John Burns

I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when…

— John Burns

I am not ashamed to say that I am the son of a washerwoman.

— John Burns

I neither drink nor smoke, because my schoolmaster impressed upon me three cardinal virtues; cleanliness in person, cleanliness in mind; temperance.

— John Burns

My duty is clear and at all costs will be done.

— John Burns

Why four great powers should fight over Serbia no fellow can understand.

— John Burns

Don't hustle old people.

— John Burns

I don't want boys to use their pencils for improper writing.

— John Burns

I am only doing now what I have ever done; and ever will continue to do - that is adapting past experience…

— John Burns

I am depressed rather at the wave of brutality sweeping over the country.

— John Burns

For the moment and for some time great events have been denied me, forward action not come my way.

— John Burns

I must firmly adhere to the views I have held and practice, that Socialism to succeed must be practical, tolerant, cohesive and…

— John Burns

The Gentlemen of England serve under the greatest cad in Europe.

— John Burns

I believe, however, that impending events will call us and we must respond but where, with whom, and how?

— John Burns

I recognise that Socialism has ended its purely theoretical course, and that the hour to construct has come.

— John Burns

The men who made the war were profuse in their praises of the man who kicked the P.M. out of his office…

— John Burns

The Thames is liquid history.

— John Burns

In this work I have received the opposition of a number of men who only advocate the unobtainable because the immediately possible…

— John Burns

Books are a real solace, friendships are good but action is better than all.

— John Burns

Judge men less by the labels they wear than by their persistent labour for sure if slow progress.

— John Burns

I don't want to be married. I don't know - it sounds crazy, but in my mind, it's all connected. You get…

— John Burns

Individual effort is almost relatively impossible to cope with the big problem of poverty as we see it.

— John Burns

You come before me this morning with clean hands and clean collars. I want you to have clean tongues, clean manners, clean…

— John Burns