In the paper, the editorialists called themselves "ink-stained kvetchers".

I thought that was a nice pun on the phrase "in-stained wretch," meaning a writer. But where does that phrase come from?

I don't know, but I see a bunch of Yiddish-speaking type-setters.

Seeing jheem's comment, perhaps I should clarify what was meant by my question, "But where does that phrase come from?"

The italicized words referred to ink-stained wretch, and not to ink-stained kvetchers.

Another group has asked the same question. Here's their page on it.

So, Jesse Sheidlower (of the OED) suggests that it was the Man Who Came to Dinner, i.e., Alexander Woolcott.

jheem, I'm not sure how you drew that from the site arnie noted. But Kurt Vonnegut's Deadeye Dickattributed it to Woolcott.

. . . .I have mentioned Alexander Woollcott [sic], the writer and wit and broadcaster and so on, who was a guest at our house one time. He coined that wonderful epithet for writers, "ink-stained wretches."
. . . .He should have seen me in my cage.

jheem: the Man Who Came to Dinner, i.e., Alexander Woolcott
wordnerd (quoting): I have mentioned Alexander Woollcott [sic], the writer and wit

Is is properly one l, or two? I've checked a bit but find it both ways, with no one considering the question.

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me: In the paper, the editorialists called themselves "ink-stained kvetchers".
The paper goofed. One who kvetches is called a 'kvetch', not a 'kvetcher'.

The WordWizard page spells his name both ways in the same post:

quote:

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Who was ALEXANDER WOOLCOTT (1887-1943)? Noel Coward called him a "caged cobra." Harpo Marx thought he looked like something that had gotten loose from a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Plump, owl-faced, acid-tongued Alexander Woollcott...

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It looks like the correct spelling is "Woollcott". At least, that seems to be the way most online encyclopaedias and so on spell it. For example, see http://www.bartleby.com/65/wo/Woollcot.html

A Google search brings up 7,650 hits for "Alexander Woollcott" and about 4,600 for "Alexander Woolcott".

jheem, I'm not sure how you drew that from the site arnie noted. But Kurt Vonnegut's Deadeye Dick attributed it to Woolcott.

I googled around some more and found other references. Sheidlower's contribution of arnie's cited link was dropped somehow.

As for Woollcott's name, I misspelled it. Sorry about that.