Bare-Faced Messiah, FBI Archives M.A. Jones Crackpot letter

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

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 supress the sale
and distribution of the "E-meter," [?]ich 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 [?]uggled
into the United States.  He indicated that this action would strike at the
vital [?]re of the "religion." [BLACKED OUT] also forwarded a copy of a
paper submitted [?] the National Aeronautical Engineers Conference in 1960
by a [BLACKED OUT] which, [BLACKED OUT] says, reflects that research shows
introduction of electronic current into [?]e 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 [?]he 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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