Bare-Faced Messiah, FBI Archives Letter from FBI

From the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

[illegible] Simpson

February 25, 1960

[BLACKED OUT ADDRESS BLOCK]

Dear Mrs. [BLACKED OUT]

Your letter dated February 17, 1960, with its enclosures, has been
received, and the interest which prompted your communication is indeed
appreciated.

While I would like to be of assistance to you, the function of the FBI
as a fact-gathering agency does not extend to furnishing evaluations or
comments concerning the character or integrity of any individual,
publication or organization.  I regret, therefore, that I am unable to
furnish any information concerning the individual you mentioned.

In accordance with your request, I am returning the letter you submitted
with your communication.

Sincerely yours,

John Edgar Hoover
Director

Enclosure

1 - Washington Field (enclosures - 2)

_ATTENTION: SAC, WASHINGTON FIELD_

Enclosed are a copy of correspondent's communication and a copy of the
letter she received from her cousin in England.  Correspondent also
enclosed a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
NOTE TO WASHINGTON FIELD, CONTINUED, PAGE TWO
RDS: pw (4)                  SEE NOTE ON YELLOW, PAGE TWO

[page 2]

Mrs. [BLACKED OUT]

_NOTE TO WASHINGTON FIELD, CONTINUED_

[PARAGRAPH BLACKED OUT]

Correspondent has reference to L. Ron Hubbard who is associated with a
number of organizations apparently having their headquarters at 1812 19th
Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C.  Among these organizations are Hubbard
Association of Scientologists International, Hubbard Dianetic Research
Foundation and the Academy of Scientology.  His organizations allegedly
advance a new method of curing mental illness known as "Dianetics."  The
April 24, 1951, issue of the "Times-Herald," Washington, D.C., revealed
that Hubbard's wife charged in a divorce suit that he was "hopelessly
insane" and had subjected her to "scientific torture experiments."
According to the article, "competent medical advisors recommended that
Hubbard be committed to a private sanitarium for psychiatric observation
and treatment of his mental ailment known as paranoid schizophrenia."

The Bureau has received numerous inquiries concerning Hubbard and his
organizations. (62-94080)

_NOTE ON YELLOW:_

Correspondent inquired if the Bureau could furnish any information
concerning Ron Hubbard which she could send to her cousin in England.
Correspondent enclosed a letter from her cousin which indicated Hubbard
has a branch of his organization in England.  Hubbard's books and
pamphlets are allegedly not comprehensible and appear to be a mixture of
communism, Nazism and other unpleasant things and she believes Hubbard's
organization may be communist.  The cousin requested the correspondent to
obtain some information concerning Hubbard and his organization.  The
correspondent requested the return of her cousin's letter.  No
dissemination of correspondent's letter and its enclosure is being made to
the Legal Attache, London, and to English authorities since data
concerning Hubbard and his activities was furnished to [BLACKED OUT] on
4-5-57 pursuant to a request from [BLACKED OUT]

Self-addressed, stamped envelope furnished by correspondent being used
in reply

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