Production Steady: TIME'S index dipped to 153.0 (estimated) in the July 19 week. Final figure for the preceding week is 153.2. Main reason for the slight drop was that some industriesnotably steel were catching breath after setting a record-breaking pace. But the clamor of steel's customers, most of whose orders now have priority ratings, was so great that last week some mills prepared to open their order books for 1942.
Railroad carloadings in the July 12 week were 876,000 cars, 19% above 1940. Nationwide lumber output was 20% above 1940. First six months' machine-tool production was a record $348,000,000, 93% above...