Better Than Ever

U.S. production reached an alltime high in the July 11 week, and TIME'S Index rose to 176.7 (estimated), almost a full point above the preceding week's final figure.

Main reason for the rise was a big increase in power production, especially in the Southern and Pacific Coast defense areas. Carloadings picked up after the July 4 holiday as hard-working railroads toted an ever-rising flood of materiel from war plants. Steel production flattened out although millmen still fussed about the scrap shortage. Worst trouble is the sharp drop in collections of small junk dealers; they have cleaned out old hunting grounds, and OPA's ceiling prices are little incentive to find new scrap areas.

War goods now account for 70% of all U.S. durable goods output and "almost exactly half" of total U.S. production, the Federal Reserve Board reported this week. However high, war-goods output must go still higher.

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