September A.A. History—day unknown

In 1939, Your Faith magazine [right: cover with red arrows pointing to the relevant article] published D. J. Defoe’s interview with Dr. Bob Smith (who is not named), which was titled “I Saw Religion Remake a Drunkard.”

	In 1939, prior to the September 30 publication of an article about A.A. in Liberty magazine, which would be A.A.’s first national publicity, Bill W. [left] wrote to Dr. Bob S. [right], “We are growing at an alarming rate, although I have no further fear of large numbers.”

    Bill’s concern arose from the recent sudden expansion to thirty groups and several hundred members in Cleveland, Ohio. This rapid growth demonstrated that the Fellowship could reach a significant size. A few weeks later, Bill wrote to Dr. Bob again:

    The press of newcomers and inquiries was so great that we have to swing more to the take-it-or-leave-it attitude, which curiously enough, produces better results than trying to be all things at all times at all places to all men.

In 1939, Mort J. [left], a resident of Denver, Colorado, bought a copy of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. Without even looking at it, he packed it in his suitcase and forgot about it. In November, after coming to in Palm Springs, California, following a weeks-long international spree, still shaking violently, he would find and begin to read it. He would never drink again and would eventually help reestablish A.A. in Los Angeles, California.