Readers React: Martin Tower isn’t the reason Bethlehem Steel ceased to exist

Now that the dust has (literally and figuratively) settled on Martin Tower, here’s some perspective. Martin Tower isn’t the reason Bethlehem Steel ceased to exist. The planned abundance of corner offices or mahogany door knobs had nothing to do with what would occur in the steel industry.Overseas steel production and dumping in the U.S. made antiquated plants in America cost prohibitive. Unions wanted more and more. In good times, the company usually complied and passed the costs to the steel consumers. New mills were often nonunion and more competitive. American plants became antiquated, lacking modernization.To me Martin Tower was a reminder not of corporate mismanagement or union greed but rather of how great Bethlehem Steel once was.For better or worse, Bethlehem Steel’s days are over. But not Bethlehem itself. That 21-story tower remained as a symbol of a great history. Now, almost nothing remains where the plant itself once stood.But from the spots where steel was made and the site where the tower once stood, a revitalization will emerge. Nothing is constant except change. And so it will be here in Bethlehem.I will miss that tower; many of us will. But Bethlehem’s story continues.Robert M. MacsiBethlehemThe Morning Call encourages community dialogue on important issues. Submit a letter to the editor here or email letters@mcall.com.Follow @McallOpinion on Twitter and The Morning Call on Facebook.
Source: Morningcall