From the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of
Justice, Washington, D.C. Please archive.
[handwritten letter]
[BLACKED OUT]
[BLACKED OUT]
[BLACKED OUT]
July 29, 1962
Mr. J. Edgar Hoover
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir: I am interested to know about the activities of The Founding
Church of Scientology whose address is 1812 - 19th St. N.W. Washington
9, D.C.
Is this a church in the usual sense of the word -- a religious body? Is
it a school of thought? Could it be a Communist Front?
Any information you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
[SIGNATURE BLACKED OUT]
***
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)
- 2 -
For L. Ron Hubbard's Navy war records, here is Ron the War Hero.
For further information on the Scientology organization's ideals and for copies of their once-secret documentation, here is Operation Clambake.