Today marks the first meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers since December, 1947. A good deal has happened in the world during the 17 months that followed that last unsuccessful session, but very little of it has been designed to promote cheerful relations between the United States and Russia.

It is quite possible that the meeting which begins today in Paris will also end in failure. There is certainly more skepticism in the West now than there was in 1947. But there does exist a possibility of agreement between the Big Four on the German problem: that possibility must be exploited to the fullest by the United States, Great Britain, and France, for the present uneasy condition of a divided Germany is a major roadbloc in the path to some sort of peaceful settlement of the East-West conflict.

One of Germany's outstanding problems is its political future. The Western powers have persuaded the western Germans to adopt a democratic constitution, and a federal government will be set up in June. The Eastern powers have persuaded the eastern Germans to clamor for a strong central government and a united Germany. This cry of "union" has, of course, a tremendous influence on all Germans. The West cannot ignore that cry. But while we must strive to reach a settlement on unifying Germany, we must also resolve to see that democratic safeguards are included in any scheme, so that elections cannot be rigged, and the rights of all factions will be protected. Also, if the Four Powers can agree on a central government, that government must be strictly limited in powers.

The second phase of "the German problem" is economic. Trade between East and West in Europe is meager, clearly to the detriment of both sides. Now that the Foreign Ministers are going to discuss Germany, they will doubtless talk about trade as well. If arrangements can be made to foster the exchange of eastern German raw materials and foodstuffs for industrial products of the western zones, it would be a wholesome beginning to a general relaxing of the unofficial dual blockade of the Continent, and that in itself would ease the "cold war" tensions in jittery Europe.

These two problems, of course, are vastly complex, and solution to them cannot be reached except by protracted negotiations. Today's Big Four meeting, however, gives both sides the opportunity to start such bargaining. The current atmosphere of charge and counter-charge is hardly auspicious, especially when it appears on official levels--both in this country and in the Soviet Union--but should the Foreign Ministers deal with each other honestly over the conference table, not only Germany and Europe but the entire world would be a safer place in which to live.