An Inspector Calls Page #2

Like a lot of young these women

who get into various kinds of trouble,

she used more than one name.

But her original name, her real name

was Eva Smith. - Eva Smith?

- Yes.

Do you remember her,

mister Berling? - NooO

But I seem to remember having

heard that name somewhere.

Eva Smith.

But it doesn't convey anything to me.

I don't see where I

come into this, inspector.

But she was employed in your

works, Mister Birling.

Oooh, that's it! Well, of course.

We've got several hundred young

women there. They keep changing.

Ah, but this young woman Eva Smith

was a bit out of the ordinary.

I found a photograph of

her in the lodgings.

Perhaps, uh, perhaps this

will help you to remember.

Any particular reason

why we shouldn't see this

young woman's photograph, inspector?

There might be.

You recognize her now,

don't you, Mister Berling?

Yees!

I remember her.

She was one of my employees.

It must've been the Autumn of 1910.

About the time we opened

our new machine shop.

Yeah, she was out of the ordinary.

An intelligent, good-looking girl.

If fact, the foreman told

me he was ready to

promote her to what they call a....

a leading operator.

Head of a small group of girls.

See them? Quite a bit of spirit.

I didn't know then that

she was a troublemaker.

It's only the girls in the

lath machine job isn't it?

Not the whole boiling?

-Only the women, sir.

How many of them are coming up?

A deputation of five, sir.

-Right, you'd better show 'em in.

-Right, sir.

I understand you're dissatisfied with

the money you're getting here.

Is that so? -Yes, sir.

How much are they getting at the moment?

Between 22 shillings and

6 pence a week, sir.

That's the usual rate in the industry

at present, isn't it? -Yes, sir.

You see?

How much do you think you ought to get?

25 shillings, sir.

- Well I'm sorry, but it can't be done.

Why can't it be done?

Did you say "Why can't it be done"?

Yes. - I don't see why I should

have to give you an explanation.

Well why are you seeing us then?

- Alright, I'll tell you.

If I agreed to your demands,

costs would go up 10%.

And if costs went up 10%

prices would go up 10%

a we should be unable to sell our

goods against our competitors

If that happened the factory

would close down and

you'd be out of work.

Satisfied?

No.

I'm afraid you'll have

to remain unsatisfied

I've told you, we're

paying the usual rates.

But what if you can't live on them?

You'll have to go and work somewhere

else. It's a free country, after all.

What's the use of that if you

can't get work somewhere else?

I'm sorry, but that's

no concern of mine.

There'll be trouble sir, I'm afraid.

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