The first organizational meeting of the Princeton League of Women Voters was held on October 13, 1932 with the object of interesting women in government. A few weeks later, on October 31, the first formal meeting was held with Mrs. H. D. Eldridge presiding as president. The president of the New Jersey League of Voters spoke; topics to be studied were listed as
- Efficiency in government;
- Public welfare in government;
- Legal status of women;
- International cooperation to prevent war.
Also, a week before election day, local candidates for the Republican, Democratic and Socialist parties addressed the group of about fifty.
By April of 1933 membership had more than doubled to 116. Study groups were formed:
- Women In Industry;
- Efficiency in government;
- Social Hygiene.
In 1935 State issues were studied:
- Jury Reform;
- Voting Machines;
- Abolishing night work for Women;
- Enforcing the minimum wage;
- State Reorganization.
- Foreign policy was explored.
There was a neutrality study group and a resolution "To cooperate with the Cause and Cure of War Conference". Some public talks in those years were
- Dr. Buell of the Foreign Policy Association on "Manchuria and the Caribbean: A Comparison of Japanese and American Policy"
and in 1936
- Dr. Reischauer of the University who had lived in Japan on "Japan, a Factor in World Peace."
Many subjects of 1930's study are still with us today:
- a local and state study of Housing;
- an inter-racial meeting with the NAACP;
- a concern for the migratory child.
Topics in 1939 were
- Civil Liberties;
- Child Welfare;
- Socialized Medicine: "Group Purchase of medical care should be tried for those unable to meet large emergency expenses."
Some topics sound very familiar. These three from 1939:
- "The acute situation in this state results from the fact that many municipalities have incurred obligations for relief, based on promises of funds from the state which the Legislature is unable to keep."
- Or the summer reading list drawn up for the members by Vice-President Margaret Sprout which included such titles as
- "Arab Awakening",
- "Mediterranean Cross Currents" and
- "Zionism and the Future of Palestine".
- Then a full-page article in the December 1939 League Bulletin against the Foran Bill introduced in the Legislature. It provided that aliens must carry a registration card at all times and "exhibit it to competent authorities". It called for 24 hour detention which could be extended to 30 days and $500 bail. In the League's opinion "There is no emergency to justify such risks."
Early in the decade the League had a Candidate Information Booth on Nassau Street. Later the League's bulletins had included candidate profiles. In 1939 Legislative candidates were included for the Democratic, Republican Socialist, National Prohibition and Old Age Pension parties. Mrs. H. Baldwin Smith, wife of a Princeton professor, inaugurated a special bulletin of candidate information to be distributed to the public. In 1940, 4000 of these information sheets were distributed. This was the beginning of League of Women Voters candidate information sheets.
