FROM THE FILES OF THE FBI #82
1 - Name Check Section
February 15, 1963
LAFAYETTE RON HUBBARD
The files of the FBI contain considerable information concerning
the captioned individual and his various business enterprises;
however, this Bureau has not conducted any investigation concerning
Hubbard or his organization.
L. Ron Hubbard was the founder and president of the Hubbard
Dianetic Research Foundation, Inc. (HDRF), which was incorporated
in New Jersey during April 1, 1950.
The December 5, 1950, issue of "Look" magazine contained an
article entitled "Dianetics - Science or Hoax?" which related that
L. Ron Hubbard was an obscure writer of pseudoscientific pulp
fiction prior to the publishing of his book entitled "Dianetics."
Hubbard's book asserts that "the creation of dianetics is a
milestone for Man comparable to his discovery of fire and superior
to his inventions of the wheel and the arch...the intelligent
layman can successfully and invariably treat all psychosomatic ills
and inorganic aberrations," according to Hubbard. "These
psychosomatic ills, uniformly cured by dianetic therapy, include
such varied maladies as eye trouble, bursitis, ulcers, some heart
difficulties, migraine headaches and the common cold." According to
the article, Hubbard's book has "outraged scores of psychiatrists,
biochemists, psychologists, physicians and just-plain-ordinary
scientists, who look upon the astounding claims and the growing
commercial success of this strange new phenomenon with awe, fear
and a deep disgust...Hubbard's greatest attraction to the troubled
is that his ersatz psychiatry is available to all. It's cheap. It's
accessible. It's a public festival to be played at clubs and
parties."
During March, 1951, the Board of Medical Examiners, State of New
Jersey, had a case against the HDRF scheduled for trial on the
grounds that the organization was conducting a school, teaching a
branch of medicine and surgery, without a license.
ORIGINAL AND 1 - HEW Request received: 2-14-63 SEE NOTE ON
YELLOW, PAGE 3 DRR:fjb (4)
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions
on the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your
agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your
agency. This is in answer to your request for a check of FBI files.
[page 2]
Lafayette Ron Hubbard
In 1951, the HDRF established national headquarters at Wichita,
Kansas, and sponsored the Allied Scientists of the World, which
organization had as its avowed purpose "to construct and stock a
library...in an atomic proof area where the culture and technology
of the United States could be stored in a state of use by science
and preserve it in case of attack."
The April 24, 1951, issue of the "Times Herald," Washington,
D.C., revealed that Hubbard's wife charged in a divorce suit 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."
Allegedly during 1952, Hubbard formed the Hubbard Association of
Scientologists, an Arizona corporation, and reverted "dianetics"
back to its original name, "scientology." Thereafter, offices were
opened in New Jersey and London, England.
During the early part of 1956, HDRF, Silver Spring, Maryland,
was circulating a pamphlet entitled "Brain-Washing, A Synthesis of
the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics." According to the book,
psychopolitics is the "art and science of asserting and maintaining
dominion over the thoughts and loyalties of individuals, officers,
bureaus, and masses, and the effecting of conquest of enemy nations
through mental health.'"
Hubbard has corresponded with the Bureau and the Department of
Justice on several occasions for various reasons, including
complaints about his wife and about alleged communists. In one
lengthy letter in May, 1951, it is perhaps noteworthy the Hubbard
stated that while he was in his apartment on February 23, 1951,
about two or three o'clock in the morning, his apartment was
entered. He was knocked out. A needle was thrust into his heart to
produce a coronary thrombosis and he was given an electric shock.
He said his recollection of this incident was now very blurred,
that he had no witnesses and that the only other person who had a
key to the apartment was his wife.
Hubbard and various organizations with which he has been
associated have been the subject of numerous inquiries and
complaints directed to this Bureau. He and
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[page 3]
Lafayette Ron Hubbard
his organizations operated in various parts of the country.
Under date of October 8, 1957, we received a letter from Richard F.
Steves, "Organizational Secretary" of "Scientology, United States,
The Academy of Scientology," 1812 - 19th Street, Northwest,
Washington, D.C. This letter requested that the Bureau investigate
an individual allegedly representing himself as a "dianetic
auditor" though not associated with any "Dianetic" or "Scientology"
organization. The letter requested that this person be investigated
as to communist activities. The letterhead listed seventeen
associated organizations and publications including the Hubbard
Association of Scientologists, International. Three of the
associated organizations are purported churches of scientology.
Also listed as associate groups are the Hubbard Guidance Center,
Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation, Hubbard Research Foundation,
and Hubbard Communications Office.
In addition to the foregoing, you are advised that Hubbard has
FBI Identification Record Number 2440210-B.
Pursuant to your specific request, there are enclosed
communications received by this Bureau from Hubbard. In addition,
with regard to your request for background information, this Bureau
has been advised of a book called "Brief Biography of L. Ron
Hubbard." This book reportedly states the Hubbard is the so-called
founder of "Scientology" and has traveled most of the world. He is
reportedly sponsored by the Congress of Scientologists, Washington,
D.C. According to this publication, Hubbard served as a lieutenant
in the United States Navy from 1941 to 1946. It is further reported
that he has been previously committed to a mental hospital. A copy
of the foregoing publication is not contained in the files of this
Bureau and the afore-mentioned information has not been verified.
(62-94080)
Enclosures (5)
_NOTE:_ Request originated with [BLACKED OUT] Food and Drug
Administration, to SA [BLACKED OUT] Bufiles reveal FDA on 1-4-63
seized various devices and written material form D.C. headquarters
of Hubbard's organization and initiated legal action against
Hubbard's group.
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