Крестный отец

           Thiswasduetoracialprejudiceandracialdistrustmorethananythingelse.ButHarlemhadalwaysbeenconsideredaminorproblem,anditssettlementwasexpected.

           TheFiveFamiliesstruckinanunexpecteddirection.Twopowerfulofficialsinthegarmentunionswerekilled,officialswhoweremembersoftheCorleoneFamily.ThentheCorleoneFamilyshylockswerebarredfromthewaterfrontpiersasweretheCorleoneFamilybookmakers.Thelongshoremen’sunionlocalshadgoneovertotheFiveFamilies.Corleonebookmakersalloverthecitywerethreatenedtopersuadethemtochangetheirallegiance.ThebiggestnumbersbankerinHarlem,anoldfriendandallyoftheCorleoneFamily,wasbrutallymurdered.Therewasnolongeranyoption.Sonnytoldhiscaporegimestogotothemattresses.

           Twoapartmentsweresetupinthecityandfurnishedwithmattressesforthebuttonmentosleepon,arefrigeratorforfood,andgunsandammunition.ClemenzastaffedoneapartmentandTessiotheother.AllFamilybookmakersweregivenbodyguardteams.ThepolicybankersinHarlem,however,hadgoneovertotheenemyandatthemomentnothingcouldbedoneaboutthat.AllthiscosttheCorleoneFamilyagreatdealofmoneyandverylittlewascomingin.Asthenextfewmonthswentby,otherthingsbecameobvious.ThemostimportantwasthattheCorleoneFamilyhadovermatcheditself.

           Therewerereasonsforthis.WiththeDonstilltooweaktotakeapart,agreatdealoftheFamily’spoliticalstrengthwasneutralized