My quick scan of newspapers from 1918 and 1919 suggests masks weren’t as politicized back then. The papers were full of stories of children collecting peach pits to turn into charcoal for gas masks worn by Doughboys. Among the most stringent mask cities was San Francisco, which at the end of October 1918 made mask-wearing mandatory. S. Kogas, proprietor of a fruit stand, had worn his mask over his mouth, but not over his nose. The store recommended women make more attractive masks out of chiffon veiling, which it sold by the yard.

Source: Washington Post July 01, 2020 20:25 UTC