Lucky Tries A Comeback
Salvatore Lucania arrived in Italy with plans already under way for a return to power at the head of the Commission. While awaiting the time for his return he became involved in the limitless opportunities in post-war Italy. The black-market was utilized as a means to make connections through out Italy ano search for possible connections between the American and Italian Families. His name alone opened many doors in Italy, where he was viewed as a Family Member that had made good in the New World. He took advantage of the connections that had been created through Genovese's work with the American army and intelligence units stationed in Italy. He began to make inroads into levels of government that could provide aid in setting up an organization patterned on what he created in America. However, overall he did not take a real serious interest in these operations. It was viewed mainly as something to help pass the time while he awaited his opportunity to move closer to his roots in America.
Soon a message arrived from Lansky with the simple words," December - Hotel Nacional Cuba." Lucky obtained passports for a number countries in Central and South America along with Cuba and a few other islands in Mexico area. By the Fall of 1946, Lucania disappeared from the scene in Italy. He turned up as a registered guest in the Hotel Nacional in Havana Cuba. The suite had been reserved by a part owner in the hotel, one Meyer Lansky. Luciano had taken a circuitous route to check out some other cities that might be developed in the future and also to make sure that he was not being tailed. Word was left by Lansky that all of the invited guests would begin to arrive on the 22nd of December. This would be the first full-scale meeting of American underworld leaders since the Chicago meeting in 1932. Plans were being made to make money available for Dewey's run for the Presidency in 1948 and make Lucky return to the United States possible in return for the role his funding would play in the election.
The meeting dealt with the following issues:
1. Settling differences between Families and making sure that jealousy was not permitted to weaken the organization's influence and power
2. Attempt to keep the organization out of dealing on a large scale with narcotics this proved to be a complete failure
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