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holding sway over intelligence in this legislation. I do not believe that legislation or registration of guns could have prevented the events which led to the cry for gun control legislation, nor do I be- lieve that it will prevent criminal and lawless elements from obtaining guns. It may, however, if the NRA is destroyed or discredited, mean that fewer decent, patriotic, law-abiding young men will know how to handle a gun. I understand that the I'RA has recently filed as a lobbying or~ ganization, apparently as a result of the proposed FBI investigation and as a protection against prosecution. I question why the NRA was selected at this particular time for investigation from among the 900,000 organizations which enjoy tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Service regulations, and I question how many of these organiz= ations could stand investigation as being non~profit and non—lobbying. In ny opinion, the NRA is as much, and possibly more, concerned with education and the welfare of the country than many other so-called educational groups. In all feirness, it would be equitable to investigate all organizations enjoying tax~exempt status and to determine how many have refrained from attempting to influence legislation. If you will accept the premise that education concerns more than facts from a book, I believe that you will conclude after reading the enclosed clippings that the NRA, through Ed Fichter and the Verona Rirle Club, was truly involved in education, | Yours very truly, Copy to: National Rifle Association