The events of August 1914 retarded the changing of the guard until December 1914, with William G. Sharp waiting in the wings. Herrick, in the tradition of his predecessor Elihu Washburne in 1870, had assumed a heroic role. As the German forces approached Paris and the French government along with most of the foreign embassies withdrew, Herrick remained. Responsible for German interests in France, he was in a good position to stand firm. He himself was far from neutral, however, being instrumental in the organization of most of the American war relief efforts which were springing up -- work he continued after returning to the U.S. Herrick returned as Ambassador to France under Harding, in 1921. Once again, he captured public attention when welcoming Lindburgh in 1927. His insistence upon participating in the funeral procession of Marshal Foch, despite ill health, precipitated his death in Paris in 1929. (See: T. Bentley Mott, Myron T. Herrick, Friend of France, Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1929.)

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