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ne aes oe ene Bees In June, 1956, when the Courier first started running Elijah Muhammad's column, the management of the paper realized this column would be controversial but thought that it might create reader interest. In addition, Elijah Muhammad guaranteed the owner of the newspaper that be would require all members of his organization to become salesmen of the Courier, which would increase its circulation by several thousands of copies each week. There was a sizable increase in circulation soon after the column began. This was accomplished as a result of all NO] members being forced to buy a certain number of copies each week. The members were then supposed to get their money back by reselling the papers. Subsequent changes in the financial arrangements between Muhammad and ' the management of the paper were worked out, all of which increased the income of the NOI. By early 1958, the NOI was reportedly subscribing to 100,000 copies weekly and receiving a commission of from $500 to $625 per month \ plus an additional two cents per copy for sales over a certain number. | This arrangement proved beneficial to both parties until the NOI | " pegan to use "pressure tactics” in further attempts to get higher commissions. The NOI attempted this by suddenly cutting their subscriptions from 100, 000 to 12, 060 copies weekly. Because this would have proved ruinous to the wt, . paper, which was in poor financial condition, the Courier was forced to agree 2 -31-