Big Winners

From the United Nations last week came the heartening report that despite the ravages of World War II, the industrial production of the free world has nearly tripled since 1938. The actual increase for the 25 years is a whopping 195%.

Because they started out from a comparatively small industrial base, the less developed countries naturally show the biggest percentage gains in output. Paced by Japan, whose output has climbed 300%, Asia has nearly quadrupled its mining and manufacturing production since 1938. Latin America has increased its production by 224%.

Yet, to some extent, Asia and Latin America have been running as fast as they can to stand still. Despite their impressive growth rates, neither area has significantly increased its share of the world's expanding industrial production. Asia today accounts for only 7.9% of total free world output v. 7.4% in 1938, and Latin America only 4% v. 3.9% in 1938. Meantime, the U.S. and Canada have increased their share from 39% in 1938 to 47% last year -- a gain which was made primarily at the expense of the Western European nations in the debilitated years immediately after World War II.

Western Europe's postwar catch-up shows in the more recent figures. In the past ten years. Western Europe's share of free world industrial output has risen from 32% to 36%.

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