Many great port cities in the United States are suffering under the burdens of the last half of this century. There are two major factors responsible for this. One is a failure to recognize the vast changes in international trade, commerce and transportation in the last decade. The second is the nearly abject surrender by many government leaders to the current fad that everyone is entitled to maximum welfare payments for minimum productivity. Currently, west coast ports are closed by a longshoremen's strike. Bentley explores these topics.