Oh man, I knew I should've finished this book!! The epilogue says it all for moi.
IF the FBI hadn't been formed, I think eventually the local town, county and state law enforcement offices would've learned to work together. They would've come up with ways to communicate and cooperate in a way that allowed jurisdiction issues to be more fluid in the pursuit criminals across state lines. They could've come up with a coordinated plan to cover such contingencies and they ultimately would've been able to get the job done. The key, of course, was that everyone had to agree that the perceived threat to public safety was real and that the benefit of capturing said criminals was going to be advantageous to maintaining law and order throughout the region/country. In other words, they had to agree on The Big Picture.
IF the FBI had been formed by a person or persons who possessed a modicum of morality, foresight, brains and courage, it might have become an effective, useful agency for coordinating and supporting local law enforcement. Instead, under the watch dog mentality and vindictive, ego-driven craziness of J. Edgar Hoover, it became the heavy-handed, manipulative, uber-suspicious, myopic, lying, covert, small-minded, cover-up prone thing it is today. (just my opinion of course!)
IF the gangsters had been allowed to continue their 'crime spree' without the benefit of federal attention, I think they would've stopped it anyway. It was just not cost effective in the long run. It was actually the federal attention that kept them in the game, IMO. How could they cease and desist with all that dramatic press coverage and celebrity going on? Without it, I feel sure they all would've ended up either killing each other or retiring offshore.
Oh! What a great discussion you moll-mods have led! I can't believe it time to turn myself in and hand over my gangster alias already. I've thoroughly enjoyed the comments, insights and opinions voiced by all youse guys!
BB
