Basic HTML Version
48
Personal
(Contintted f'rom page one)
of the WAY to PEACE not only between
nations, but between groups and in–
dividuals.
I
wanted a medium to SPE.AK
OUT on these BASICS of life - on the
purpose and real meaning of life.
I
wanted to show the laws and causes
that lead to suCCEss with happiness
and true abundance.
For years
I
had pioneered in surveys
to learn the thinking, attitudes, and
ideas of people in all dasses and at
all levels.
I
was well aware of the un–
rest, the unhappiness in the world, the
accelerating plunge into immorality, the
beginning of the breakup of happy
borne and family life, the evils in this
sick, sick world.
I
had studied and re–
searched these conditions,
I
had learned
the CAUSES.
And, I had back of me years of
training and experience in the iield of
magazines and newspapers.
How To Begin?
I knew well there was a real tragic
NEED for such a voice in this wilder–
ness of misknowledge, unawareness of
CAUSES - a voice unafraid to SPEAK
OUT with an impact - not
agaimt
peo–
ple or groups, but with a positive voice
for the COMMON GOOD - poínting 'fHE
WAY! And I wanted it to be a human–
interest, family magazine, explaining
life, its purpose, and what it's all about
- and HOW life can be made happier!
I knew well that this magazine would
not make over this world - but it
wouid help 'fHOUSANDS.
Yes, but HOW could
I
get it started?
How get it published?
How gain subscribers ?
How, on the "GIVING" principie,
without anything to sell- for this non–
competitive "GlVlNG" principie, I knew,
was the only possible CAUSE that would
produce the peace, happiness, abun–
dance everyone desires!
How would
1
surround myself with
an experienced, competent editorial staff
with the knowledge of world condi-
The
PLAIN TRUTH
tions, of human nature - and them–
selves possessing the UNDERSTANDING
of the causes of evils in the world, and
also understanding of the causes of hap–
piness and peace and the desirable
things we all want - but so few know
THE wAY to acquire?
Just how would
yott
go about starting
such a magazine? And I wanted it to
be a quality, high-character magazine!
lmpractical idealism, you say? Altru-
istic wishful thinking?
Well it has been achieved !
But not immediately.
In that first flush of exciting and
impulsive urge, back in 1927,
1
drew up
a rough draft of a "dummy" magazine,
portraying my concept.
I
even turned
this over to a professional letter artist,
who designed for me a professionally
laid-out "dummy" PLAIN TRUTH.
1
have written this history before. In
the 28th anniversary number, February
1962, one decade ago, in this
Personal
page,
I
announced
on~
more leap ahead.
Wíth that issue we added
8
more pages,
going rrom 32 pages to 40 - plus
co-<e.r. The
Personal
explained that this
step forward had come "after 28 years
of hardship, struggle, opposition, hard
work and perseverance." That latest ex–
pansion bcought to me, and to Mrs.
Armstrong, who had labored those years
by my side, "a very rewarding sense of
satisfaction." And I mentioned how
Mrs. Armstrong had "shared those years
of hardship and diligent industry as
my
constant loyal helper."
That
Personal
explained that
The
PLAIN TRU'fH had been stepped up to
a 40-page magazine with the June 1961
issue.
Reaching
One
Million
Circulation
Next,
I
have before me the
Personal
talk live years later - in the July 1967
number. We had reached a
grand pla–
teau in mtmber of sttbscribers.
The
dream of MASS circulation had been
reached- ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS
- 1,000,000 copies monthly! By that
time it had gone to full-color produc–
tion - a
qttality magazine
in every
respect. And it was printed on three
continents - on our own giant maga–
zine presses !
But it didn't start out with any fan -
February 1972
fare. It didn't start at all for seven years
- and then the most humble "maga–
zine" possible, with only sorne 250
copies!
As I have said above, the vision of
one day publishing
The
PLAJN TRUTH
carne in 1927. There was no way to start
it then. But the idea had germinated in
my mind, and never left me.
I
had then
begun working up a dummy copy of
this "dream magazine," which
I
had
produced by a professional letter-artist.
1
even worked out captions of artides
- wrote two or three - unpublished
then.
There was NO
w
AY to get it started
-then. But there is the old saying,
"where there's a will, there's a \Y/AY!"
I
had the idea - the vision and the
will. But THE WAY took more time -
seven years
!
I
had learned the CAUSE of all the
evils besetting this sick world. There are
just two broad \Y/AYS of life.
1
like to
put it very simply: The way in vogue
tbe past 6,000 years or so I call the way
of "GE'f" - of human nature.
It
is the
SELF-centered way. It is the way of con–
cero solely for SELF, induding, often,
whatever is associated as a
part
of self
oc
self-interest - which might include
one's family, bis club, social or religious
group, his sports team, his country.
It
is the way of competition, getting the
best of the other fellow, acquiring, ac–
cumulating, taking from others, lack of
concern for the good or welfare of
others, and a natural spirit of jealousy,
envy, and at times hatred.
The other way travels in the opposite
direction. You may call it the God–
centered way - or the LOVE-centered
-:vay. Love in its true sense is not self–
lust, but an outgoing concern for the
good and welfare of others equal to
one's self-concern. It is the way of help–
ing, serving, sharing, cooperating- the
attitude of patience, tolerance.
In the summer of 1933, I had held
a series of lectures in and near Eugene,
Oregon, on the laws of success in life,
explaining this philosophy, or WAY of
life. I had been invited to speak a few
times on the local radio station, KORE.
The response had been enthusiastic.
Frank Hill, owner of Radio KORE,
suggested 1 work out a weekly half-hour
radio program. He actually volunteered