US Indian land ownership:

At the tribal level: Federal Indian reservations are areas of land reserved for tribes as permanent tribal homelands; the federal government holds title to the land in trust on behalf of the tribe.

At the individual level: Allotment refers to the legal process by which land ownership was conveyed to individual Indians. Initially held in trust, land allotments were later removed from trust resulting in the land passing out of Indian ownership (from economic necessity, lack of representation, or other manipulation of law). The main allotment phase began in 1887 with the General Allotment Act and ended in 1934 with the Indian Reorganization Act. Trust Patents were documents held by allottees verifying that their land was held in trust by the government.

 

Public war support:

Liberty Bonds were sold by the federal government to fund the war effort. The bonds were marketed directly to the American people with a sales campaign conveying the message that it was a patriotic duty to buy bonds. Dixon included the question about Liberty Bond investment as a means of demonstrating Indian patriotism and commitment to the war effort.

Though it had been in existence since 1881, it was World War I that pushed the Red Cross into national and international prominence. The public’s support for the relief efforts of the Red Cross during the war years has been valued at $400 million. Dixon’s question here again reflects his desire to make note of public-minded support from Indian tribes and individuals.