9.31. The substance of the Code of Reform was published in Freedom. Several thousand
copies of this edition were distributed in the Republic of South Africa according to information
furnished to the Commission by the Church of Scientology in a letter dated 7th September, 1971.
In addition a copy of a Policy Letter dated 26th August, 1968, issued by Mr. Hubbard entitled
Security Checks Abolished and forming part of the Reform Code was widely published inter alia
in The Auditor No. 42 World Wide, Understanding Magazine and in issue No. 1 of the South African
Broadsheet. The terms of the Policy Letter of the 26th August, 1968, are as follows:
"The practice of security checking from security check lists like the
'Joburg' has been abolished.
There are several reasons for this:
(1) We have no interest in the secrets and crimes of people and no
use for them.
(2) Security checking is often done without regard to the point where
the person feels better and so became overrun.
(3) Security checking is often done in disregard of the state of a
persons case.
(4) Low level cases do not react on actual crimes and so the 'security'
furnished is often a false security.
(5) There is public criticism of security checking as a practice.
(6) The existence of lists of crimes in folders often makes it necessary
to destroy the folders which may contain other technical data which is
constructive and valuable.
(7) If a person is a criminal or has overt acts which affect his case,
and speaks of them to an auditor of his own volition, the auditor is
bound by the Auditor's Code not to publish use or reveal them.
Nothing in this policy letter alters standard grade processing or
rudements."1
9.32. The Commission has drawn attention to the fact that the Code of Reform followed
in the wake of the two set-backs suffered by Scientology and referred to in paragraph 9.29 above.
The Commission does not and cannot suggest that this policy change is not genuine and sincere but
feels itself constrained to point out that the issue of the Broadsheet which carried portion of
the Code of Reform also somewhat incongruously contained the defamatory article of and concerning
Dr. Fisher. The promulgation of the Code of Reform notwithstanding, the Commission finds the
policies of disconnection, public investigation, security checking and the implementation of the
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1Hubbard L. Ron: Security Checks Abolished. HCO Policy Letter of 26 August 1968. Hubbard
Communications Office, East Grinstead, Sussex, England.
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