standing army

 keeps alive the spirit of war even in the meek heart of peace. In its very embers and smoulderings, they nourish that fatal fire.

Standing navies, as well as standing armies, serve to keep alive the spirit of war even in the meek heart of peace. In its very embers and smoulderings, they nourish that fatal fire, and half-pay officers, as the priests of Mars, yet guard the temple, though no god be there. Herman Melville

is like a standing member: an excellent assurance of domestic tranquillity but a dangerous temptation to foreign adventure.

A standing army is like a standing member: an excellent assurance of domestic tranquillity but a dangerous temptation to foreign adventure.

is not good. They excite states to out-rival one another in the number of their armed men, which has no limit.

Standing armies excite states to outrival one another in the number of their armed men, which has no limit. Through the expense occasioned thereby, peace becomes in the long run more oppressive than a short war; and standing armies are thus the cause of aggressive wars undertaken in order to get rid of this burden."

is not good. The nations will not really be civilized until all standing armies are abolished.

The nations will not really be civilized until all standing armies are abolished. (The audacity of this proposal stands out when we remember that it was Prussia itself which, under the father of Frederick the Great, had been the first to establish conscription.)

is unwise --- to be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

To be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

is unwise --- Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and the Romans, and must be that of every free state.

Every citizen [should] be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and the Romans, and must be that of every free state.

standing army, n.All

standing army