Review of Al Capone and the 1933 World’s Fair: The End of the Gangster Era in Chicago," by William Elliott Hazelgrove

Review of

Al Capone and the 1933 World’s Fair: The End of the Gangster Era in Chicago, by William Elliott Hazelgrove ISBN 9781442272262

Five out of five stars

 There are two major historical truths that emerge when reading this book, and they are based on two connected but significantly distinct threads. The first thread is about the 1933 World’s Fair that was held in Chicago, a city that was rendered bankrupt by the Great Depression. The lesson here is that when times are bad, the solution is to think big and be imaginative. Large problems require even larger solutions.

 Most observers considered the plan to have the fair in Chicago in 1933 when there was little investment money available to be a folly. Yet, it was an incredible success, both in the lifting of spirits as well as financial. It proved to be so popular that President Franklin Roosevelt specifically requested that it be continued for another year.

 As Hazelgrove explains very well, getting the money for the fair required some very imaginative financing. Furthermore, many of the contractors were facing expensive idle time for their men and equipment, so they were happy to do the work in exchange for what were speculative payments. They would get paid only if the fair was a success.

 The second thread is about the fall of gangster Al Capone, a man that ordered killing as easily as he did his breakfast. Capone ran the illegal alcohol business in Chicago, making a fortune until he was convicted of income tax evasion. The lesson is that if you are running an illegal business, it is best to keep a low profile. Capone was a celebrity and he flaunted that fact, something that contributed to the opposition. In retrospect the accounts of the celebrity status of a murderous thug is amazing. Yet, it demonstrates how modern drug dealers can be considered the savior of their neighborhood.

 A third lesson that is not emphasized enough is that it was the repeal of prohibition that truly ended the power of the gangsters in Chicago. As the modern drug business demonstrates, when profits of that magnitude are available, someone will fill the gap, even when the action is illegal.

 This is a fascinating book about an odd time in the history of the United States, when conventional law and order almost broke down. The fact that it didn’t is very reassuring.