I think that after the Kefauver hearings and Appalachian the mob was really wary of having big national meetings unless it was absolutely necessary. So the commission for families West of the Mississippi was a way of resolving disputes involving the families in that region without having to call a big meeting with the National Commission. I am sure that if any issue arising out west grew big enough the National Commission would get involved. Two of the families that were supposedly on the Western Commission, Chicago and Detroit, were also on the National Commission, so if there was a dispute that originated out west that was big enough to effect the whole country, they could bring it to the National Commission.

Certain families had particularly close relationships that in a way superseded whatever commissions were in place. Cleveland, despite being in the Midwest, was always closer with the Genovese than Chicago. St. Louis was close to Detroit and answered to them, not Chicago. Also, the Lucchese family, not Chicago, represented the LA family, at least initially as Jack Dragna was a cousin of Thomas Lucchese. As far as New Orleans and to a lesser extent Tampa, from what I have read neither family was very interested in Commission politics and were pretty much left alone to do their own thing. Whether Detroit actually answered to Chicago or was thought of as an equal I think is a really interesting question.