Evening star., 1933-10-08

comment that, Had this particular
brand Of corn been planted in Iowa last
year the saving of a million acres and
the profit OF many more dollars would
have been the reward"
Henry's rebellion, that manifested it
self in practical science. was not con-
fined to Places Of agronomy. It touched
al fields Of his thought. Religion,
politics, sociology came In for their
share OF editing by the curious, fact
prodding Iowan.
In politics he has often been inde-
pendent of party dogma. From q line
Of Republicans, his father Secretary
/ In q Republican cabinet and his paper
habitually leaning toward Republican
sentiment. Henry Wallace made char
acteristic decision.
Iowa Deep in Rut.
Iowa was buried deep in the slough
Of the depression. No State in the
Union was more hard bitten by the
tragedy of bank failures, foreclosures
and pitifully small prices. And this
crisis crystallized young Wallace's
philosophers.
He drove to Topeka last Fall to hear
Franklin D. Roosevelt declare his farm
policies. Wallace did not go as a po-
litical supporter or sycophant. He went
as an interested citizen to hear what a
potential President had to say about
the troubles Of stricken land. He did
not climb on the Presidents train to
shake hands nor request meeting in
the Presidents car. Wallace stood in
the crowd. heard the speech, got back
in his automobile drove to Des Moines
and committed his paper to the Roose
welt candidacy.
1t is reported that Herbert Hoover
then Secretary Of Commerce. went TO
President Harding and laid before him
young Wallace's criticism Of the admin
istration. suggesting that the President
ask Henry c. Wallace to do something
with his recalcltrant son. At a cabinet
meeting President Harding was reported
to have said in a jesting fashion. but
still full OF meaning, I'm wondering
Secretary Wallace. are you for me OF
against me?' But despite the presi-
| dental rebuke to his father, voung
Wallace continued to criticize the ad-
ministration. He had been given a
free rein on the paper and he used it
Henry the Elder.
1t was Henry Wallace the elder
/ crusader and plouS warrior in the cause
of agriculture. who established the ira
| dition Of good farming, clear thinking
and right living" that dominated his
| own career and the lives Of his son anC
grandson.
Henry wallace the elder was born ir
Pennsylvania four years after hi
! father. John. a Scotch -Irishman from
Ulster. came to this country in 1882.
The family proepered after the
fashion Of industrious pioneers. There
was little money and no luxurieS. Good
rolling farm land was acquired ir
Pennsylvania and stanch brick house
was set upon it in 1889.
Here Henry Wallace spent his boy.
hood. Its simple pastoral pleasures
were leavened with work and tragedy
His mother and his six brothers ano
sisters all died from tuberculosis in the
stark, brick farm house. Henry Wal
| lace's early departure from his parental
fireside probably saved him from a
similar fate.
Studied for Ministry.
For, in 1853 Henry Wallace struck
out by stage and foot for Sharon Col
| lege, 130 miles from his home There
| he began his study for the ministry
| In June he walked to Marietta, took q
| steamboat home. For the next two
years he studied at Geneva Hall. anc
| the fourth year he spent at Jeffer-
son College. Calvinist school. where
! he graduated in 1857 The Republican
party had been founded the year be-
| fore. The panic of 1857 was on and
| the young domino struck Westward
| He was tall. bearded. with strong
even features, and the CLINT Of Mes.
siah was in his eyes. Some of the
| poet was in this crusader. and some
| OF the warrior and great deal oi
cynical common sense
He was preaching in Iowa when hi.
| health broke. Forced to abandon the
| pulpit and search for health, he went
to the farm, starting on small scale
/ without attempting any activity that
would jeopardize his health. He drank
fresh. warm milk and lived in the
open. Within a few years the last
symptoms of the dread disease hac
vanished. In the meantime he hac
| bought several farms.
Contributed to Papers.
During this period Of quiet living
and rebuilding his body. Henry Wal
lace's evangelical urge found some out
let in contributing to local newspapers
discussions on events. national and To-
cal. Gradually he drifted into writing
bought an interest in the local Winter
set paper nearby.
So vigorous was the editorial policy
of the small-town paper that Wallace
undertook the editorship Of the Iowa
Homestead and moved to Des Moines
in 1888. But his notions on policy
and material were so clean-cut they
left no room for his partners opinions
and in 1892 he quarreled with his part
ner and left the paper. The same year
Of hn Of Nd p 0y,1x arror
funds, he started Wallace's Farmer.
The paper flourished and the influ-
ence of Wallace's Farmer became
yearly wider and more deeply rooted
Henry c. Wallace, the first son, became
managing editor. BY 1896 the paper
had grown to a place Of power in the
Middle West, and Henry Wallace, with
his ideas of sound money, is credited
with saving Iowa and keeping 1t In the
Republican column.
Aspired to Position.
Henry Wallace. though he did not
receive a cabinet position for his aid
to the party. as did his son and grand
son. maintained an ambition to be
Secretary of Agriculture. When op-
portunity came his way. he turned it
over to his lifelong friend and adviser,
OoAAACc VAAoOA4, "AA0 cSA NSA AA4OCA sAA4 SS
Presidents.
This unfulfilled ambition to become
Secretary of Agriculture was passed on
to his son, Henry c., who worked with
him In the establishment Of the WAL
lace farm publication. Henry C. WAL
lace carried on the Wallace tradition
of farming. Five years after attaining
his majority he had farm of 800 acres
in Adair County. He plowed ground,
sowed grain. fed hogs, MIXED cows
and on Saturday drove to town to do
his weeks trading.
This was from 1887 to 1892. In 1893
he sold his farm equipment. matricu-
lated at Iowa State Agricultural Col
lege at Ames, graduated and entered
the staff as an assistant professor Of
dairying. For three years he served In
this capacity. Then be resigned TO
g.