Let Congress Bite Them First

"After that meeting at the Treasury Department, you mentioned many people—Charles, and others..."

Roosevelt paused. "But you alone said nothing about Richard."

Precisely because Feilan had not mentioned Richard at the time, Roosevelt had assumed that old friend was innocent. That was why he was so disappointed now.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because some things are better seen with your own eyes than spoken aloud."

Of course, Feilan knew about the relationship between Roosevelt and Richard. That was why he had not brought it up directly at the time.

Roosevelt fell silent for a while. The complicated emotions gradually receded, replaced by a nearly ruthless severity. "No matter who it is, anyone corrupting this nation's finances should be punished!"

Feilan understood that those words amounted to a death sentence for the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.

"What is the next step of the plan?"

"Very simple. We do not need to act personally. We only need to hand these over to Congress and have the Banking Committee hold hearings."

"Those old gentlemen in Congress love occasions like this. Set up the cameras, flash the magnesium lights, and they can fancy themselves the embodiment of justice. Let them and those people on Wall Street tear into each other first, biting until one or the other is dead."

"After they finish biting..."

The corners of Feilan's mouth curled upward, but he did not continue.

"Louis, what do you think?"

Roosevelt turned his head.

At this time, the White House did not yet have the concept of a chief of staff.

And as one of Roosevelt's most trusted men, Louis Howe was responsible not only for press affairs, but also for offering political advice.

Louis Howe adjusted his glasses and revealed a meaningful smile. "Mr. President, I think Feilan's proposal is an excellent one."

"Everyone knows how troublesome those old gentlemen in Congress are. Letting them take the lead and confront those Wall Street people head-on will both divert the firepower and wear down Wall Street."

"Just as Feilan said, once they have bitten each other nearly enough... heh heh..."

Roosevelt nodded. "Then that is what we will do."

"Oh, there is one more thing."

Feilan abruptly changed the subject.

"Go on."

"Mr. President, I believe you have also noticed over this period that Wall Street is not the only root of this country's illness."

"Take the last Bank Holiday, for example. Before our federal government had even issued instructions, the states declared their own measures out of fear. You could say that caught the federal government completely off guard."

"And there are local power brokers in various states who collude with gangs, unions, and even bureaucrats to exploit the workers. We simply do not have enough power to intervene."

"So I believe we must have a strong federal agency capable of reviewing and enforcing the law against such conduct across the nation."

Roosevelt strongly agreed with Feilan's words.

In this country, the states indeed possessed a great deal of autonomy.

And governors were not subordinates of the president.

They were elected by the people. They had their own power bases and their own political considerations.

Orders from the White House worked in Washington, but once they left Washington, if the governors and local governments did not give a damn about them, then they did not give a damn.

If some of his upcoming policies were implemented and touched upon the interests of the states—

Those governors, those local forces, those intertwined interest groups would inevitably resist, obstruct, and use every possible method to turn White House orders into nothing more than scraps of paper.

The White House truly needed a powerful agency capable of legally extending its hand into the states.

Roosevelt looked at Feilan. "You are right. So how do you think this agency should be established?"

"It need not be so troublesome. We already have one ready-made."

"A ready-made one?"

Roosevelt froze for a moment.

"The Bureau of Investigation. Have you heard of it?"

A thoughtful look appeared between Roosevelt's brows.

The Bureau of Investigation...

The name was too common. He seemed to have heard it somewhere, but for the moment, he could not recall what department it belonged to.

But that was not his fault.

At this time, the Bureau of Investigation had an incredibly weak presence.

Among the many bureaus under the major departments, it was practically the most inconspicuous of all.

Compared with the Prohibition Bureau, the Prohibition Bureau had Prohibition in its hands. With that law, it could stir up storms throughout the nation and claim countless news headlines.

Compared with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, it held everyone's purse strings across the country. Whoever dared not pay taxes, it dared to strip them of everything.

Compared with the Secret Service, it protected the president and high-ranking government officials, doing the most central work of all.

Even the Immigration Bureau and the Post Office had a stronger presence than the Bureau of Investigation.

The Immigration Bureau possessed independent arrest powers. It could arrest people, deport them, and call the shots at the border.

The Post Office was even more formidable. It was the federal government's oldest law enforcement agency.

Postal inspectors did not need to wait for local police cooperation like Bureau of Investigation agents did.

They had their own independent enforcement chain, their own armed forces, and their own nationwide network.

And the Bureau of Investigation?

Its agents could not even carry guns freely. They had to rely on local police cooperation to make arrests, and interstate enforcement required approval after approval.

"It is a law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice. They contributed to the last Fireside Chat, and this time, they also rendered great service in gathering these materials."

Roosevelt's gaze sharpened.

Although he knew that Feilan had certainly planned the collection of this dirt on Wall Street himself—

The fact that they had investigated those documents, data, and personnel so thoroughly proved that this agency was no simple outfit either.

"According to my plan, I think this agency can be granted some new authority."

"For example?"

"The right to carry firearms, so they can legally bear weapons and no longer have to wait through layer after layer of approval."

"And interstate enforcement authority, so they can pursue suspects across the entire nation without having to defer to local law enforcement agencies."

"And... priority enforcement authority."

Roosevelt's brow twitched. "Priority enforcement authority?"

"Yes. As an agency directly under the national government, it should naturally enjoy greater law enforcement authority than local bodies. If it clashes with a local agency, it should have priority in enforcement."

Roosevelt rested his chin on his hand.

He knew what these powers meant.

The right to carry firearms would give the Bureau of Investigation real armed strength.

Interstate enforcement authority would allow its reach to extend across the nation.

Priority enforcement authority would elevate its status above every local law enforcement agency.

It would no longer be an inconspicuous little department.

It would become a true national-level law enforcement force.

"Its director is Edgar Hoover. I have already had him waiting outside."

"Then have him come in immediately!"

If this department was truly to be granted so many expanded powers as Feilan proposed, then Roosevelt had to make certain that its leader was reliable and capable.