Letter: L. Ron Hubbard to FBI (May 16, 1940)

243 Riverside Drive
New York City
May 16, 1940

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.

Gentlemen;

May I bring to your attention an individual whose Nazi activities, in time of national emergency if not at present, might constitute him a menace to the state?

The name is Walter Fast, a German whose sister is a member of the Gestapo in Germany. His anti-American discourses concern in the main what we would do in case we went to war with Germany, and he never speaks for publication along this line but only privately. As steward of the Knickerbocker Hotel he supports an almost entirely German staff, discourgaing [sic] the employment of Americans. He entered this country illegally, according to his private statement. In my opinion he is definitely “fifth column”. He can be found at the Knickerbocker Hotel, 120 W. 45th Street, NYC.

My interest in this is impersonal, though possibly shaded by the feeling of dislike which he always inspires in me for he is the last man in the world I would trust. And I fear that all too soon we will have need of every precaution to safeguard our country.

Sincerely,

[signed]
L. Ron Hubbard

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