The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-22
JOHNSON IS BEING URGED ID MAKE RACE. FOR GOVERN0RSHIP
Was Leader in Lower House of the Mississippi Legis- lature and Just Back
 From the Front

Jackson, Miss, December 21.-(Special) Oscar Johnson, leader in the lower house of the legislature the past several years, and recently returned from the war-or rather, from Camp Colt, where he was trained to run one of the big tanks over boches or anything else that got in the way-is being importuned to enter the race for governor. The chances are that he will do so in a few days, and formal announcement may be expected by the first of the new year.
 Mir. Johnson enlisted last summer as a private in Company B, 339th tank corps. and was sent east for training. He se- lected this branch of the service because he believed he would be more likely to have the pleasure of smashing a few Huns before the war ended than in the other branches. He was soon made a lieutenant and was under orders to set sail for France when the armistice was signed. As was the case with the great majority of United States soldiers he was disappointed, and states that there was no rejoicing in the camp when it was announced the war was over.
 Returning home after being honorably discharged at Camp Dix, N. J., MT. John- son found that his friends had started him in the direction of the guberna- torial office. He knew that he had been mentioned in this connection, but had no idea the demand for his services at that post were so strong and insistent. He has been in consultation with friends from over the state, and is almost per- suaded to shie his caster into the arena. Asked about his intentions in this con- nection, Mir. Johnson said:
 Answering your direct question as to whether I shall or shall not enter the race, I can only say that I have not 1o,, i1o1, fr, at 1, ings, or to determine just what course I should pursue. This muqA, however, can be said: I am giving the matter very serious consideration and after confer ence with friends from other sections of the state, I shall be in position to make a definite statement regarding my plans for the future.'
 In the event MT. Johnson does run he will have the backing of all the anti yardaman- Bilbo factions, and will carry the war right into Africa. As a stump speaker and rough and tumble fighter he has no equal in Mississippi
 CLAIMED THEY ARE SWINDLED
 Quite a number of negroes have been down to Jackson to see Governor Bilbo recently, telling him that the delta plant CTS for whom they have been working the past year, refuse to give them a set tlement, and that they are being robbed of their share of the crops they made. One stated that he and his wife had made IS bales of cotton, worth about s2oO per bale, counting the seed, but that all he was given out of his half was a receipt for his store account and s250 and the 20 per cent interest he was charged on that. wherefore he figures that about Sl5Dc more should come his way. All the governor could advise any of them to do was to employ a lawyer and sue the planter for a settlement. The negroes stated that they vera afraid to return to the plantation or to the county town to see lawyer. It is stated that such treatment of farm negroes is the chiet cause of the labor shortage in that part of the state. The planters are crying for cotton pickers and many of them cannot get them for love or money Mean- time thousands of acres of cotton, nlak- ]