P om or ski ▁acting ▁as ▁his ▁deput y . ▁Francis zek ▁P ius ▁Rad zi wi ł ł ▁and ▁Jó zef ▁Pi ł s ud ski ▁were ▁put ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁Military ▁Commission . ▁The ▁Council ' s ▁first ▁pro clam ation ▁esp oused ▁monarch ical ▁government , ▁Poland ' s ▁expansion ▁towards ▁the ▁east ▁and ▁supported ▁an ▁army ▁of ▁volunte ers . ▁A ▁National ▁Council ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁prov is ional ▁parliament . ▁The ▁Coun c ill ors ▁ins isted ▁on ▁actual ▁Polish ▁aut onomy ▁and , ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁April , ▁were ▁given ▁authority ▁over ▁education , ▁law ▁courts ▁and ▁propag anda . ▁Still , ▁students ▁were ▁diss atisf ied ▁with ▁the ▁extent ▁of ▁aut onomy ▁and ▁organ ised ▁a ▁strike ▁on ▁ 3 ▁May , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁temporary ▁closing ▁of ▁all ▁univers ities . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁U . S . ▁President ▁Wood row ▁Wilson ' s ▁pro clam ation ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁a ▁un ified ▁and ▁independent ▁Poland ▁( on ▁ 2 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 7 ) ▁and ▁the ▁down fall ▁of ▁the ▁Ts ar ▁in ▁the ▁February ▁Revolution ▁strength ened ▁the ▁Polish ▁forces ▁favor ing ▁a ▁neutral ▁or ▁pro - Ent ente ▁st ance . ▁ ▁O ath ▁crisis ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁a ▁brig ade ▁of ▁Polish ▁leg ions ▁under ▁Stanisław ▁S ze pty cki ▁moved ▁into ▁Wars aw ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁officer ▁corps ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Polish ▁army . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 1