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

- John Burns

The Thames is liquid history.

- John Burns

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

- John Burns

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

- John Burns

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

- John Burns

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

- John Burns

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

- John Burns

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

- John Burns

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

- John Burns