the National Council. The difficulty lies in the circumstance that an independent State usually arises on the territory inhabited by its citizens. In our case, however, the Government and army abroad were recognized and therefore the State or, at least, the principle of State independence. Thus the reality departed from previous theory and usage. A further complication lay in the revolution at home. On October 28, 1918, the Prague National Committee proclaimed itself expressly as a Government “from this day onwards”; and both it and the first Statute announced the formation of the Czechoslovak State. This first Statute, albeit with some amendments, was put on the Statute Book and marked the beginning of a special independent legislative authority.
The position was therefore that, after receiving recognition from many quarters, the National Council abroad proclaimed itself as the Government of the Czechoslovak State and was recognized as such both by the Allies and by the chairman and the representatives of the National Committee at home. But, on the other hand, the National Committee at Prague also proclaimed itself as a Government. So, for a time, we had two Governments, one abroad recognized by the Allies, and one at home set up by right of revolution. The establishment of these two centres of action was due to the peculiar character of our revolt against Austria, which was carried out abroad and at home. But the important thing was that both centres, both de facto Governments, worked hand in hand and that no antagonism arose between them such as, for instance, arose between the Polish Governments in Warsaw and in Paris. As soon as our home Government was set up, it naturally became the head of the administration, and derived from this position its character and its authority, while the embryonic Government abroad had its own military and diplomatic work to do, particularly in connexion with the peace negotiations. The problem was then to unite the two Governments.
When, therefore, did our State begin? Some writers conclude that it began on October 14, 1918, when the transformation of our National Council abroad into a Provisional Government was notified to the Allies. The French Government was the first to recognize it on October 15, and this recognition Seton-Watson regards as decisive. I agree with him and hold that our State has existed de jure since that day. On the other hand, the view was held that its existence dates from the Washington Declaration of Independence on October 18; but the history of the Declaration proves that it was the act of a Govern-
