Words matter. These are the best William Lyon Mackenzie King Quotes, and they’re great for sharing with your friends.
Until the control of the issue of currency and credit is restored to government and recognized as its most conspicuous and sacred responsibility, all talks of the sovereignty of Parliament and of democracy is idle and futile.
Just when we most need to be clearheaded, in order to face the hard facts before us, there is all too frequently a very real inclination to give way to dangerous tendencies merely as an escape from realities.
It is what we prevent, rather than what we do that counts most in Government.
No one will deny that the excessive use of alcohol and alcoholic beverages would do more than any other single factor to make impossible a total war effort.
Every hour of useful work is precious.
From the outset of the war, the Canadian people have clearly shown that it is their desire to help in every way to make Canada’s war effort as effective as possible.
On behalf of the federal government, I wish now publicly to appeal to the provinces to lend their co-operation in furthering our country’s war effort by effecting at as early a date as may be possible this much needed restriction.
Conscription if necessary, but not necessarily conscription.
For one cause or another, it has become necessary to impose restrictions upon the use of many commodities, including not a few of the necessities of life.
Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government, which sooner or later becomes autocratic government.
Fortunately, the Canadian people in all their habits, are essentially a temperate people.
Government, in the last analysis, is organized opinion. Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government.
There can be little doubt that absence from work, and inefficient work, are frequently due to intemperance.
The anxiety of most parents in seeing their sons and daughters enlist does not lie only in the fear of the physical dangers they may encounter.
If some countries have too much history, we have too much geography.
Far more has been accomplished for the welfare and progress of mankind by preventing bad actions than by doing good ones.
Since the outbreak of war, there has been in our country a steady increase in the consumption of spirits, wine and beer. It is estimated that in dollar volume, the annual outlay is now practically double what it was before the war.
As to the advantages of temperance in the training of the armed forces and of its benefits to the members of the forces themselves, there can be no doubt in the world.
The increased consumption of alcoholic beverages in Canada since the outbreak of war is one evidence of this.
Regardless of what one’s attitude towards prohibition may be, temperance is something against which, at a time of war, no reasonable protest can be made.
Workers in industry are the partners in war of the fighting forces.
The greatly increased consumption of alcoholic beverages is very largely a direct result of the increased purchasing power created by wartime expenditures.
Few would venture to deny the advantages of temperance in increasing the efficiency of a nation at war.
I really believe my greatest service is in the many unwise steps I prevent.
I would not wish to imply that most industrial accidents are due to intemperance. But, certainly, temperance has never failed to reduce their number.
