“You can only be free if I am free.”
“There is no such thing as justice, in or out of court.”
“I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure -- that is all that agnosticism means.”
“Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coat tails.”
“With all their faults, trade unions have done more for humanity than any other organization of men that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education, for the betterment of the race, for the developing of character in man, than any other association of men.”
“The trouble with law is lawyers.”
“Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.”
“History repeats itself. That's one of the things wrong with history.”
“The pursuit of truth will set you free; even if you never catch up with it.”
“I am an agnostic; I do not pretend to know what many ignorant men are sure of.”
“I am a friend of the working man, and I would rather be his friend, than be one.”
“Even if you do learn to speak correct English, whom are you going to speak it to?”
“He's the greatest man who ever came out of Plymouth, Vermont. [On Calvin Coolidge]”
“The first half of our life is ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.”
“When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President. Now I'm beginning to believe it.”
“I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary notices I have read with pleasure.”
“You can protect your liberties in this world only by protecting the other man's freedom. You can be free only if I am free.”
“At twenty a man is full of fight and hope. He wants to reform the world. When he is seventy he still wants to reform the world, but he know he can't.”