The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
245
would dare anything to dabble in it. That was human nature. 
It was finally agreed. Drug traffic would be permitted and Don Corleone must give it 
some legal protection in the East. It was understood that the Barzini and Tattaglia 
Families would do most of the large-scale operations. With this out of the way the 
conference was able to move on to other matters of a wider interest. There were many 
complex problems to be solved. It was agreed that Las Vegas and Miami were to be 
open cities where any of the Families could operate. They all recognized that these 
were the cities of the future. It was also agreed that no violence would be permitted in 
these cities and that petty criminals of all types were to be discouraged. It was agreed 
that in momentous affairs, in executions that were necessary but might cause too much 
of a public outcry, the execution must be approved by this council. It was agreed that 
button men and other soldiers were to be restrained from violent crimes and acts of 
vengeance against each other on personal matters. It was agreed that Families would 
do each other services when requested, such as providing executioners, technical 
assistance in pursuing certain courses of action such as bribing jurors, which in some 
instances could be vital. These discussions, informal, colloquial and on a high level, took 
time and were broken by lunch and drinks from the buffet bar. 
Finally Don Barzini sought to bring the meeting to an end. “That’s the whole matter 
then,” he said. “We have the peace and let me pay my respects to Don Corleone, whom 
we all have known over the years as a man of his word. If there are any more 
differences we can meet again, we need not become foolish again. On my part the road 
is new and fresh. I’m glad this is all settled.” 
Only Phillip Tattaglia was a little worried still. The murder of Santino Corleone made him 
the most vulnerable person in this group if war broke out again. He spoke at length for 
the first time. 
“I’ve agreed to everything here, I’m willing to forget my own misfortune. But I would like 
to hear some strict assurances from Corleone. Will he attempt any individual 
vengeance? When time goes by and his position perhaps becomes stronger, will he 
forget that we have sworn our friendship? How am I to know that in three or four years 
he won’t feel that he’s been ill served, forced against his will to this agreement and so 
free to break it? Will we have to guard against each other all the time? Or can we truly 
go in peace with peace of mind? Would Corleone give us all his assurances as I now 
give mine?” 

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