John Burns
John Burns
John Elliot Burnswas an English trade unionist and politician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly associated with London politics. He was a socialist and then a Liberal Member of Parliament and Minister. He was anti-alcohol and a keen sportsman. After retiring from politics, he developed an expertise in London history and coined the phrase "The Thames is liquid history". When the Liberal cabinet made a decision for war on 2 August 1914, he resigned and played no...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionActivist
Date of Birth20 October 1858
The recent I.L.P. conference from which I had expected some change in methods and tactics has confirmed my previous views of its leaders.
I recognise that Socialism has ended its purely theoretical course, and that the hour to construct has come.
Individual effort is almost relatively impossible to cope with the big problem of poverty as we see it.
I don't want boys to use their pencils for improper writing.
Why four great powers should fight over Serbia no fellow can understand.
My duty is clear and at all costs will be done.
Books are a real solace, friendships are good but action is better than all.
For the moment and for some time great events have been denied me, forward action not come my way.
I must firmly adhere to the views I have held and practice, that Socialism to succeed must be practical, tolerant, cohesive and consciously compromising with Progressive forces running, if not so far, in parallel lines towards its own goal.
The men who made the war were profuse in their praises of the man who kicked the P.M. out of his office and now degrades by his disloyal, dishonest and lying presence the greatest office in the State.
I neither drink nor smoke, because my schoolmaster impressed upon me three cardinal virtues; cleanliness in person, cleanliness in mind; temperance.
I don't want to be married. I don't know - it sounds crazy, but in my mind, it's all connected. You get married, you have kids, you grow old, then you die. Somehow, it seems to me, if you didn't get married, you wouldn't die.
The Thames is liquid history.
Voting should go quickly once people learn how to use the touch screen. It's better in a whole lot of ways than printed ballots. An election can be certified in two days. It should also minimize recounts. The old paper ballot machines would sometimes miscount the ballot and sometimes two ballots would go through instead of one. The touch screen will leave a paper audit trail and recover everything each voter does.