Orville_third
Banned
OK. It's common for AH's involving Henry Agard Wallace* to have him either be elected President or succeed FDR on his death. This either is good for America, or (more often) bad for America. However, most of these histories (and historians of OTL) ignore one major thing about Henry Agard Wallace. Before he was a politician, he was a corn breeder (founder of Pioneer Hi-Bred) and agricultural researcher, not to mention one of the pioneers of agricultural statistics and economics.
So what if, after his resignation as Secretary of Commerce, Wallace returned to his farm at Farvue? What if, instead of becoming the Progressive Party nominee, he made a few political speeches on international affairs and devoted much of his time to agriculture? What if, instead of becoming the editor of "The New Republic", he returned to his old job as editor of "Wallaces' Farmer?"**
-Would Wallace not being in the 1948 race strengthen Harry Truman- or weaken him?
-What discoveries would Wallace have made on his own, if he had the time to do them?
-Wallace had a correspondence with Milton Eisenhower in OTL, while Eisenhower was in office. Could Wallace have advised Eisenhower on agriculture?
-If Wallace does, he is sure to butt heads with Ezra Taft Benson, Eisenhower's Agriculture Secretary. However, while Benson and Wallace would be at each other's throats on farm subsidies and political ideology in general, both were supporters of agricultural research. I can also see an idea that would appeal both to Wallace's "Ever-Normal Granary" and Benson's support of the "Mormon Basic 4" idea and his role as potential head of the "Emergency Food Agency" as part of the "Eisenhower Ten"- A nationally funded emergency food stockpile, either as part of the government, or as a potential partnership with state or local authorities or organizations (Including churches...). Further, Wallace and Benson would likely find a common ground (with plenty of debate) in discussing religion, even if Wallace doesn't convert to Mormonism.
-If Wallace keeps a lower political profile on foreign policy, could his agricultural discoveries be better rewarded? (Between Milton Eisenhower backing him, Richard Nixon corresponding with him, and Orville Freeman recommending him, he could potentially get the Medal of Freedom from Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson or Nixon.)
-Of course, could Wallace's closeness with some of these individuals result in greater attacks by the John Birch Society and others? (Robert Welch did describe Milton Eisenhower as possibly his brother's controller...)
I do think that, with less stress, Wallace might have survived longer. (He died in 1965 of ALS.) I also have a personal idea, in which he gives a bit of advice to another person he met in his BEW days, who is best known for his architectural role...
*As opposed to his father, Henry Cantwell Wallace, Agriculture Secretary under Harding and Coolidge.
** Yes, that is the magazine's title... It was founded by "Uncle Henry" Wallace (The inspiration for Dorothy's uncle?), with Henry Cantwell and Henry Agard following in his footsteps.
So what if, after his resignation as Secretary of Commerce, Wallace returned to his farm at Farvue? What if, instead of becoming the Progressive Party nominee, he made a few political speeches on international affairs and devoted much of his time to agriculture? What if, instead of becoming the editor of "The New Republic", he returned to his old job as editor of "Wallaces' Farmer?"**
-Would Wallace not being in the 1948 race strengthen Harry Truman- or weaken him?
-What discoveries would Wallace have made on his own, if he had the time to do them?
-Wallace had a correspondence with Milton Eisenhower in OTL, while Eisenhower was in office. Could Wallace have advised Eisenhower on agriculture?
-If Wallace does, he is sure to butt heads with Ezra Taft Benson, Eisenhower's Agriculture Secretary. However, while Benson and Wallace would be at each other's throats on farm subsidies and political ideology in general, both were supporters of agricultural research. I can also see an idea that would appeal both to Wallace's "Ever-Normal Granary" and Benson's support of the "Mormon Basic 4" idea and his role as potential head of the "Emergency Food Agency" as part of the "Eisenhower Ten"- A nationally funded emergency food stockpile, either as part of the government, or as a potential partnership with state or local authorities or organizations (Including churches...). Further, Wallace and Benson would likely find a common ground (with plenty of debate) in discussing religion, even if Wallace doesn't convert to Mormonism.
-If Wallace keeps a lower political profile on foreign policy, could his agricultural discoveries be better rewarded? (Between Milton Eisenhower backing him, Richard Nixon corresponding with him, and Orville Freeman recommending him, he could potentially get the Medal of Freedom from Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson or Nixon.)
-Of course, could Wallace's closeness with some of these individuals result in greater attacks by the John Birch Society and others? (Robert Welch did describe Milton Eisenhower as possibly his brother's controller...)
I do think that, with less stress, Wallace might have survived longer. (He died in 1965 of ALS.) I also have a personal idea, in which he gives a bit of advice to another person he met in his BEW days, who is best known for his architectural role...
*As opposed to his father, Henry Cantwell Wallace, Agriculture Secretary under Harding and Coolidge.
** Yes, that is the magazine's title... It was founded by "Uncle Henry" Wallace (The inspiration for Dorothy's uncle?), with Henry Cantwell and Henry Agard following in his footsteps.