FROM THE FILES OF THE FBI #67
OPTIONAL FORM NO. 10
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Memorandum
TO : Mr. DeLoach
DATE: 9-7-62
FROM : M.A. Jones
SUBJECT: [BLACKED OUT]
[BLACKED OUT]
[BLACKED OUT]
On July [hand-corrected to Aug.] 13, 1962, [BLACKED OUT] visited
the Bureau and advised of dealings he has had with representatives
of the Founding Church of Scientology and the Hubbard Guidance
Center, Washington, D.C. He informed that his son, [BLACKED OUT]
after he became engrossed in the theories of this organization
which he described as of "crackpot quality." He felt that the
Hubbard group was taking [BLACKED OUT] for all he had and he was
trying to get his son back on the right track. He asked if this
group was subversive in nature and whether or not the FBI could
assist him. He was informed that the Bureau could make no
evaluation or draw a conclusion concerning this organization.
Bufiles reflect that the head of this group, L. Ron Hubbard, has
prompted numerous inquiries of the Bureau regarding his legitimacy.
His theory of "scientology" consists of the claim that it is a
science which instills confidence and assistance to individuals in
removing mental problems. Hubbard was described by his wife as
being "hopelessly insane" when she sued him for divorce.
[BLACKED OUT] has now forwarded [BLACKED OUT] copies of a
general letter [inserted] dated 9-4-62 which appears to have been
forwarded to numerous other individuals, enclosing copies of
correspondence he received from a representative of this group,
together with certain other documents regarding the substance of
his letter. In it he repeats the story he gave [BLACKED OUT] during
his visit and refers to a machine sold by this group known as an
"E-meter." In his letter he said the subjects "pay" $22 an hour for
the chance of confessing all to a person who asks questions of the
subjects while electrodes leading to the E-meter are positioned on
the subject. As in a lie-detector, an electric current is passed
through the subject while the confession is being made. The
operator or "auditor" is someone who has taken some courses
provided by the scientology people. These meters are sold to the
operators, graduates of the scientology school, for prices ranging
from $100 to $125. [BLACKED OUT]
1 - Mr. Conrad
1 - Mr. Rosen
JWOB:cmk
(6)
(Continued on page 2)
[page 2]
Jones to Mr. DeLoach memo
DR. ROSS W. MOSHIER
[BLACKED OUT] was urging [BLACKED OUT] to take action to
suppress the sale and distribution of the "E-meter," which appears
to be required by practitioners of scientology. He said that his
son [BLACKED OUT] has just received one of these "E-meters" even
though they must have been smuggled into the United States. He
indicated that this action would strike at the vital core of the
"religion." [BLACKED OUT] also forwarded a copy of a paper
submitted to the National Aeronautical Engineers Conference in
1960 by a [BLACKED OUT] which, [BLACKED OUT] says, reflects that
research shows introduction of electronic current into the human
body for hours at a time should be held to be potentially
dangerous.
No reply to [BLACKED OUT] will be forwarded since his
communication [?]s a copy and he was informed during his initial
visit that this situation is not within the jurisdiction of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation.
_RECOMMENDATION:_
For Information. Enclosures he forwarded will be retained in
Crime Records for 90 days and then destroyed.
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