Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-19
PAUL FULLER, NEW
NATIONAL FIGURE
One of the Barefoot Boys" Who
Have Risen to Fame-Inter-
national Law Expert Never
Went to College.
BY EDWARD R. BUSHNELL

! WHENEVER the world encounters a man
| w who has achieved International distinc-
tion in law and letters without the aid of
college or law school education it is pretty
sure to want second look at him. we
have plenty of self-made business men, but
precious few OF the self educated whose
scholarship attracts the attention of so schol.
arly a man as President Woodrow Wilson.
Such is Paul Fuller of New York, who was
sent TO Mexico by President Wilson to re-
port on conditions in that war-torn Repub-
lie. He has been at the Administrations
call in the deliberations which led to
the recent All-Amcrican Conference It
wouldn't be fair to saddle on Mr. Fuller the
responsibility for the Administrations mis-
takes within the last year, but during this
period of experimentation Mr.. Fuller, be.
cause of his sympathetic understanding Of
the Mexican situation and his comprehension
of the Latin American temperament, has
proved himself the most valuable adviser
the President has had since he started the
train of special investigators led by John
Lind to find out what allied Mexico. or them
all Fuller Is credited with the most complete
understanding of the situation, which ex-
plains why he Is being retained as the adj
wiser Of President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing
A Motto From Solomon
Who is this man Fuller? That was the
question on many lips when it was am
nounced nearly Il year ago that Paul Fuller,
Of New York, was TO be sent to Mexico as
President Wilson'S personal representative to
confer with Carranza, villa and other revo-
lutonsts who might spring up over night.
It was useless to lool, in who's Who," be-
cause this man had SO persstently SHE'D
from publicity that the biographers missed
him. And even now he won't submit to the
delights of being interviewed His motto
seems to be that of Solomon: Let another
man praise thee and not thine own mouth;
a stranger and not thine own lips"
How this scholarly man was dragged into
the limelight of the Mexican question is an
interesting story. He is a member of the
law firm Of Coudert Brothers, of New York.
His speciality has always been international
law, and this subject he knows so thoroughly
that New York lawyers instinctively turn to
him when they need an expert. In addition
to his knowledge of law Mr. Fuller has built
up knowledge Of Latin American countries
and Of the languages and temperament OF
the people that is rarely to be met with
A little more than one year ago one Of his
clients revealed to him a story of injustice
in certain republic below the Rio Grande
Since it involved the American diplomatic
service, Mr. Fuller decided that it should be
brought to the attention of the Adminstra-
tion. Consequently, he wrote letter TO
President Wilson explaining the situation
briefly. The matter came to the personal at
tention of the President and he asked Mr.
Fuller to see him In Washington Mr.. Fuller
went and in the course OF his conversation
with the President revealed situation that
astonished the President as much as II had
Mr.. Fuller. The President determined that
it should be brought to the attention of Mr.
Bryan then Secretary Of State. Mr.. Bryan
was sent for, He promptly confirmed what
Mr.. Fuller had said, but blamed it on the
previous Administration, from which he said
it had been inherited. With great firmness
the President declared that no matter from
what source it had been inherited ii was an
evil which should be corrected at once And
it was
Becomes Especial Representative"
1t was Mr., Fuller's rare understanding Of
the situation which aDDealed IN President