James E. Barlow

In 1914, Barlow was the first city manager of Dayton, Ohio, which was the first major city to adopt the system. In 1921, he became the first city manager of New London, Connecticut. ^[3] In 1928, Barlow replaced Harry Brinkerhoff as Portland, Maine's second city manager. As city manager of Portland during the Great Depression, Barlow was known for opposing tax increases intended to provide jobs to unemployed residents.^[4]

Barlow was known for his opposition to organized labor. Following the passage of the federal Taft–Hartley Act of 1947, Barlow became the foremost proponent of enacting a right-to-work law in Maine. The "Barlow bill" was defeated in a statewide vote on September 13, 1947.^[5]