The U.S. productive machine, long clogged by strikes and crippling shortages, was finally running in high gear. Last week Civilian Production Administrator John D. Small cheerily reported: "stop-&-go output" has been replaced by "continuous, high-level production." The pipelines would soon be full and, "if industrial peace continues, an enormous amount of consumers goods would soon pour out."
His report on July production danced with exhilarating figures:
¶ Sewing machine shipments jumped 30% to 35,000; electric ranges jumped to 57,000; vacuum cleaners reached 197,000, more than 25% better than prewar.
¶ By July...