Dodge

Safire writes "...those of us in the pencil dodge should resist the abuse of background." Safire is a journalist, columnist, a writer. So presumably we can assume what he means by "pencil dodge" but it new to me.

Any comments?

None of the online dictionaries had this meaning. But "dodge" can mean a person's "game" or way of making a living.

I found it in the InfoPlease dictionary. Dodge = Slang: a business, profession, or occupation.

In Britain, a 'dodgy business' is one which is in some way suspect - illegal, nearing backruptcy, etc. Is this confined to Britain?

No. It's used that way in the U.S. also.