August 3, 1962
[ADDRESS BLOCK BLACKED OUT]
Dear Mrs. [BLACKED OUT]
Your letter of July 29, 1962, has been received.
Although I would like to be of service, the FBI is strictly an
investigative agency of the Federal Government and neither makes
evaluations nor draws conclusions as to the character or integrity
of any organization, publication or individual. I regret I am
unable to help you and hope you will not infer either that we do or
do not have data in our files relating to the subject of your
inquiry.
You may wish to direct correspondence to the Better Business
Bureau of Washington, D.C., Inc., Perpetual Building, Washington,
D.C., for any assistance which may be rendered.
Sincerely yours,
[stamped] J. Edgar Hoover
John Edgar Hoover
Director
See NOTE next page.
RMW:bsw* (3)
[page 2]
Mrs. [BLACKED OUT]
NOTE: Correspondent not identifiable in Bufiles.
The Founding Church of Scientology, 1812 19th Street, Northwest,
Washington, D.C., identical to the Academy of Scientology, run by
L. Ron Hubbard, is well-known to the Bureau. Hubbard is the founder
and president of the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation, Inc.,
for the purpose of furthering Hubbard's theory of Scientology, an
alleged science which instills self-confidence and assists
individuals in removing mental problems and obtaining human
ability. Hubbard has been described as being "hopelessly insane" by
his wife in suing for divorce and the "Washington Times Herald" of
4-24-51, in mentioning this divorce proceeding, stated that
"competent medical advisors recommended that Hubbard be committed
to a private sanitarium for psychiatric observation and treatment
of a mental ailment known as paranoid schizophrenia." (105-55601-5)
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