FROM THE FILES OF THE FBI #117
March 2, 1953
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Honorable Homer Ferguson
United States Senate
Washington, D.C.
My dear Senator,
Your letter of February 26, 1953, addressed to Mr. Nichols,
forwarding an inquiry from [BLACKED OUT] of Traverse City,
Michigan, concerning L. Ron Hubbard, publisher of "Handbook for
Preclears," has been received.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has not conducted any
investigation of Hubbard. Information has been received, however,
that Hubbard is the author of a book entitled "Dianetics, The
Modern Science of Mental Health" and founder of the Hubbard
Dianetic Research Foundation, Incorporated, with headquarters of
Elizabeth, New Jersey.
The stated purpose of the Foundation is to "study and conduct
research in the field of the human mind and of human thought in
action" through the medium of "Dianetics," which may be likened to
psychotherapy, with certain differences as to method and concepts.
In this connection, in March, 1951, the Board of Medical
Examiners of the Department of Law and Public Safety, State of New
Jersey, was taking to trial, in the Union County District Court,
Elizabeth, New Jersey, a case against the Foundation. The basis for
the case was that the Foundation allegedly conducted a school
teaching a branch of medicine and surgery without a license.
In regard to Hubbard himself, the Los Angeles, California, Times
Herald in its issue of April 24, 1951, related that Hubbard's
[illegible words] accused him of subjecting her to scientific
torture experiments. This news story reported that Mrs. Hubbard in
a divorce suit, claimed
(See [illegible word] next page]
[page 2]
Honorable Homer Ferguson March 2, 1953
that Hubbard was "hopelessly insane." Her complaint stated that
"...the Hubbard Dianetics Research Foundation, which deals with the
modern science of mental health,' did more than $1,000,000 business
in 1950."
I regret that we do not have available any information
concerning the book "Handbook for Preclears," mentioned by [BLACKED
OUT]
With expressions of my highest esteem and best regards,
Sincerely
[stamped] J. Edgar Hoover
NOTE: Above data from files 62-94080-1; 62-94080-1, encl. 10;
62-84080-4; 62-94080-A. Hubbard was interviewed at the Bureau on
3-7-51, when he came in to complain about Communists in his
organization. (62-84080-1). [BLACKED OUT TWO LINES] On February 26,
1951, we initiated an inquiry concerning Hubbard, after receiving
information that he had been arrested in Chicago for kidnaping his
wife in California and taking her out of the state. Since this was
a family matter, the U.S. Attorney at Los Angeles instructed no
investigation should be undertaken. (7-6000-2)
Since information in body of letter is public information, and
will cover essentials of Senator Ferguson's inquiry, not believed
necessary to include any data from above paragraph in body of
letter.
