The Navy’s Selective Morality in Bremerton
A local publisher argues that the Navy Department is unfairly targeting Bremerton for anti-alcohol crackdowns while ignoring similar conditions at major East Coast yards.
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Judd P. Fuller, publisher of the Seattle Bulletin, investigated navy yards in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and Brooklyn, New York, to verify claims that Bremerton was unfairly singled out by Assistant Secretary Darling for a boycott due to the presence of nearby saloons. Fuller reported that both the Charlestown and Brooklyn yards are surrounded by clusters of licensed saloons, with sailors and workmen frequently passing them to enter the base. Fuller argued that while he supports regulation, the Navy’s selective enforcement against Bremerton amounted to malicious discrimination. He noted that recent reports indicate Bremerton saloons have been closed, which he hopes will finally stop the department's discriminatory practices.
“I don't see why the department has made fish of one town and flesh of another.”
This 1903 conflict over 'vice' districts surrounding military installations highlights a persistent tension in Washington State between federal jurisdiction and local economies. The language of 'discriminating' against one town while ignoring others remains a familiar refrain in debates over state regulation and urban development.
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