Evening star., 1959-12-13
Grateful for U.S.. Citizenship,
Turk Plans Eisenhower Gift
By GEORGE WILSON
Star stan Writer

a Turkish immigrant has
enosen a unique way to express
his gratitude to the United
States this Christmas season.
Irfan Kipman, who became
an American citizen a year ago
this month. will give President
Eisenhower a Turkish fireplace
which he assembled himself
from 292 pieces Of ceramic tile.
at would give me the great
est pleasure and qualification
Of my life." Mr.. Kipman wrote
the President, "if you shoulc
accept this humble token from
an immigrant like myself at
this Holy season" The White
House said the gift will be ac-
cepted.
The fireplace is from a 18th
century design and is ga feet
high and 6 feet wide. Its tiles
are of several colors, but main
ly blue on white. Fires actu-
ally can be burned in the fire.
place-or Turkish chimney, as
It is called.
27,O00-MiIe Trip To Q. S.
Mr.. Kipman, 40. came to the
United States nine years ago
with so cents in his pocket
after q circuitous 27,000-mile
trip from Turkey by motorcycle.
In the Khyber Pass, Mr..
Kipman'S motorcycle scared a
caravan of camels. The tribes
men charged him with poised
spears. Mr.. Kipman drew his
pistol and began shooting at
their feet. They backed of far
enough for him to accelerate
his motorcycle and dash
through them.
Another time he took his
own picture astride a statue of
the sacred COW in an Indian
temple. He thought no one was
in the temple until a posse Of
enraged Indians ran toward
him. There was a chase around
and around the temple with
Mr.. Kipman's motorcycle parts
spilling from his pockets as he
ran. He escaped his pursuers
by mixing in with a group Of
students.
A native Of Instanbul. Tur-
key, Mr.. Kipman started his
adventurous trip as a reporter
for Turkeys Daily Vatan. His
idea was to get close to the
people and write about their
hopes and fears.
He left Instanbul in 1949. He
had prepared himself for a
year by doing everything from
studying maps to working on
corpSes to learn how to sew up
his own wounds.
He bumped through Persia,
AfghaniStan, Pakistan, India,
Burma, Vietnam, South Africa,
Brazil, Costa Rica and Puerto
Rico. From Puerto Rico, he
and his motorcycle came to
New York in August, 1850. His
newspaper could not send him
any more money. So there he
was, a foreigner with only so
cents in cash and a motorcycle
he would not sell for senti-
mental reasons.
Voice Of America Announcer
Mr., Kipman finally got a
job lifting steel wire in a New
York factory. Later he worked
for the Voice Of America as a
part-time announcer. From
1851 to 1857, he worked full
time for the Voice Of America,
rising to a producer. He left
the Voice and Washington to
start a beauty shop with his
wife in New York. A year ago
he became a United States
citizen.
mo one can appreciate
Americas freedom unless they
have lived outside this coun-
try, he said. II know the diff
ference. But I don't believe
in always being on the receiv-
ing end. Right after 1 arrived
here I felt that some day I
must give this wonderful coun-
try something"
White House to Get Other Gifts
In 1858, he returned to Tur-
key and brought back collec-
tion OF ceramic art with him,
including the fireplace. He had
to diSassemble the fireplace to
transport it. He spent three
months putting it back together
piece by piece.
He also has two vases,
cocktail table and two wall
plates of matching ceramic
tile to give to the President.
All the pieces will be on dis
play at the American Friends
OF the Middle East headquar-
ters, 1907 New Hampshire ave-
nue. NV, until the White
House presentation.