going to meet most cities have a listing in the Telephone you dont get kicked some members dont get sober they Are encouraged to keep coming but Are asked not to speak up at meetings if they have been drinking that when i decided i had to come to i was sure i would be the Only person there with says a stylish 35yearold now sober four i was surprised there were people younger than i people who were More successful and people who looked less like an alcoholic than i at a typical a a speaker that he tells his Story about How his drinking the disasters it led what caused him to Stop and How life has been alcoholics Anonymous is just that to the outside but within the warm atmosphere of members Are anything but Anonymous to each they know one another dark Little family histories and usually last names As most members do not give their last names when they but a few like make up for the first two years i was in the i just called myself i didst want anyone to know i was he he came to Trust his new group of friends and confessed his real they they had heard stranger there is a lot of laughter in the rooms and Many members say that what kept them coming Back at some members feel at Home their first they Are relieved to find people like proving their troubles we rent exceptional in any others come in bristling at the programs reference to the higher and at slogans like easy does first things and one Day at a Many of that crowd of beginners Are now lifelong they didst rewrite the you have to be in a while before youre sober enough to understand says an advertising Man who was one of the would be rewrites when he Many Learned that although the suggested program for recovery is part religious Faith is not a those who balk at the word god substitute acro such As orderly direction As their and make peace with that higher often Mem