instructing him to refuse to hand over the administration to the National Committee.
Meanwhile, in Prague, during the afternoon, the military authorities endeavoured to moderate the excitement of the crowds, who had already begun to pull down the Austrian emblems. The Magyar troops who were garrisoned in Prague were sent to patrol the streets. The military commander, however, who had been instructed by the Ministry of War to co-operate with the national committees for the maintenance of peace, acceded to the request of the National Committee in Prague and recalled the troops. The National Committee thereupon undertook the task of maintaining order in the city, largely with the help of the Sokols. The enthusiasm of the people was thus allowed free play, and October 28th was duly celebrated as the first day of national liberty. In accordance with the prevailing mood the National Committee, at seven o’clock in the evening, issued the first law of the Czechoslovak State. It runs as follows:
The independent Czechoslovak State has come into being. In order that continuity should be preserved between the juridical order hitherto existing and the new regime, in order that no confusion may arise and that there may be an undisturbed transition to the new life of the State, the National Committee, as executor of the State supremacy, enacts as follows on behalf of the Czechoslovak nation:
Article I
The State form of the Czechoslovak State will be decided by the National Assembly in agreement with the Czechoslovak National Council in Paris as bodies expressing the unanimous will of the nation. Before this is done, the State supremacy will be exercised by the National Committee.
Article II
All imperial and provincial laws will continue to remain in force until further notice.
Article III
All autonomous bodies, all State, district, municipal, and local institutions are answerable to the National Committee, and until further notice they will continue to carry out their duties in accordance with the existing laws and regulations.
Article IV
This law comes into force from to-day onwards.
