It is necessary for us to have some information about the time period and the man who will chair the National Law Enforcement Commission. Why President Hoover formed this commission and what it set out to accomplish. What was happening to make this commission necessary, and who is George Woodward Wickersham? George W. Wickersham was born in Pittsburgh in 1858, after graduating from Harvard Law School he began his law practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; in 1882 he moved to New York City and became a prominent corporate lawyer. In 1909 President Taft appointed George Wickersham to the office of Attorney General of the United States and during this time he successfully prosecuted several companies that violated the Sherman Anti-trust Act. (5) During the period from 1920 to the early 1900s 30, corruption and organized crime, along with other criminal activities, flourished aided by Prohibition. The days of Prohibition saw the production and sale of illegal, bootleg liquor, corruption, and ineffective enforcement of Prohibition laws. Prohibition was unpopular among the city's population and many despised it, taking pride in violating its laws. It provided large earning opportunities through the illegal production, sale and transportation of alcohol. Prohibition was not responsible for widespread corruption and the growth of organized crime, gangsterism, and violence against innocent citizens. The fact that organized crime produced and distributed most of the illegal alcohol in the 1920s and early 1930s is evidence that gangsters were aided by Prohibition. Law enforcement was spotty, with stills and speakeasies popping up in every population… middle of paper. ..... http://www.usconstitution.net/constamnotes.html8 Volstead Law, 1920; http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/Volstead-Act.html9 United States. Wickersham Commission. Records,1928-1931: Finding Help. ...The Wickersham Commission by Richard LewisThe Wickersham Commission by Richard Lewis