After four years of pulling strings, Generalissimo Franco finally got himself unostracized by the United Nations on Saturday. He promptly returned in "triumph" to Madrid (from a tour of his overseas possessions) and was met with amazing indifference by this citizens.

This cool reception points up the absurdity of the UN decision, which reversed a 1946 resolution calling on all member nations to sever diplomatic tics with Spain. It may be true, as the United States delegation maintained, that the ban was pointless anyway, since diplomatic relations do not imply approval of a regime.

But recognition undoubtedly strengthens the internal position of Franco's regime, which badly needs such strengthening. Even if, as President Truman reaffirmed the other day, the U.S. has no intention of resuming full diplomatic relations with Franco in the near future, some damage has already been done.

The United States, by voting with the majority on Saturday, demonstrated that it has moved all the way from viewing Spain as a liability of the West to considering it a bulwark against communism. But Spain, with a government that is unstable politically and economically and of doubtful strategic importance, remains a liability nevertheless. The U.N. decision means simply that the chance of replacing Franco with a more acceptable government has been considerably lessened.