5S
INAUGUEATION OF THE RED CEOSS CIIAPTER. HOIJSR
of Bliss Irma Ramírez Bravo.
If tlie family tliat requests our aid
dees not have au iiicome, or the ene it receives is insufficient, we render help in the í'orm of food, clotliing or the paymeiit of liouse rent; health problems are referred to hospitals and clinies: employment is obtained for the men and women physically fitted, stress is laid lipón, so that eacli person ivill comply witii his duties and therefore speeial attention is given to orphan children; and tlie aged and maimed are never forgotten.
These fainilies are instructod
in the prevention of diseases, in Horae Ilygiene and on the intelUgent use of their incomes; the work of their eliildren and their
better adaptability to the sehool environment i.s very carefully supervised; the obtaining of pensions. eompensations and liospitalization as ivell as otlier services, are rendered to veterans, soldiers and injured workmen. Tlie Ilomc Service Department has made it a
point to keep in eontact witli similar agencies of social ivork througlioiit the United States and other conntries. oii belialf of the fainilies
under its eare. Al! of these activities have as jirlme object the fostering of tlie pliysical, moral, social and economic condition of oiir
people, and it endeavoiirs to point. to theni the ¡iropei* use of the advantage.s offered by the eommuiiity in their behalf. and in other instances, to better adapt tiiemselves to tlio environment in whleh
the.\ live, ahvays basing tlie work on the fundamental prinei])le, that in e\er.\ case, tliey are responsible befoi-e their fellow human beings, !-or tlie fulfillnient of their duties to tlieir homes and to society in general. In otlier words, the Department is a social ageiu-y with a systematic program of organized cliarity worlí.
By virtue of Law No.
approved the 26th of .July, l!)2í), by the
then f«overnor llorace il. Towner. wiiicli iVas introdueed into the
Henate of I uerto Rico by Senaíors ilanuel A. (tarcía iléndez and
Enrupie González .Aleña, and piloted tliru tlie Ilouse by Representatm AIi. Enri(]ue Landrón, now gone over the (íreat Divide, the I eoj)l( of I uerto Rico soid to the Aniei'ican Red Ci'oss, for the nomiiitd price of one dnllar. that is. gímeroiisly donated, the site whieh it now oecu])ies on Ronce de León Aveiuie, of aii area of r)(i;í.25
sq. ni., nndei* tiie condition, that the ('ha|)ter was to ereet a building, witimi the ne.xt five years. at a eost not !ess than 5.000. for tJie juoper housing ot the offices and otliei" hranches of tile orgímization. The deed was signed on Angnst !)th. 1¡)2!Í. bei'ore Xotary Rublic -1. AI. ( alderon by Don Giiilleriiio Esteves. Coiiiinissioner of tlie
Iníerioi- on belialf of the Goveriiment aiid Dr. A. Kerin'.s Isern, Ghairman of tlie Ghaiitei'. Then the Gliapter reqiiested tluí De partment of the Interior to prepai-e plans for tliis building and