FIORELLO H. LA GUARDIA

There is no Democratic or Republican way of cleaning the streets.

It makes no difference if I burn my bridges behind me - I never retreat.

This law will be impossible to enforce. It will produce contempt for our laws and law enforcement.

Hell, this isn’t a pinochle party we’re having. It’s war.

I can’t come up here each year to the legislature and beg for money.

... a fixed obsession on Anglo-Saxon superiority.

The question of the protection of childhood [child labor legislation] is not a political one. It is not even an American question. It is just simply a humane problem in which all decent ... loving men and women should be deeply interested.

This is 1930, not 1898. We have not only arrived at a 44-hour week but in this machine age we are arriving at the time when all workers will soon be given a 40-hour week.

American labor, whenever it gathers, does so with love for its flag and country and loyalty to its government.

An industry that can not pay its workers a decent living wage has no right to exist.

Any Italian-American who votes the Democratic ticket this year is an Austrian bastard.

The bankers of the country are more to blame than are any other group for the present depression.

Do after election as before election you said you would.

Don't worry about people knowing you. Make yourself worth knowing.

establish and maintain equal opportunity and industrial justice.

Every member present must behave like a gentleman, and those who are not must try to.

I am against war, and because I am against war I went to war to fight against war.

I believe that a good portion will be in due time be returned, but I am certain that some of it will have to be placed on the profit and loss column of Uncle Sam's books. Let us understand that clearly now and not be deceived later. [He was right.]

I invented the low blow. I can outdemagogue the best of demagogues.

It has happened, in all ages of the world, that some have labored and others have, without labor, enjoyed a large proportion of the fruits. This is wrong and should not continue. To secure to each laborer the whole product of his labor, or as nearly as possible, is a worthy object of any good government. That's my platform, but when the average Republican leader in the East hears it, he thinks I am quoting from Karl Marx. I did quote it, but not from Karl Marx. I quoted it from Abraham Lincoln.

With the exception of members of Congress and their families, and instructors in civics and constitutional lawyers, I do not believe there are two percent of the American people who know that a member of Congress is elected one year and does not take his office until 13 months afterwards.

I loathe the professional politician. I have never been a regular. I have fought political machines and party politics at every opportunity.

I am a Republican. But I am not running on the Republican platform. I'm running on my own platform. I stand for the Republicanism of Abraham Lincoln.

I'd rather split an infinitive than split an idea.

If any signers of the petition will take my seat in a Caproni biplane, I shall be glad to resume my upholstered seat in the House.