The Daily Alaska empire., 1943-07-07
LAGUARDIA HEAD5pARTY
 OF OFFICIALS
United States Canadian Defense Commission
 on Trip North

MdyOr r. Ii. GaGudIu uld, Ol NC" York City, United States Chair man of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense and Joint Service Com mittee for the Pacific Coast; Col o. M. Biggar, Chairman of the Canadian membership, and other officials of the Board arrived in Juneau yesterday afternoon m left last night for Skagway, on the way through Alaska and Can ada
 The Board is holding its July meeting in the Territory of Alaska and will stop in Whitehorse, Fair banks, Anchorage and possibly Meme before leaving by plane over the Alaska Military Highway route on the return trip to Edmonton and Ottawa, from where the Am erican delegation will return to the United States.
 Both Mayor LaGuardia and Col. Biggar have been on the Joint Board since it's creation in August, 1940. Other members of the Ameri- can membership who were in Ju- neau are Major General Guy V. Henry, Vice Admiral A. w. Johnson, Capt. John P. Whitney, Col. E. w. Hockenberry, J. D. Hickerson, rep resentative of the State Depart ment. and It. Col. Paul V. Bet ters.
 Canadian Members
 Canadian members of the Joint Board, in addition to Col. Biggar are Admiral G. c. Jones, R.C.N.; Major General Maurice Pope, Air Vice Marshal N. R. Anderson, Col. J. H. Jenkins and H. L. Keenley- side, of the Department of Exter- nal Affairs.
 On the way to Juneau the party stopped in Minneapolis, Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Ketchikan.
 This board was created in Aug ust, 1940, between the United States and Canada for the purpose ot clearing all matters of joint de- fense and, in January, 1942, many of the plans that had been made were put into operation" Mayor LaGuardia said.
 Many of the present military in- stallations in Alaska are result of this planning and the purpose of our present meeting in Alaska is to see the results of our plans as completely as is possible" he stated.
 "See Alaska and Live"
 Mayor LaGuardia said he was enthusiastic concerning what he had seen of Alaska. Some people say see Naples and die; would say see Alaska and live" he de- clared. There is an enthusiasm about your people and a peace about your country that is won- derful.
 T want the men from the east who are now serving with the armed forces in Alaska to know that they are not forgotten by the folks at home. And I assure you both Alaskans and servicemen, that people in the country are well aware of the importance of the work being done up here.
 The servicemen have done splen- did work in chasing the enemy out of part of the Aleutians and l hope it won't be long before they are driven out altogether.
 Long, Hard War
 We have a long and difficult war on our hands and we have no illusions about it. Things are going our way slowly but we will not be finished until we have beaten, crushed and destroyed the Japs, As a matter of fact I would say the lousy Japs. We want to crush them so that the Pacific will be free from further wars for the next 500 years,' LaGuardia said. Confer With Officials
 Members of the Permanent Joint Board conferred with Gov. Ernest Gruening and other civilian offi- cials as well as with military of