An Inspector Calls Degree of Responsibility.
Although each member of the Birling family and Gerald Croft have had contact with Eva Smith/Daisy Renton during the previous two years, none of them is aware of the others' involvement in the tragedy until the day of the inspector's visit. He makes them aware of the part they have played in her tragic end. The characters each react differently to the news and to the degree of responsibility which they should bear.
The first person to have contact with Eva was Arthur Birling. He had employed her at his works until September 1910. At first when the inspector had asked him about Eva he couldn't remember her until the inspector showed him a photograph of her. He then remembered her and explained about his involvement. Eva had been involved in a dispute over low wages and because she had been one of the ring leaders in the strike, he had dismissed her.
When told of the consequences of his actions, that Eva was out of work for two months and desperate for money, Arthur Birling showed no remorse. He explained that:.
"The girl had been causing trouble in the works.
I was quite justified.".
He was backed up by Gerald Croft whereas Sheila and Eric disapproved.
Arthur Birling resents being challenged by the inspector and especially resents the suggestion that he just uses girls for cheap labour and getting rich on this exploitation. To Arthur Birling, as to others of his kind, workers were there to do a job and it was not his responsibility to look after their welfare. He firmly believed that he was being fair to his workers by paying them the going rates. Eva was getting "twenty two and six" which compared well with a bricklayer's labourer who got eighteen shillings and a police constable who got twenty seven shillings a week. So in his eyes he was not underpaying his workers by the standards of 1910. He considered it his duty to keep labour costs down and stamp out any unrest among his workforce.
