Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Cream shortening and sugar. Beat eggs just enough to break the yolks. Add to shortening. Add flour mixture and milk alternately. Add vanilla. Turn dough out on lightly floured board and knead. Roll out thin and cut with cookie cutters. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake on greased cookie sheets 15 minutes. Cakes will be soft if the dough is fairly thick, crisp if rolled thin.