The most important function of HCO in any organization is that which justifies its existence.

Being the purveyor of ethics, technology and awards, HCO must then first and foremost of all its duties, be the keeper of every seal, copyright, trademark, registered mark, master tape, master book copy, and master bulletin file in the organization.

HCO Secretaries should act at once to take unto themselves and keep locked secure and not available to anyone else, the seals of the organization in the area. HCO seals for certificate validation or sealing are HCO's by right. Organization seals are held by HCO for the "Secretarial of the Executive Director" of HASI. If HCO sees or hears of any new seals being made up for whatever purpose, the order is "seize and ask for instructions later".

None are permitted to use such seals or any seals except HCO.

All this applies now and later. And it will become more important as time goes on.

Seals, regulation of, permits only legal certificates, documents and minutes to be sealed.

Similarly, any book on Dianetics and Scientology must be copyrighted in the name of L. Ron Hubbard and the copyright becomes the property of HCO. No copyright of anything must ever be permitted to escape. In the case of its having been done (a book on the subject copyrighted in the name of someone or something else) HCO Secretary in the area must request an assignment of copyright to L. Ron Hubbard from its present owner and must be tireless and remorseless in getting the copyright, using any available means at whatever cost.

Similarly any trademark, registered mark, or patent for any sign, symbol, shield, device or design for Dianetics or Scientology or their organizations must be secured for HCO. All these are registered to L. Ron Hubbard and by blanket transfer are the property of HCO only. The name in which it is done is L. Ron Hubbard; the owner is then HCO.

In the case of a new symbol, design, shield, device, or name, HCO registers the mark first and argues afterwards. Don't worry ever about cost of this. They're priceless to HCO and other people like to tell HCO it's too much trouble or too expensive, leaving the matter susceptible to piracy.

Master Tapes, Master Book Copies, Master Bulletin Files are all the property of HCO. Seize, hold, reissue only when you are sure you have your master copy and that the inferior copies can be issued without hurting your file.

HCO Secretaries have in this their first order of action, their first and continuingly most important duty. The items mentioned here are even ahead of pay cheque since they are the source of pay cheques for all.

Register anything, copyright anything, seize anything like this in the country of the HCO area, entirely independent of any other or the main HCO office.

Only when you have all these do you have an HCO.

Don't let one seal, one copyright, one design, one device, or even the names Dianetics and Scientology escape you on this. All the money you need to hire experts, lawyers, artists and pay fees is yours for the asking from the main office of HCO. Just ask.

What is the first duty of a new HCO Secretary? Seals, copyrights, marks, tapes, bulletins and books.

What is her chief continuing duty? Seals, copyrights, marks, tapes, bulletins and books, keeping them registered, registering any new ones, and using those we have.

What is her substance of office? Seals, copyrights, marks, tapes, bulletins and books.

What is her authority for being in office? My orders, the seals, copyrights, marks, tapes, bulletins and books.

She does not copy tapes from tapes or sell books or bulletins. She is the source of the copy people use to copy or print and use and sell. She is source in her area.

Given no part of this we have no HCO, no Dianetics, no Scientology, no clear Earth. All is confusion everywhere. Given it we have indeed brought order.

Concentrate on doing this. All else that we do then falls into line. Bring order first to our substance — seals, ethics, technology and awards. If we don't own it we can't tell anyone anything. And we do own it. Only we have to collect it.

Our possessions must not be permitted to lie in the rain.