Jachs
Gold Meritorious Patron
The Don Purcell / Dianetics story deserves a thread all to its own, i did a search for it, but nothing came up. Warning -This story may incite rage, for ex Scientology staff who have given their life and been slipped the knife at the end of their usefulness you will see it is the mainstay trait laid into the organization by its founder way back.You fell victim for helping.
EDIT- To read a more complete communications from Don Purcell
The full text version for quoting is below the newsletter
The below Docs are sourced from Lermanet
Here
DIANETICS TODAY March 53 Newsletter Page 7
Sep 1953 Pg 10 & 11
Jan 1954 Pages 1-4
July 54 Page 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
DIANETICS TODAY
January , 1954 The Dianetic Foundation, Inc 211 West Douglas ave, Wichita, Kansas Vol III, No.1
FOUNDATION STORY
I hope this is as good a communication as I want it to be. It is concerned with the affairs of the Dianetic Foundation and some decisions that may have a far reaching effect on Diabetics.
It is concerned with its success and a failure.
When The Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation of Elizabeth, new Jersey, found itself on the financial rocks late in 1950 I decided to lend a hand. I tried to get an accurate picture of what would be required to put Dianetics back on an even keel financially. Based on the data I obtained at the time I decided that I probably could manage it without difficulty. My intention at that time was merely to lend a financial hand. I did not want to assume any responsibility for management or direction.
Several alterante locations were being considered for the new location of the foundation. I submitted data relative to to Wichita simply because I felt that Wichita would make a good, healthy location for such an organization. I did not stipulate that the foundation must move to Wichita in order to receive my financial aid. I stated that I would render such aid regardless of the final location selected.
History will bear me out when I say that I did not have accurate data concerning the amount of aid the foundation would require to get back on an even keel. I will say now in complete honesty that had I been possessed of accurate and total data regarding the Foundation I would not have offered my assistance in the way I did.
I provided time and money to prepare adequate quarters for the Foundation in Wichita. I agreed with Jack Maloney and L. Ron Hubbard that I would remain in the background and function only in an advisory capacity regarding business affairs.
The Foundation arrived in Wichita on April 13, 1951, and took up its quarters at 211 W. Douglas Ave. With each passing day new and more accurate data came to the surface. Legal commitments of which I was not informed came to light. Money was needed in California to keep Foundation personnel out of trouble. Irate creditors from New Jersey began to aim their arrows at me.
Ron was still in Havana, Cuba, finishing Science of Survival. With him was Richard deMille. One day earlier in May I received a long distance call from deMille telling me that Ron was dying and urging me to “do something”. I did. I chartered a private airplane, hired a registered nurse, and sent them to Havana for Ron. They returned to Wichita on May 15, 1951. He spent the first few days in a local hotel with me and then moved to my home. He was given good “present time” environment and auditing from then until the time of the first June Conference.
After the conference Ron moved from my house and took over active control of the Foundation. Large plans for the future of the Foundation were made. I began to see the possibilities and became quite enthusiastic. I began to take more and more of an active part in the affairs of the Foundation although I maintained my office in another part of the downtown district.
With the pasage of time more and more legal complications, some belonging to the Foundation and some belonging to Ron personally, began to pile up. I became more and more the target
(continued on page 2)
FOUNDATION STORY
(continued from page 1)
of the sharpshooting attorneys representing creditors from Elizabeth, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and points west.
I resisted the onslaught of these legal attacks but such did not satisfy Ron. He kept telling me that I had agreed to pay off all the bad debts and underwrite a new start for the Foundation and why didn’t I just go ahead and do it?
In the meantime Ron established an overhead structure that far exceeded the gross income. I began to hold out for an organizational structure that could exist within its income with the idea of expanding the structure as our income increased. This idea did not satisfy Ron and friction between us ensued.
Law suits were filed in the district court against whichattempted to build a defense. When the facts were all brought out, we did not have a defense.
In the final hearing in district court the judge ruled against us and placed us in State Receivership. Ron insisted that we appeal before the receiver was activated. This we did. I was required to put up an eleven thousand dollar bond for the appeal.. By this time I was pretty much aware of what I had let myself in for way back there at the beginning of the year; it was now August, 1951.
After our appeal was filed we held a complete reoranization. Jean Oliver Moore was given complete authority for a period of thirty days in which to effect this reorganization. At the end of that time we had established some pretty clear cut lines of action and responsibility. Among them were the lines of of responsibility concerning myself and Ron. I was to be completely responsible for the management of the business affairs of the Foundation and Ron was to be completely responsible for training, processing and research.
Things went along fine for awhile then Ron began to encroach in my territory. Being the major stockholder of the cor-
(continued on page 3)
poration he could legally do this. The more he did this the “ornerier” I got. We both went down to in tone, fighting like a couple of uncivilised tom cats.
By that time not only did we have legal and internal troubles to plague us but the Inetrnational Dianetic Auditors Associaton began to come apart at the seams also.
During this time I was negotiating with attorneys trying to effect a settlement of the State Receivership. I purchased all of the accounts involved in the deal and heaved a sigh of relief.The mess was cleaned up. We dropped our appeal to the Supreme Court.
I didn’t suppose that there could possibly be anything else that could be dug up from the Foundations past but there was. As soon as the appeal was dropped I was informed by the attorneys that another big stack of creditors had just come to light, and would I please pay them off or we would have to go back into state receivership. I suggested bankruptcy and Ron hit the ceiling.
By this time I was pretty much aware of the fact that Ron had deliberately suppressed information I should have if I were to succeed in putting the affairs of the Foundation in order. In my opinion the only way left to get all the facts out in the open and dispose of them was to proceed in bankruptcy. Because any other course woulkd have ended in complete obliteration of the Foundation, Rons attitude clearly indicated that he was motivated toward the destruction of the foundation.
That night Ron called a meeting of the Board of Directors.
At this meeting he suggested that he be allowed to turn in all his stock to the Foundation and resign. In this way he could preserve Dianetics regardless of what happened to the Foundation. “I’ll take Dianetics out under the label of Scientology” said he, “:while you stay here and let them blunt their arrows on this old hulk.” He further suggested and agreement between us concerning the future relationship of myself with him and of the Foundation with Hubbard College. The relationship was to be one of cooperation and agreement. Somehow he must have figured that when he abandoned the ship it would be just a rudderless hulk and that it would only be necessary for him to give it another shove and it would go under for keeps. Somewhere back along the line I had decided to keep things going at least until the name Dianetics was cleaned up again.
During this period and subsequently I have been functioning in terms of this decision.
After Ron signed his stock back to the treasury we held a new Board meeting and voted to go back into Bankruptcy immediately.
We worked without sleep until we had the petition ready to file.
At that, we only beat the reactivation of the state receivership by a couple of hours. During this time we were preparing the petition we also wrote Ron a special delivery letter telling him of our action.
With this filing of the bankruptcy Ron began to show his real intent regarding me, the Foundation and Dianetics. The same day that the action was filed, february 22, 1952, I received a telegram from Ron which read as follows:
You are advised that a $500,000 breach of faith and contract is being filed against you pursuant to failure to discharge creditor obligations and that another suit for bad management for a similar amount is also being filed. I am sorry to be pressed to this extremity. Sorrowfully—L. Ron Hubbard
A million dollar lawsuit, regardless of how ridiculous its grounds might be, is no stroll through the park. I fought back at the Same level.
To fully understand what happened during this time one must understand during this time one must understand the motives involved. Rons motive has always clearly been to limit Dianetics to the Authority of his teachings. Anyone who had the affrontry to suggest that otherts besides Ron could contribute creatively to the work must be inhibited.
One of the most powerful methods of control known is control by limitation.
My motive then and now is to remove all limitations within the field of Dianetics. One of the most important concepts of Dianetics is the uninhibited function of the individual through his own self determinism component. In terms of this concept any effort to inhibit or control this self –determinism of others is not a part of Dianetics.
When it became apparent to Ron that legal actions, threats of legal actions and other wild efforts to destroy were not proving effective, he left Wichita and went to Phoenix. It was then that we were able to set about the job of restoring order and reason to the Dianetic world. We felt, perhaps wrongly so that it was our responsibility to do this. I had decided to make the name of Dianetics legally clean and I reaffirmed my decision at this time. I also decided to have a try at making the Foundation a financial success, a task that I viwed with considerable trepedation.
We spent a year in federal court hearings, litigation between Ron and myself, and a sincere effort to restore a sound organizational structure to the Dianetic movement. We created the Dianetic Research Foundation, Inc. for the purpose of preserving the ideal of Dianetics no matter what might happen to us at the Dianetic Foundation, Inc.
Many fine people came to our aid. With their help we did some good work. We made Analytical Procedure available to the Dianetic community. We restored an air of sanity to to that part of the dianetic world that we has assumed responsibility for.. We have created a sound approach to the development of qualified Dianetic Auditors and the development of an affiliate organization.
But we have failed financially. I have not received sufficient processing to keep me at the proper tone level required to cope with the complexity of problems that have confronted me, and at the same time to maintain my own personal survival. My tone has had a profound effect on the rest of the staff.
But we have been discharged from bankruptcy. The name of Dianetics is once against clean. My responsibility has been discharged. Now, actions must be taken to preserve Dianetics. What these actionsare to be I do not know. Much will depend on you.
At the present time the Foundation occupies a large three story building in downtown Wichita. We conduct a professional school and professional processing.. We publish the newspaper DIANETICS TODAY. We publish books and pamphlets. We maintain communication activities such as the HI-ARC net. We maintain communication among the Board of Governors of the Dianetic Research Foundation and we provide the editorial and mechanical requirements of publishing the Bulletin. We sponsor a group program built around Operation Bootstrap. We engage in many activities designed to create ARC with the general public. And not a single one of these activities is self-supporting.
The Dianetic Auditor Examination and Affiliate Program, if it is successful, will make possible the maintenance of all these activities on a self-supporting basis. It will make possible the establishment of qualified Professional Educational Centers in various sections of the country. It will make available qualified professional auditing in all sections of the country. It will make possible the organization of Dianetics on a sound scientific basis. It will make possible the legal and popular acceptance of Dianetics.
I want to do everything I can to make the Dianetic Auditor Program and everything it makes possible a reality. I believe in Dianetics and what it can do.
To accomplish this I propose several actions. The first ones deal with the Foundation of Wichita. We are going to move from our present quarters to smaller, less expensive quarters sometime in February. We are going to cease activities in professional education and professional processing as soon afetr the move as possible. We are going to reduce our staff and fixed expense to an absolute minimum. We will carry on with the other activities to the fullest extent that we are able.We will sponsor the establishment of professional schools in the east and in the west. We will do everything to make these schools a reality as soon as possible. We will continue to sponsor
Continued page 4)
The other features of the Dianetic Auditor Affiliate Program also. We will try to serve as a rallying point for a solid core of Professional Dianetics
We will also continue our efforts to make Dianetics a scientific study. At the present time we are engaged in three projects designed to produce scientific data. One is a Dianometry testing project, two is an accident-prone processing project and three is the Records Research Program. These projects have been set up in an accepbly scientific manner. We will continue to design and promote projects with a similar goal.
I am going to get down to business on my own personal progress.
Thus I have stated my case. It is an act that has needed doing for a long time. I sincerely hope that you like the Dianetic Auditor Examination and Affiliate Program and that you will cooperate to make it a success. Its success or failure will have a profound effect on th efuture of the Foundation and the future of Dianetics itself.
Don Purcell.-
______________________________________________________________________________________
By ART COULTER
THE PURPOSE of this article is to tell the true story of Don Purcell and his valiant effort to place Dianetics on an ethical . responsible basis. Much of the story is known to "old-timers", but the full story is known to few - and since his death, Don has been subjected to a resumption of the un- fair and unkind attacks that characterized the period 1952-1954. Don and I became very close friends during this period, and he confided to me many things that were never made public, so I was acutely aware of the unjust treatment he received.
Nowadays, Scientologists are full of talk about "overts", "withholds", and "confrontations". Their words and actions would be more credible if it were not for the many overts and withholds that were committed against Don Purcell - and which have recently been resumed. In the face of so monstrous an injustice, they stand convicted of rank hypocrisy.
Don's outstanding trait, to me, was his sincerity. He was deeply devoted to the betterment of man, and Dianetics was to him a cause to which he gave freely and without stint. His motivation in working for Dianetics was deeply idealistic and altruistic. When he first went into Dianetics he was a moderately wealthy man; to it he gave most of that wealth in an effort to keep Dianetics going. When these efforts met only vituperation and abuse, and he realized that unity could not otherwise be achieved, he gave the Dianetic Foundation back to its founder, with no strings attached.
But let us telI the story from the beginning.
Ron Hubbard "hopelessly insane" , United Press headline April 24,1951
The Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation, after an auspicious start, ran into serious trouble in late 1950 and 1951. Perhaps owing to over- enthusiasm, the Foundation found itself deeply in debt - I believe in excess of $100,000. These were business obligations - bills due for goods and services rendered- not a di-abolical plot by criminals and Communists-. Then, on April 24,1951, the United Press broke the story of Sara Hubbard's divorce action, in which she charged that "competent medical advisers" had found her husband "hopelessly insane", and in need of psychiatric observation. These charges were not true, but the bad publicity was a damaging blow to the Dianetic cause - nor was it helped by the fact that previously there had been a rumor to the effect that Sara was a "clear".
Added to this was a considerable amount of internal dissension, culminating in the withdrawal of five of the seven original members of the Board of Directors. These included John W. Campbell Jr., and Dr. J. A. Winter, whose enthusiastic endorsements had played a major role in the great interest Dianetics attracted.
DON PURCELL LETTER TO FRIENDS- May 21, 1952
Don Purcell was at his best when the going was tough; and he proved it on this occasion. In a letter sent to friends dated May 21, 1952 , be tells of it in his own words:
"We have received a great many letters lately requesting us to answer the accusations that have been made by L.Ron Hubbard and James [Jim] Elliott against myself and the rest of the Foundation personnel. This letter is an answer to these accusations..
"In July of 1950, i took the professional course in Elizabeth, N. J. By the time I had finished the course, I knew that Dianetics offered a greater understanding of mind than any other field of investigation in existence. Mind had been a subject of prime interest and study to me for about 20 years.
"While at Elizabeth, I determined to do all I could to assist the advance of Dianetics. This was a strong postulate. Just before I left Elizabeth I asked Ron how I could best serve Dianetics.... He told me to go home to Kansas for the time being and develop as much local interest as possible....
Don offers assistance to Debt ridden Elizabeth Foundation
"When things got rough within the Foundation late in 1950, we offered assistance. Our offer was accepted and the Foundation moved to Wichita (in the Spring of 1951.--A.C.).
Ron in bad shape flees to Cuba from Psychiatrists
"Ron was in Havana, Cuba, at the time. He was in bad physical condition and quite sure that he didn't have a friend in the world except me. He had left Los Angeles and gone to Havana because he had been told that psychiatrists had been hired who would examine him and adjudge him insane and have him committed to an institution.
Don Purcell to aid of Hubbard April 14 1951
"I finally convinced Ron that I could protect him as a guest in our home until June. He arrived here on April 14. We gave Ron good present-time and helped restore his confidence in people. Ron, Margaret (Mrs. Purcell), and I would sit up until 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, discussing Dianetics. When Ron's mind is working on this subject, he has no equal.
"As Ron's self-confidence returned, he began to develop more and more ambitious schemes to rapidly advance. Dianetics. In fact, he wanted to advance it more rapidly than the society would accept it. I was chided when I tried to inject conservatism in these plans.
Don Purcell suggests bankruptcy, Ron refuses
"The old creditors -from New Jersey were hounding us with lawsuits.... I suggested we put the old Foundation in bankruptcy so we would have an opportunity to rebuild without the pressure of litigation. Ron would not agree to such strategy. He preferred to have me pay these creditors off as the occasion arose. "Finally I arrived at the conclusion that we just had to adjust our spending to our income. My available cash surplus was about gone. After informing Ron of this fact, things were not the same between us. He apparently did not believe there was an end to my cash and that I was just plowing his schemes under by refusing to finance them.
Hubbard broke initiates his Allied Scientists of the World scheme
"Ron decided acute measures were called for to raise cash and initiated his Allied Scientists of the World scheme. It was a money raising scheme launched independently by Ron from Denver, Colo. Ron solicited funds thru the mails from many scientists, including scientists working on secret Government projects. The Department of Justice became very much interested in his activities and took a dim view of the whole thing. Ardent work on the part of the Foundation staff and particularly on the part of Jean Moore finally got the mess straightened out.
"Our creditors were still pressing hard and finally threatened a liquidating receivership for the Foundation. To escape this litigation, Ron quit the Foundation. He released all his interest in the Foundation, implied and contractual, gave all his stock back to the Foundation. and resigned. Ron did this to set up a screen between himself and the creditors. From his subsequent actions, it seems that his reasons were more deeply seated than he would have us believe.
Don Purcell advises file for bankruptcy, Ron sues Don for a million dollars
"We prepared to file in bankruptcy and Jean Moore sent Ron immediate notice of the fact ... I received a telegram from Ron informing me that he was suing me for one million dollars…
...
Ron Hubbard declares American Medical Association conspiracy against Dianetics for Foundation failure.
“l am not trying to destroy Dianetics or Ron Hubbard. I am not prepared to spend $500,000 for this purpose. All my liquid assets have already been spent during the past year trying to build the Foundation, in spite of Ron Hubbard's talent for spending money on wild schemes. I paid the court approximately $6,000 for the Foundation
and all its assets, copyrights, etc., in order to protect the investment of cash and work that had been previously put into these things. I did not receive $500,000 from the American Medical Association to put the Foundation into bankruptcy as Ron claims I did. None of the other accusations made by Ron or Jim [James] Elliott are true.
Ron Hubbard recants accusations of conspiracy
Ron told me in a recent telephone conversation he made these accusations only for the purpose of enlisting public opinion on his side ......
For the next two years, Don worked long and hard on behalf of the Foundation, supporting its activities at a loss, doing everything he could to build it up into a reputable and socially acceptable institution. On advice of his lawyers, he filed countersuit against Mr. Hubbard;(against million $ claim) but this was purely defensive and he several times assured me he would gladly have dropped his suit had Mr.Hubbard done the same.
Again and again he tried to persuade Mr. Hubbard to rejoin the Foundation.
One can question Don's judgment in this matter, and I, for one, did. on several occasions I suggested that he try to terminate the struggle and let Mr. Hubbard have the Foundation back again. But Don believed. in Dianetics , and he continued to hope that some day he could induce Mr. Hubbard to return.
Foundation given back Don Purcell $100,000 poorer Aug 54
As time went on, it became increasingly clear that this was not going to happen. Finally, in August. 1954, Don gave the Foundation and all its assets back to Mr. Hubbard after having spent over $100,000 on its behalf .
Don Dies of Cancer June 1959
Don died of cancer in June, 1959.
Hubbard smears Don Purcell Dec, 1959
In Hubbard‘s REALITY (December, 1959), there appeared a statement,
alleging: "A millionaire in the U.S. once tried to seize all of Dianetics, but the effort failed. And, sad to tell, the millionaire died the other day."
The students in Scientology aren't the only ones with " overts "
that should be " run out ".
http://www.aberree.com/v08/n07p10.html
http://www.aberree.com/v08/n07p12.html
The Aberree Volume 8, Issue 7 November 1961 page 12
EDIT- To read a more complete communications from Don Purcell
The full text version for quoting is below the newsletter
The below Docs are sourced from Lermanet
Here
DIANETICS TODAY March 53 Newsletter Page 7
Sep 1953 Pg 10 & 11
Jan 1954 Pages 1-4
July 54 Page 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
DIANETICS TODAY
January , 1954 The Dianetic Foundation, Inc 211 West Douglas ave, Wichita, Kansas Vol III, No.1
FOUNDATION STORY
I hope this is as good a communication as I want it to be. It is concerned with the affairs of the Dianetic Foundation and some decisions that may have a far reaching effect on Diabetics.
It is concerned with its success and a failure.
When The Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation of Elizabeth, new Jersey, found itself on the financial rocks late in 1950 I decided to lend a hand. I tried to get an accurate picture of what would be required to put Dianetics back on an even keel financially. Based on the data I obtained at the time I decided that I probably could manage it without difficulty. My intention at that time was merely to lend a financial hand. I did not want to assume any responsibility for management or direction.
Several alterante locations were being considered for the new location of the foundation. I submitted data relative to to Wichita simply because I felt that Wichita would make a good, healthy location for such an organization. I did not stipulate that the foundation must move to Wichita in order to receive my financial aid. I stated that I would render such aid regardless of the final location selected.
History will bear me out when I say that I did not have accurate data concerning the amount of aid the foundation would require to get back on an even keel. I will say now in complete honesty that had I been possessed of accurate and total data regarding the Foundation I would not have offered my assistance in the way I did.
I provided time and money to prepare adequate quarters for the Foundation in Wichita. I agreed with Jack Maloney and L. Ron Hubbard that I would remain in the background and function only in an advisory capacity regarding business affairs.
The Foundation arrived in Wichita on April 13, 1951, and took up its quarters at 211 W. Douglas Ave. With each passing day new and more accurate data came to the surface. Legal commitments of which I was not informed came to light. Money was needed in California to keep Foundation personnel out of trouble. Irate creditors from New Jersey began to aim their arrows at me.
Ron was still in Havana, Cuba, finishing Science of Survival. With him was Richard deMille. One day earlier in May I received a long distance call from deMille telling me that Ron was dying and urging me to “do something”. I did. I chartered a private airplane, hired a registered nurse, and sent them to Havana for Ron. They returned to Wichita on May 15, 1951. He spent the first few days in a local hotel with me and then moved to my home. He was given good “present time” environment and auditing from then until the time of the first June Conference.
After the conference Ron moved from my house and took over active control of the Foundation. Large plans for the future of the Foundation were made. I began to see the possibilities and became quite enthusiastic. I began to take more and more of an active part in the affairs of the Foundation although I maintained my office in another part of the downtown district.
With the pasage of time more and more legal complications, some belonging to the Foundation and some belonging to Ron personally, began to pile up. I became more and more the target
(continued on page 2)
FOUNDATION STORY
(continued from page 1)
of the sharpshooting attorneys representing creditors from Elizabeth, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and points west.
I resisted the onslaught of these legal attacks but such did not satisfy Ron. He kept telling me that I had agreed to pay off all the bad debts and underwrite a new start for the Foundation and why didn’t I just go ahead and do it?
In the meantime Ron established an overhead structure that far exceeded the gross income. I began to hold out for an organizational structure that could exist within its income with the idea of expanding the structure as our income increased. This idea did not satisfy Ron and friction between us ensued.
Law suits were filed in the district court against whichattempted to build a defense. When the facts were all brought out, we did not have a defense.
In the final hearing in district court the judge ruled against us and placed us in State Receivership. Ron insisted that we appeal before the receiver was activated. This we did. I was required to put up an eleven thousand dollar bond for the appeal.. By this time I was pretty much aware of what I had let myself in for way back there at the beginning of the year; it was now August, 1951.
After our appeal was filed we held a complete reoranization. Jean Oliver Moore was given complete authority for a period of thirty days in which to effect this reorganization. At the end of that time we had established some pretty clear cut lines of action and responsibility. Among them were the lines of of responsibility concerning myself and Ron. I was to be completely responsible for the management of the business affairs of the Foundation and Ron was to be completely responsible for training, processing and research.
Things went along fine for awhile then Ron began to encroach in my territory. Being the major stockholder of the cor-
(continued on page 3)
poration he could legally do this. The more he did this the “ornerier” I got. We both went down to in tone, fighting like a couple of uncivilised tom cats.
By that time not only did we have legal and internal troubles to plague us but the Inetrnational Dianetic Auditors Associaton began to come apart at the seams also.
During this time I was negotiating with attorneys trying to effect a settlement of the State Receivership. I purchased all of the accounts involved in the deal and heaved a sigh of relief.The mess was cleaned up. We dropped our appeal to the Supreme Court.
I didn’t suppose that there could possibly be anything else that could be dug up from the Foundations past but there was. As soon as the appeal was dropped I was informed by the attorneys that another big stack of creditors had just come to light, and would I please pay them off or we would have to go back into state receivership. I suggested bankruptcy and Ron hit the ceiling.
By this time I was pretty much aware of the fact that Ron had deliberately suppressed information I should have if I were to succeed in putting the affairs of the Foundation in order. In my opinion the only way left to get all the facts out in the open and dispose of them was to proceed in bankruptcy. Because any other course woulkd have ended in complete obliteration of the Foundation, Rons attitude clearly indicated that he was motivated toward the destruction of the foundation.
That night Ron called a meeting of the Board of Directors.
At this meeting he suggested that he be allowed to turn in all his stock to the Foundation and resign. In this way he could preserve Dianetics regardless of what happened to the Foundation. “I’ll take Dianetics out under the label of Scientology” said he, “:while you stay here and let them blunt their arrows on this old hulk.” He further suggested and agreement between us concerning the future relationship of myself with him and of the Foundation with Hubbard College. The relationship was to be one of cooperation and agreement. Somehow he must have figured that when he abandoned the ship it would be just a rudderless hulk and that it would only be necessary for him to give it another shove and it would go under for keeps. Somewhere back along the line I had decided to keep things going at least until the name Dianetics was cleaned up again.
During this period and subsequently I have been functioning in terms of this decision.
After Ron signed his stock back to the treasury we held a new Board meeting and voted to go back into Bankruptcy immediately.
We worked without sleep until we had the petition ready to file.
At that, we only beat the reactivation of the state receivership by a couple of hours. During this time we were preparing the petition we also wrote Ron a special delivery letter telling him of our action.
With this filing of the bankruptcy Ron began to show his real intent regarding me, the Foundation and Dianetics. The same day that the action was filed, february 22, 1952, I received a telegram from Ron which read as follows:
You are advised that a $500,000 breach of faith and contract is being filed against you pursuant to failure to discharge creditor obligations and that another suit for bad management for a similar amount is also being filed. I am sorry to be pressed to this extremity. Sorrowfully—L. Ron Hubbard
A million dollar lawsuit, regardless of how ridiculous its grounds might be, is no stroll through the park. I fought back at the Same level.
To fully understand what happened during this time one must understand during this time one must understand the motives involved. Rons motive has always clearly been to limit Dianetics to the Authority of his teachings. Anyone who had the affrontry to suggest that otherts besides Ron could contribute creatively to the work must be inhibited.
One of the most powerful methods of control known is control by limitation.
My motive then and now is to remove all limitations within the field of Dianetics. One of the most important concepts of Dianetics is the uninhibited function of the individual through his own self determinism component. In terms of this concept any effort to inhibit or control this self –determinism of others is not a part of Dianetics.
When it became apparent to Ron that legal actions, threats of legal actions and other wild efforts to destroy were not proving effective, he left Wichita and went to Phoenix. It was then that we were able to set about the job of restoring order and reason to the Dianetic world. We felt, perhaps wrongly so that it was our responsibility to do this. I had decided to make the name of Dianetics legally clean and I reaffirmed my decision at this time. I also decided to have a try at making the Foundation a financial success, a task that I viwed with considerable trepedation.
We spent a year in federal court hearings, litigation between Ron and myself, and a sincere effort to restore a sound organizational structure to the Dianetic movement. We created the Dianetic Research Foundation, Inc. for the purpose of preserving the ideal of Dianetics no matter what might happen to us at the Dianetic Foundation, Inc.
Many fine people came to our aid. With their help we did some good work. We made Analytical Procedure available to the Dianetic community. We restored an air of sanity to to that part of the dianetic world that we has assumed responsibility for.. We have created a sound approach to the development of qualified Dianetic Auditors and the development of an affiliate organization.
But we have failed financially. I have not received sufficient processing to keep me at the proper tone level required to cope with the complexity of problems that have confronted me, and at the same time to maintain my own personal survival. My tone has had a profound effect on the rest of the staff.
But we have been discharged from bankruptcy. The name of Dianetics is once against clean. My responsibility has been discharged. Now, actions must be taken to preserve Dianetics. What these actionsare to be I do not know. Much will depend on you.
At the present time the Foundation occupies a large three story building in downtown Wichita. We conduct a professional school and professional processing.. We publish the newspaper DIANETICS TODAY. We publish books and pamphlets. We maintain communication activities such as the HI-ARC net. We maintain communication among the Board of Governors of the Dianetic Research Foundation and we provide the editorial and mechanical requirements of publishing the Bulletin. We sponsor a group program built around Operation Bootstrap. We engage in many activities designed to create ARC with the general public. And not a single one of these activities is self-supporting.
The Dianetic Auditor Examination and Affiliate Program, if it is successful, will make possible the maintenance of all these activities on a self-supporting basis. It will make possible the establishment of qualified Professional Educational Centers in various sections of the country. It will make available qualified professional auditing in all sections of the country. It will make possible the organization of Dianetics on a sound scientific basis. It will make possible the legal and popular acceptance of Dianetics.
I want to do everything I can to make the Dianetic Auditor Program and everything it makes possible a reality. I believe in Dianetics and what it can do.
To accomplish this I propose several actions. The first ones deal with the Foundation of Wichita. We are going to move from our present quarters to smaller, less expensive quarters sometime in February. We are going to cease activities in professional education and professional processing as soon afetr the move as possible. We are going to reduce our staff and fixed expense to an absolute minimum. We will carry on with the other activities to the fullest extent that we are able.We will sponsor the establishment of professional schools in the east and in the west. We will do everything to make these schools a reality as soon as possible. We will continue to sponsor
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The other features of the Dianetic Auditor Affiliate Program also. We will try to serve as a rallying point for a solid core of Professional Dianetics
We will also continue our efforts to make Dianetics a scientific study. At the present time we are engaged in three projects designed to produce scientific data. One is a Dianometry testing project, two is an accident-prone processing project and three is the Records Research Program. These projects have been set up in an accepbly scientific manner. We will continue to design and promote projects with a similar goal.
I am going to get down to business on my own personal progress.
Thus I have stated my case. It is an act that has needed doing for a long time. I sincerely hope that you like the Dianetic Auditor Examination and Affiliate Program and that you will cooperate to make it a success. Its success or failure will have a profound effect on th efuture of the Foundation and the future of Dianetics itself.
Don Purcell.-
______________________________________________________________________________________
By ART COULTER
THE PURPOSE of this article is to tell the true story of Don Purcell and his valiant effort to place Dianetics on an ethical . responsible basis. Much of the story is known to "old-timers", but the full story is known to few - and since his death, Don has been subjected to a resumption of the un- fair and unkind attacks that characterized the period 1952-1954. Don and I became very close friends during this period, and he confided to me many things that were never made public, so I was acutely aware of the unjust treatment he received.
Nowadays, Scientologists are full of talk about "overts", "withholds", and "confrontations". Their words and actions would be more credible if it were not for the many overts and withholds that were committed against Don Purcell - and which have recently been resumed. In the face of so monstrous an injustice, they stand convicted of rank hypocrisy.
Don's outstanding trait, to me, was his sincerity. He was deeply devoted to the betterment of man, and Dianetics was to him a cause to which he gave freely and without stint. His motivation in working for Dianetics was deeply idealistic and altruistic. When he first went into Dianetics he was a moderately wealthy man; to it he gave most of that wealth in an effort to keep Dianetics going. When these efforts met only vituperation and abuse, and he realized that unity could not otherwise be achieved, he gave the Dianetic Foundation back to its founder, with no strings attached.
But let us telI the story from the beginning.
Ron Hubbard "hopelessly insane" , United Press headline April 24,1951
The Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation, after an auspicious start, ran into serious trouble in late 1950 and 1951. Perhaps owing to over- enthusiasm, the Foundation found itself deeply in debt - I believe in excess of $100,000. These were business obligations - bills due for goods and services rendered- not a di-abolical plot by criminals and Communists-. Then, on April 24,1951, the United Press broke the story of Sara Hubbard's divorce action, in which she charged that "competent medical advisers" had found her husband "hopelessly insane", and in need of psychiatric observation. These charges were not true, but the bad publicity was a damaging blow to the Dianetic cause - nor was it helped by the fact that previously there had been a rumor to the effect that Sara was a "clear".
Added to this was a considerable amount of internal dissension, culminating in the withdrawal of five of the seven original members of the Board of Directors. These included John W. Campbell Jr., and Dr. J. A. Winter, whose enthusiastic endorsements had played a major role in the great interest Dianetics attracted.
DON PURCELL LETTER TO FRIENDS- May 21, 1952
Don Purcell was at his best when the going was tough; and he proved it on this occasion. In a letter sent to friends dated May 21, 1952 , be tells of it in his own words:
"We have received a great many letters lately requesting us to answer the accusations that have been made by L.Ron Hubbard and James [Jim] Elliott against myself and the rest of the Foundation personnel. This letter is an answer to these accusations..
"In July of 1950, i took the professional course in Elizabeth, N. J. By the time I had finished the course, I knew that Dianetics offered a greater understanding of mind than any other field of investigation in existence. Mind had been a subject of prime interest and study to me for about 20 years.
"While at Elizabeth, I determined to do all I could to assist the advance of Dianetics. This was a strong postulate. Just before I left Elizabeth I asked Ron how I could best serve Dianetics.... He told me to go home to Kansas for the time being and develop as much local interest as possible....
Don offers assistance to Debt ridden Elizabeth Foundation
"When things got rough within the Foundation late in 1950, we offered assistance. Our offer was accepted and the Foundation moved to Wichita (in the Spring of 1951.--A.C.).
Ron in bad shape flees to Cuba from Psychiatrists
"Ron was in Havana, Cuba, at the time. He was in bad physical condition and quite sure that he didn't have a friend in the world except me. He had left Los Angeles and gone to Havana because he had been told that psychiatrists had been hired who would examine him and adjudge him insane and have him committed to an institution.
Don Purcell to aid of Hubbard April 14 1951
"I finally convinced Ron that I could protect him as a guest in our home until June. He arrived here on April 14. We gave Ron good present-time and helped restore his confidence in people. Ron, Margaret (Mrs. Purcell), and I would sit up until 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, discussing Dianetics. When Ron's mind is working on this subject, he has no equal.
"As Ron's self-confidence returned, he began to develop more and more ambitious schemes to rapidly advance. Dianetics. In fact, he wanted to advance it more rapidly than the society would accept it. I was chided when I tried to inject conservatism in these plans.
Don Purcell suggests bankruptcy, Ron refuses
"The old creditors -from New Jersey were hounding us with lawsuits.... I suggested we put the old Foundation in bankruptcy so we would have an opportunity to rebuild without the pressure of litigation. Ron would not agree to such strategy. He preferred to have me pay these creditors off as the occasion arose. "Finally I arrived at the conclusion that we just had to adjust our spending to our income. My available cash surplus was about gone. After informing Ron of this fact, things were not the same between us. He apparently did not believe there was an end to my cash and that I was just plowing his schemes under by refusing to finance them.
Hubbard broke initiates his Allied Scientists of the World scheme
"Ron decided acute measures were called for to raise cash and initiated his Allied Scientists of the World scheme. It was a money raising scheme launched independently by Ron from Denver, Colo. Ron solicited funds thru the mails from many scientists, including scientists working on secret Government projects. The Department of Justice became very much interested in his activities and took a dim view of the whole thing. Ardent work on the part of the Foundation staff and particularly on the part of Jean Moore finally got the mess straightened out.
"Our creditors were still pressing hard and finally threatened a liquidating receivership for the Foundation. To escape this litigation, Ron quit the Foundation. He released all his interest in the Foundation, implied and contractual, gave all his stock back to the Foundation. and resigned. Ron did this to set up a screen between himself and the creditors. From his subsequent actions, it seems that his reasons were more deeply seated than he would have us believe.
Don Purcell advises file for bankruptcy, Ron sues Don for a million dollars
"We prepared to file in bankruptcy and Jean Moore sent Ron immediate notice of the fact ... I received a telegram from Ron informing me that he was suing me for one million dollars…
...
Ron Hubbard declares American Medical Association conspiracy against Dianetics for Foundation failure.
“l am not trying to destroy Dianetics or Ron Hubbard. I am not prepared to spend $500,000 for this purpose. All my liquid assets have already been spent during the past year trying to build the Foundation, in spite of Ron Hubbard's talent for spending money on wild schemes. I paid the court approximately $6,000 for the Foundation
and all its assets, copyrights, etc., in order to protect the investment of cash and work that had been previously put into these things. I did not receive $500,000 from the American Medical Association to put the Foundation into bankruptcy as Ron claims I did. None of the other accusations made by Ron or Jim [James] Elliott are true.
Ron Hubbard recants accusations of conspiracy
Ron told me in a recent telephone conversation he made these accusations only for the purpose of enlisting public opinion on his side ......
For the next two years, Don worked long and hard on behalf of the Foundation, supporting its activities at a loss, doing everything he could to build it up into a reputable and socially acceptable institution. On advice of his lawyers, he filed countersuit against Mr. Hubbard;(against million $ claim) but this was purely defensive and he several times assured me he would gladly have dropped his suit had Mr.Hubbard done the same.
Again and again he tried to persuade Mr. Hubbard to rejoin the Foundation.
One can question Don's judgment in this matter, and I, for one, did. on several occasions I suggested that he try to terminate the struggle and let Mr. Hubbard have the Foundation back again. But Don believed. in Dianetics , and he continued to hope that some day he could induce Mr. Hubbard to return.
Foundation given back Don Purcell $100,000 poorer Aug 54
As time went on, it became increasingly clear that this was not going to happen. Finally, in August. 1954, Don gave the Foundation and all its assets back to Mr. Hubbard after having spent over $100,000 on its behalf .
Don Dies of Cancer June 1959
Don died of cancer in June, 1959.
Hubbard smears Don Purcell Dec, 1959
In Hubbard‘s REALITY (December, 1959), there appeared a statement,
alleging: "A millionaire in the U.S. once tried to seize all of Dianetics, but the effort failed. And, sad to tell, the millionaire died the other day."
The students in Scientology aren't the only ones with " overts "
that should be " run out ".
http://www.aberree.com/v08/n07p10.html
http://www.aberree.com/v08/n07p12.html
The Aberree Volume 8, Issue 7 November 1961 page 12
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