John Mahlon Barnes

John Mahlon Barnes (June 22, 1866 – February 22, 1934) was an American trade union functionary and socialist political activist. Barnes is best remembered as the Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America from 1905 to 1911, during which time he originated the idea of the party's 1908 "Red Special" campaign train on behalf of its Presidential nominee, Eugene V. Debs.

Biography Early years

John Mahlon Barnes, commonly known to his contemporaries as "Mahlon," was born June 22, 1866, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the son of a bootmaker. He attended the Soldiers' Orphan School at Mount Joy, a borough of Lancaster, from 1875 to 1882.

Barnes was a founding member of the Socialist Party of America (SPA) in 1901 and a delegate to most of its national conventions. He was twice a candidate for office under the Socialist Party banner, running in 1902 for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and in 1908 for Congress in the Illinois 9th District.

When Socialist Party National Executive Secretary William Mailly resigned his post in January 1905, the National Committee found itself faced with selecting a successor. Mahlon Barnes was elected as Mailly's successor, effective February 1, 1905.

During his time at the helm of the Socialist Party's National Office in Chicago, Barnes conceived of the idea of chartering a locomotive on behalf of the 1908 campaign of Socialist Presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs. The left long sought his removal but were unable to muster sufficient strength on the National Committee to vote the clerically-proficient and ideologically discreet Barnes out of office.

At the end of February 1911 this committee found Barnes and the NEC innocent of all misconduct.

The favorable report of the special investigating committee did not end the matter, however. The National Executive Committee declined to publish the testimony taken by the investigators, instead merely passing a resolution accepting the conclusions of the report—an action which infuriated some members of the National Committee, who sought full disclosure on the controversial matter, fearing a whitewash.

The debate raged for another six months, forcing the National Executive Committee to revisit the matter at its session in August 1911, at which it heard the direct testimony of some of the witnesses against Barnes.

Works "Trades Unions: Their Logical Mission in the Propagation of Socialism: Address Delivered under the Auspices of the People’s Union, at Well’s Memorial Hall, Boston, 28 June 1896." The People [New York], July 26, 1896. Report of Socialist Party of the United States to the International Socialist Congress at Copenhagen, 1910. With Morris Hillquit and Victor L. Berger. Chicago : National Headquarters, Socialist Party, 1910.

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